24hr dosing pumps: To push or to pull through the CaRx | #AskBRStv

[randyBRS]

Hey Reefers!

We just keep pushing them out and today we have another #AskBRStv for you. This one is from the community over on YouTube where John was wondering whether you push or pull into a CaRx when using the continuous duty dosing pump from Kamoer.

Find out what we think.

 

[Tom Blevins]

 

[randyBRS]

Do you push or pull?

 

[Tom Blevins]

Push Randy, sorry I removed my post.
It's a night and day difference with the Kamoer!

 

[ycnibrc]

Pull is better incase of a clog

 

[Tom Blevins]

Pull is better in case of a clog

Thank YOU!

 

[randyBRS]

Thank YOU, I am a newbie at this and would be curious what others are doing too!

So I am clear, pull line is in the sump to the doser and I am pushing the out from the doser into the reactor, would this be push or pull? please advise Thanks.

Push means your dosing pump is between the sump and reactor (essentially pushing water into the reactor)

Pull means your dosing pump is on the output side of the reactor and your are sucking water through it. (basically like a straw from the sump but with a reactor in between)

 

[Tom Blevins]

Thanks, I will change tonight, thanks for clarification!

 

[joe berkman]

I haven't set my rx up yet. what the heck the pump after the reactor,Does anyone have thoughts on siphoning down from the tank, or drawing up from the sump, and how would you bleed air from the system with the later.

 

[randyBRS]

I haven't set my rx up yet. what the heck the pump after the reactor,Does anyone have thoughts on siphoning down from the tank, or drawing up from the sump, and how would you bleed air from the system with the later.

I'd imagine that bleeding is more so dependent on the CaRx manufacturer, or where the effluent output is positioned. Some reactors, like the Vertex one in this video, has a recirculating line that draws the air back into the CO2 reaction chamber which eventually will make it out of the reactor.

For my @geo reactor I used years ago, I would crack the lid slightly or pull the pH probe while feeding the reactor to help remove air. Outside of that, I'd personally not opt to "siphon" in any case as there's always a chance that should a connection break water would leak everywhere. I've always installed my peristaltic pump on a shelf that drew from the sump.

 

[joe berkman]

Thanx Randy.

 

[ShadowR55]

I just purchased and installed the Vertex and he Kamoer pump and set it to pull from the calcium reactor but my recirculating pump is constantly chopping up air, for some reason the air is not purging from the system. Would it be better for me to feed the CaRx?

 

[randyBRS]

I just purchased and installed the Vertex and he Kamoer pump and set it to pull from the calcium reactor but my recirculating pump is constantly chopping up air, for some reason the air is not purging from the system. Would it be better for me to feed the CaRx?

Not necessarily, as the same potential issues I detailed in the video still exist when pushing into a reactor. It sounds like you might need to do a little manual air removal, which can be pretty easy. You'll just need to purge some air manually which is easiest done by briefly pushing water into the reactor with the dosing pump on the input side (should only be some quick push connect fittings); remove the excess air re-circulation line; allow the reactor to fill up with water and push air out of the open port in the lid; once water starts to come out of the recirc line you can put everything back and run the reactor again. There may still be a little bit of air recirculating through the system, but shouldn't be as prominent as before and eventually it will get recirculated out of the CaRx.

You know, the first thing I would try before disconnecting lines is to shut off the CO2 to your reactor; turn the dosing pump to 100%; and just let the system run for a while. The recirc line should eventually allow all excess air out of the system. If that doesn't work after a few minutes/hours of running, try the steps I outlined above.

 

[foxt]

I have mine set up to pull. Have never had an issue with it. My pH probe is on the top of the reactor chamber. A little bonus when pulling is that I can draw down the water level in the reactor just a little when removing the probe to calibrate it. I remove the water pickup tube from the sump and allow the feed pump to run a little to draw down the water level in the chamber. Keeps water from coming out of the hole for the probe. There is a little air that needs to be bled when I start the reactor back up, but that is taken care of when I run the masterflex pump in prime mode for a minute or so.

 

[Tom Blevins]

The kamoer pump and the pull mode with this unit just is not working after 4 days the calcium reactor Geo 612x2 pump starts air locking and making noise @ 100ml flow?
went back to the old push pump in the sump and all is fine now, anyone need 1 just 2 weeks old with 4 replacement water line which you need to replace after
the recommended hours of use.

 

[ShadowR55]

You can’t really bleed it when your pulling water through it because when you remove the CO2 line from the top, it sucks in air from there. I don’t think you can do the pull method with the Vertex reactor. I’ve tried everything and can’t get the air out.

 

[randyBRS]

You can’t really bleed it when your pulling water through it because when you remove the CO2 line from the top, it sucks in air from there. I don’t think you can do the pull method with the Vertex reactor. I’ve tried everything and can’t get the air out.

Right, which is why I recommended that you move the pump to push water into the reactor to bleed/prime it. However, before moving around water lines and connections, I would just try to run the system at 120mL/min and the recirc pump (without CO2) for several minutes or hours and see if the air works itself out. If that doesn't remove the air, then I would try pushing water into the reactor to prime it then move it back to pulling when it's purged.

 

[ShadowR55]

Right, which is why I recommended that you move the pump to push water into the reactor to bleed/prime it. However, before moving around water lines and connections, I would just try to run the system at 120mL/min and the recirc pump (without CO2) for several minutes or hours and see if the air works itself out. If that doesn't remove the air, then I would try pushing water into the reactor to prime it then move it back to pulling when it's purged.

I tried that, I let it run for a good 5-6 hrs and it still had air. I also moved it to push so I can purge the air and the problem is when I disconnect the lines to move the tubing back to pull, the air gets back in the system, maybe my fault because I didn’t have the needle valve installed on the output and I probably should have closed the output before moving the lines so the water doesn’t gravity feed into the second reactor and out(thus pulling in air). Either way, I put the Kamoer to push into the system now and it’s working great that way.

 

[randyBRS]

I tried that, I let it run for a good 5-6 hrs and it still had air. I also moved it to push so I can purge the air and the problem is when I disconnect the lines to move the tubing back to pull, the air gets back in the system, maybe my fault because I didn’t have the needle valve installed on the output and I probably should have closed the output before moving the lines so the water doesn’t gravity feed into the second reactor and out(thus pulling in air). Either way, I put the Kamoer to push into the system now and it’s working great that way.

Ahh, I see. I agree that some sort of valve may have worked to keep it primed, but at least it's up and running.

 

[Reef Man]

Hey, If I Put the periplastica pump as pull, do I need to have a small pump pushing water to the CaRx? Or it is not necessary?