Alk testing reagent and air in dosing line

BAMatter

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I have a Hydros X10 setup, and I keep getting air bubbles accumulating in my reagent line. I’ve replaced the lines, primed, etc etc etc but to no avail. I did some hunting around the webs, and my question is- I have a 1500ml dosing container, my house usually drops to about 60° overnight, and I did notice some air bubbles in the dosing container itself. Can the drop in temp and the temp difference cause any sort of gas off in the alk testing reagent and slowly build overnight? Don’t know where else the air can be coming in from, all the connections are tight, silicone tubing has been replaced, I really don’t know what else it could be…
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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Temp changes will certainly alter gas solubility.

If the bubbles are attached to the tubing walls or otherwise stationary (like in a high point of the tubing, they should not be any concern.
 

Dburr1014

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I have a Hydros X10 setup, and I keep getting air bubbles accumulating in my reagent line. I’ve replaced the lines, primed, etc etc etc but to no avail. I did some hunting around the webs, and my question is- I have a 1500ml dosing container, my house usually drops to about 60° overnight, and I did notice some air bubbles in the dosing container itself. Can the drop in temp and the temp difference cause any sort of gas off in the alk testing reagent and slowly build overnight? Don’t know where else the air can be coming in from, all the connections are tight, silicone tubing has been replaced, I really don’t know what else it could be…
Have you doubled checked where the tubing connects to the nipples? The tiniest leak will cause air in the line.
You can use zip ties or something like dow molycote on the nipples to seal them up better.
 
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BAMatter

BAMatter

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Temp changes will certainly alter gas solubility.

If the bubbles are attached to the tubing walls or otherwise stationary (like in a high point of the tubing, they should not be any concern.
Are there any pros/cons to using clear vinyl tubing as opposed to silicone tubing? There will be no air in the tubing once I prime, and then wake up to probably 10-15% of the line has air bubbles in it, as an eyeball estimate. Need to try to figure out a solution as my alk test results are all over the place. The bubbles do seem to move…
 
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BAMatter

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Have you doubled checked where the tubing connects to the nipples? The tiniest leak will cause air in the line.
You can use zip ties or something like dow molycote on the nipples to seal them up better.
I have, yes. Multiple times at this point. The pumps have both a small tapered collar as well as a screw on plastic cover as well.
 

Dburr1014

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Are there any pros/cons to using clear vinyl tubing as opposed to silicone tubing? There will be no air in the tubing once I prime, and then wake up to probably 10-15% of the line has air bubbles in it, as an eyeball estimate. Need to try to figure out a solution as my alk test results are all over the place. The bubbles do seem to move…
The rollers need the silicon hose, before and after does not matter.
 

Dburr1014

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I have, yes. Multiple times at this point. The pumps have both a small tapered collar as well as a screw on plastic cover as well.
On my AWC system I was getting bubbles. Could not find where it was coming from. I took a flash light held behind the hose to see where bubbles were coming from. To my surprise inlet on one roller was fine and the outlet has bubbles. Turns out the hose on the roller had a pinhole. Never leaked water but air was coming in when rolling.
 
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BAMatter

BAMatter

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On my AWC system I was getting bubbles. Could not find where it was coming from. I took a flash light held behind the hose to see where bubbles were coming from. To my surprise inlet on one roller was fine and the outlet has bubbles. Turns out the hose on the roller had a pinhole. Never leaked water but air was coming in when rolling.
Yea im going to have to rule out the rubber around the rollers tonight… been trying to troubleshoot with the FB group as well
 

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