Frustrated with my Geo Calcium Reactor

[d2mini]

I constantly have issues with air or co2 build up in my @geo reactor. I clear it out (as much as I can), it's quiet, and then within 36 hours the pump is making noise again, chopping up air bubbles. :mad:
I had an ok run for a little while, and now that I added more media and added on the second chamber it's doing it again. I'm pulling around 24 ml/min through it with the Kamoer FX STP pump.

Anyone have a similar issue and fixed it?
I don't have time anymore to be constantly messing with a product, dismantling it, etc. I just need it to work!

 

[Bpb]

Mine did that four times. All user error for me.

First time was on startup assembly. the ph probe port wasn’t assembled correctly. The rubber gasket had slipped and wasn’t sealing so it was drawing air from the port.

Second time was after recalibrating the probe, didn’t tighten the port down tight enough. Needed pliers to get it tight enough to stop drawing air.

Third was a leak in the peristaltic roller tubing. Waited too long before replacing and had the pinch too tight. Created a tiny hole.

Fourth was a poor seal between the new roller tubing and the 1/8” rigid rodi tubing for the effluent line.


Hope that helps.

 

[TonyNguyen]

What size inlet pump are you using to feed the GEO? I had that issue when it was to little flow coming in and to outlet drip got clogged so the CO2 builds up and I get those choppy sound like what you described. I just crank up the output and crank up the CO2 so there is no trapped air inside...

 

[d2mini]

the ph probe port wasn’t assembled correctly. The rubber gasket had slipped and wasn’t sealing so it was drawing air from the port.

This might be it.
Isn't there supposed to be a rubber o-ring around the probe? I don't have one. All I have is the threaded cap with the hole in it.
But stole a ring from something else. Will see if this works...

 

[Bpb]

Yeah there’s supposed to be a rubber ring inside. Comes out easy and I could see it getting lost in assembly/cleaning

 

[ca1ore]

I'm unfamiliar with the GEO unit. Had gas buildup in the rubble chamber of my long time MTC unit and fixed it by reconfiguring the lines so that effluent was drawn from the lid of the first chamber into the second, and from the lid of the second to the masterflex.

 

[d2mini]

I'm unfamiliar with the GEO unit. Had gas buildup in the rubble chamber of my long time MTC unit and fixed it by reconfiguring the lines so that effluent was drawn from the lid of the first chamber into the second, and from the lid of the second to the masterflex.

That's how mine is set up.
Hopefully the missing rubber o-ring was the problem.

 

[ksed]

Air is being sucked in from somewhere. Need to find the source.

 

[Joe Grubbs]

While I did not run a GEO CaRx, mine was configured to maintain a small bubble at the top and the recirc pump was a 'skimmer' style pump...yup it was noisy.

The GEO setup you are using looks very good!

 

[Water Dog]

What psi are you running? I’ve read a lot of troubleshooting threads on GEO calcium reactors and short of finding a leak, one of the most common causes for gas build up is running too much CO2 to the reactor.

 

[d2mini]

What psi are you running? I’ve read a lot of troubleshooting threads on GEO calcium reactors and short of finding a leak, one of the most common causes for gas build up is running too much CO2 to the reactor.

10 psi.

 

[Water Dog]

10psi doesn’t seem like too much CO2. Has the new probe seal helped with the bubble build up at all?

 

[n4s]

Some people fix the problem by pushing the effluent instead of pulling on my research.

Unfortunately, that didn't work for me. I'm having the same problem with the geo and a masterflex at 50ml/min at 8psi. Currently trying to fix as well. I'll post back if when/how I fix it.

 

[Water Dog]

This is a really good post from @slief discussing the exact same issue that someone was experiencing with their Geo CaRx from a thread on RC.

“I've said it before and I will say it again, I think you have a leak some place. I had the same issue when I set my used Geo 818 up. Did you ever remove the rubber uni-seal where the recirculation line enters the bottom of the reactor and reseal it? What I did was remove that seal, boil it for several minutes then apply a good coating of silicone grease to both surfaces of it so that the seal was sealed into the reactor and so that the pipe was sealed into the seal. I also removed every threaded pvc fitting on the reactor, removed the teflon tape and replaced it with teflon paste. I also took the o-ring seal for the lid and gave it a good coating of silicone grease. Since doing that, I have had no more air intrusion into my reactor.

You can also re-plumb your peristaltic pump so that it's pushing water into the reactor instead of pulling it through. That will usually expose the leak. If you have a second reactor after the first one to help stabilize pH, try elevating that reactor so that it's above the effluent line on the Geo.”

 

[d2mini]

This is a really good post from @slief discussing the exact same issue that someone was experiencing with their Geo CaRx from a thread on RC.

“I've said it before and I will say it again, I think you have a leak some place. I had the same issue when I set my used Geo 818 up. Did you ever remove the rubber uni-seal where the recirculation line enters the bottom of the reactor and reseal it? What I did was remove that seal, boil it for several minutes then apply a good coating of silicone grease to both surfaces of it so that the seal was sealed into the reactor and so that the pipe was sealed into the seal. I also removed every threaded pvc fitting on the reactor, removed the teflon tape and replaced it with teflon paste. I also took the o-ring seal for the lid and gave it a good coating of silicone grease. Since doing that, I have had no more air intrusion into my reactor.

You can also re-plumb your peristaltic pump so that it's pushing water into the reactor instead of pulling it through. That will usually expose the leak. If you have a second reactor after the first one to help stabilize pH, try elevating that reactor so that it's above the effluent line on the Geo.”

Yeah, i saw that.
I'm not fond of the idea of paying $4-500 dollars and then going through all that. Call me crazy.

I think i was still getting air after I added the ring to the ph probe. Unfortunately my new Kamoer got wet this weekend and died. Had to switch back to a regular pump and changed the feed to push instead of pull. Seems ok at the moment. During the period where I was not having a problem with air I was also pushing. So pulling must be exposing an air leak.

 

[BantyRooster97]

I have the same problem with my Geo. Haven't really spent a lot of time trying to fix it. When I first got it, I would lean the main chamber on its side and make the air got out the top t the second chamber... then within a few days, more air. Finally I quit messing with it.

I may monkey with the ph port and see what is going on. Seems as though the lid on the main port is designed in a way that the air/co2 doesn't always get sucked up & then is recirculated through the chamber wit the recirc pump.

I doubt if so many are having a problem, it is user error.

 

[Abhishek]

Dennis ,

Here's my 2 cents . I borrowed a masterflex older brushed model from a friend and tried pulling water through the reactor instead of pushing and invariable had leak issues and the pump making crazy noise .
I then moved to my trusty old way of using a small sicce pump to push water but also used a Mercedes benz fuel filter just before the effluent to prevent it from clogging g . Learnt the trick from legendary adam at battlecorals and works like a charm . I haven't touched my effluent for 3 months and it's as steady as it was . Only downside every 4-5 months , I take out the fuel filter clean it and put it back .

https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/165432/Fuel-Filter-H102WK/

PS - Deltec uses the exact same one in their new calcium reactor too .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[d2mini]

Dennis ,

Here's my 2 cents . I borrowed a masterflex older brushed model from a friend and tried pulling water through the reactor instead of pushing and invariable had leak issues and the pump making crazy noise .
I then moved to my trusty old way of using a small sicce pump to push water but also used a Mercedes benz fuel filter just before the effluent to prevent it from clogging g . Learnt the trick from legendary adam at battlecorals and works like a charm . I haven't touched my effluent for 3 months and it's as steady as it was . Only downside every 4-5 months , I take out the fuel filter clean it and put it back .

https://www.eeuroparts.com/Parts/165432/Fuel-Filter-H102WK/

PS - Deltec uses the exact same one in their new calcium reactor too .

Regards,
Abhishek

Wow, nice.
You said "just before the effluent"... so you placed this on the output side?
When I got the kamoer and removed the old feed pump, i found that the 1/4" water line going from the feed pump to the reactor was pretty clogged, which would explain my effluent issues I've had.
So I could put this on the feed line?

 

[Abhishek]

Wow, nice.
You said "just before the effluent"... so you placed this on the output side?
When I got the kamoer and removed the old feed pump, i found that the 1/4" water line going from the feed pump to the reactor was pretty clogged, which would explain my effluent issues I've had.
So I could put this on the feed line?

I have it setup right before my needle valve in the effluent line so that the needle valve is never clogged . I don't see why you can't place it in the feed line too .

It's designed to filter fuels . So it will catch ever but of detritus clogging your line .

After hours of searching through Home Depot found the perfect John guest fitting to connect to RO tubing - 5/16 x 1/4 .

The entire assembly is so cheap that I would put one in the feed line and one before needle valve and see if it improves the situation .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Abhishek]

Stupid actinic pic I posted . Here's a better pic in my sump . You can see the filter catching all detritus so that the needle valve doesn't get clogged .

Regards,
Abhishek