Official: Masterflex Calcium Reactor Setup Thread

[slief]

Originally Posted by Krazie4Acans

I don't want to hijack the thread but what is everyone using for media of choice? I have been using Rowlith C+ and love it because it's an all in one media. I'm finding it very hard to find this media anymore. I thought about switching to ARM but then I have to add something to help support the Mag levels. Any suggestions or a link to a thread where this has already been discussed? Thanks. Krazie

I use a combination of Reborn large media and ARM. In my 2nd reactor, I run solely ARM smaller media.

[swk]

Originally Posted by slief

Nah.. You will end up with more air when you put the probe back in unless the lid is completely submerged. just shut the recirculation pump on the reactor off, turn the Co2 off and run that Cole Parmer at full speed until you get the excess air out. If you have a small valve on the inlet side of the reactor, you could always plug that up for a few minutes so you can create a vacuum inside the reactor to further purge any air but the Cole Parmer should have no issue sucking the air out. Especially if you til the rector back and forth to help guide the bubbles towards the fitting/hole in the lid.

Thanks for the help. I have been running the reactor all night with the recirc and the cp running at 160ml. I'm using reborn media, which seems pretty porus, so I'm sure it doesn't help. No co2 added yet. I will try purging all the air after work and if I still experience the same issues I'll pull the reactor and go through the damn thing lol.

Meanwhile, my litermeters are quietly running reliably, doing their thing. I swear the fish are looking at me, laughing talking about what an idiot I am for not being able to leave well enough alone.

[swk]

Also, can someone just glance at this for me to see if I'm in the ballpark here? I'm majorly worried about jacking up my parameters and ****ing my large collection of sps pieces off....

Tank is a 75gal display with a 20 gal sump. Currently using 68ml of Randys DIY 2 part recipe 1. I'm going to start with 35ml of effluent and will start the reactor at a ph of 7. I will try 30bpm and hope that gets me near the proper ph in the calrx.

Sound reasonable?

Also - is it normal for the masterflex pump without a head on it to be whisper quiet, and then to be louder with a SS easy load 2 head on it? Simply put, do the head cartridges create noise?

[EvMiBo]

Personally I'd go with ~15 bpm to start out, at ~4psi bubble size. Keep an eye on alk and adjust from there (as long as your alk doesn't sway a lot your coral should be okay). Fwiw, I've always kept my reactor pH around 6.8-6.9 with great results using reborn media. Basically, smaller changes are better..

[swk]

Originally Posted by EvMiBo

Personally I'd go with ~15 bpm to start out, at ~4psi bubble size. Keep an eye on alk and adjust from there (as long as your alk doesn't sway a lot your coral should be okay). Fwiw, I've always kept my reactor pH around 6.8-6.9 with great results using reborn media. Basically, smaller changes are better..

Great! Thanks for your input. Anyone else please feel free to chime in

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by swk

Also, can someone just glance at this for me to see if I'm in the ballpark here? I'm majorly worried about jacking up my parameters and ****ing my large collection of sps pieces off....

Tank is a 75gal display with a 20 gal sump. Currently using 68ml of Randys DIY 2 part recipe 1. I'm going to start with 35ml of effluent and will start the reactor at a ph of 7. I will try 30bpm and hope that gets me near the proper ph in the calrx.

Sound reasonable?

Also - is it normal for the masterflex pump without a head on it to be whisper quiet, and then to be louder with a SS easy load 2 head on it? Simply put, do the head cartridges create noise?

Here is a guide for how to set up a reactor that is replacing supplementing

http://reef.diesyst.com/reactor/reactor.html

[slief]

Originally Posted by swk

Also, can someone just glance at this for me to see if I'm in the ballpark here? I'm majorly worried about jacking up my parameters and ****ing my large collection of sps pieces off....

Tank is a 75gal display with a 20 gal sump. Currently using 68ml of Randys DIY 2 part recipe 1. I'm going to start with 35ml of effluent and will start the reactor at a ph of 7. I will try 30bpm and hope that gets me near the proper ph in the calrx.

Sound reasonable?

Also - is it normal for the masterflex pump without a head on it to be whisper quiet, and then to be louder with a SS easy load 2 head on it? Simply put, do the head cartridges create noise?

Take it slow once you switch to the reactor and monitor your parameters daily. Make adjustments either to your Co2 rate and or CaRx flow. I would start your CaRx with about 25ml/min flow and bubble rate around 1 bubble per 3 or 4 seconds and see what happens to your Ca and Alk levels over the course of a week. If they drop, increase the bubble rate, if they rise, decrease it.

As for noise, yes the heads with the tubing installed will generate noise.

[swk]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1436308398.023475.jpgImageUploadedByTapatalk1436308470.903321.jpg

Well, the trick of moving the reactor about while priming did the trick. There's still some bubbles on the media, but I think I have it well enough and went ahead and fired the co2 up. We will see how it goes over the next couple of days

Effluent at 25ml
4 psi bubble every 3 seconds

All checked today via Hanna @ 140. Will test before bed tonight and in 24 hrs.

[tkeracer619]

Sweet! I bet it runs just fine

I'd test again before you go to bed and in the am just in case. You want to test frequently at first but at those levels I doubt it would spike anything anyways.

I use regular arm media. I have experience with many different ones over the years but always regular old arm in my setup. Buy it in 50lb bags, if you look carefully you can get it for about $90 shipped through amazon from Caribsea. That's half price of most mail order. If they aren't running that deal Custom Aquatics usually sells it around $120 shipped which is still less than most sell it for before shipping.

[swk]

Aaaannnndddd I just snapped the thread off in a slip fitting in the reactor plumbing. Fml. Looks like this project is over before it started. ImageUploadedByTapatalk1436329268.496671.jpg

[swk]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1436329348.698656.jpg

I'm so frigging mad right now.

[Wills612]

That's sucks...what about a sprinkler riser remover tool?

[swk]

Pretty sure I'll be able to remove it pretty easily. Just ****ed at myself. Have new john guest pieces arriving the 9th so it should only keep me out of the loop for a couple days at most. Better set the damn litermeters back up....ugh


Edit - was able to cleanly remove the busted off piece with a pair of scissors. God bless plastic lol

[Spartanman22]

Has anyone set this up using a Vertex RX-6D? I'm planning on making the jump to a calcium reactor as opposed to dosing on my 100 gallon upgrade. I want to do this thing right from the start, however I'm totally new to the whole calcium reactor side of things. I'm set on the Vertex RX-6D and will use the aquariumplants.com carbon dose regulator but am not sure how to set this model up with a masterflex pump. Does anyone have a picture of their setup with this reactor

[slief]

Originally Posted by swk

Pretty sure I'll be able to remove it pretty easily. Just ****ed at myself. Have new john guest pieces arriving the 9th so it should only keep me out of the loop for a couple days at most. Better set the damn litermeters back up....ugh


Edit - was able to cleanly remove the busted off piece with a pair of scissors. God bless plastic lol

I am pretty sure you can get that same John Guest style fitting at Lowes, Home Depot and Do It Center. At Home Depot, they are located in the section with the smaller brass threaded fittings. At lowes, they are located on a wall near the PVC fitting isles. At Do It Center, you can find them in one of the plumbing isles.

[swk]

Originally Posted by slief

I am pretty sure you can get that same John Guest style fitting at Lowes, Home Depot and Do It Center. At Home Depot, they are located in the section with the smaller brass threaded fittings. At lowes, they are located on a wall near the PVC fitting isles. At Do It Center, you can find them in one of the plumbing isles.

Thanks. I'll check it out!

[scuzy]

Originally Posted by Spartanman22

Has anyone set this up using a Vertex RX-6D? I'm planning on making the jump to a calcium reactor as opposed to dosing on my 100 gallon upgrade. I want to do this thing right from the start, however I'm totally new to the whole calcium reactor side of things. I'm set on the Vertex RX-6D and will use the aquariumplants.com carbon dose regulator but am not sure how to set this model up with a masterflex pump. Does anyone have a picture of their setup with this reactor

i jsut got a masterflex and will be setting it up on my vertex 6d. Currently i am running a maxijet on it as feed but will convert to a masterflex when it comes in.

[scuzy]

So i picked up a Cole Parmer 7523-70 MasterFlex L/S Digital Standard Pump Drive w/ 77201-60 Head how much tubing do you need to run this thing?

[slief]

Originally Posted by scuzy

So i picked up a Cole Parmer 7523-70 MasterFlex L/S Digital Standard Pump Drive w/ 77201-60 Head how much tubing do you need to run this thing?

For the pump head, you only need 10"-12" of tubing. I would suggest getting a few feet or more so you have spare tubing on hand.

[scuzy]

Originally Posted by slief

For the pump head, you only need 10"-12" of tubing. I would suggest getting a few feet or more so you have spare tubing on hand.

cool i ordered 10 ft.

[hkgar]

Originally Posted by scuzy

cool i ordered 10 ft.

Go back to the 1st and 2nd pages of this thread for how to hook up the small piece of tube.

[tkeracer619]

When screwing in fittings it's best not to tighten them too tight. You can always give them a little extra turn if needed but it is usually best to use a teflon paste if you are having a difficult time getting a good seal.

The fittings are available at hardware stores but you can get the John Guest brand cheaper at US Plastics if you are already making an order. I tend to buy a bunch at a time and keep them handy.

An easy out bit makes quick work of most broken off fittings but things like scissors also tend to work well. What you don't want to do is cut yourself in the process

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by scuzy

So i picked up a Cole Parmer 7523-70 MasterFlex L/S Digital Standard Pump Drive w/ 77201-60 Head

Congrats, welcome to the club!

[EvMiBo]

What's the opinion on I/P masterflex pumps or calcium reactor application??

Regarding 77410-10 specifically.

Edit: never mind, just saw the minimum flow rate is 200mL/min...

[hkgar]

I have a Masterflex 7524-00 available. If interested PM me.