Peristaltic Pump for Calcium Reactor

[Deezill]

Good Morning reefers,
I am setting up my Calcium reactor this weekend and I want to know which peristaltic pump should I get what are you guys using on your calcium reactors? Kamoer cost too much if you ask me. I am sure it's a great pump. I was thinking more along the lines of a versa. Let me know what you guys are using maybe there is a cheaper solution. Thanks.

 

[Deezill]

can I use this?

This is the needle valve from georeef. I am using the 618 calcium reactor. Thanks.

 

[andrewb70]

There's not a huge choice in the affordable end of the market TBH - I went for the Kamoer as the Versa wasn't available (2 months ago) - The Kamoer is fine but does have a limit of 140ml per minute which may or may not be enough if you plan to have thickets of SPS

 

[Deezill]

There's not a huge choice in the affordable end of the market TBH - I went for the Kamoer as the Versa wasn't available (2 months ago) - The Kamoer is fine but does have a limit of 140ml per minute which may or may not be enough if you plan to have thickets of SPS

what about the versa? I am new to this area and I really appreciate your input

 

[Deezill]

will that needle valve suffice?

 

[ajjw0828]

Nice, love my calcium reactor! Which reactor brand did you go with? I went with the Kamoer pump and really like it. I have the V1 Kamoer and it goes up to 160ml/ min but right now its set to 15ml/min @ 6.8ph, plus I dose 110ml kalk/ hr (max saturation). Not sure what the new wifi ones go up to. Hope this helps. I also like that you can get replacement motors, tubes / parts for it easily if something ever were to happen.

 

[Deezill]

I am going with a Geo 618. I am getting it from another reefer local to me. I could not refuse the offer for the reactor and carbon doser less than 500 bucks for both.

 

[Robinson]

The Versa is a good choice too, Im currently using one with my reactor at 36 ml/min. Only recommendation is to keep spare tubing connector on hand as they dont last. I have replaced mine around three months mark, of course this depends of the kind of use / speed. But I can guarantee you that they will not last a year in continue motion use.

 

[Deezill]

OK, I am going to have to wait for BRS to get more versa in. I am going to order an extra set of connectors.

 

[SPS2020]

May not be the same beast, but I used a Tom's Luft pump on my Corallin reactor.

 

[ca1ore]

You certainly can use a needle valve plumbed off your return pump. Tends to clog though, so be prepared to clean it regularly. You could also put the needle valve on the effluent side of the reactor. Requires less frequent cleaning there. Depending on your return pump, this may add pressure to the reactor so make sure it can handle that.

I had an early versa and was not all that impressed and ended up sticking with my MasterFlex. Versa seems unavailable at the moment anyhow, so may be moot. MasterFlex are physically large and prices on used models have gone up quite a lot since I bought mine 6 years ago. I toyed with trying the kamoer but worried a little about reliability/longevity.

 

[Deezill]

You certainly can use a needle valve plumbed off your return pump. Tends to clog though, so be prepared to clean it regularly. You could also put the needle valve on the effluent side of the reactor. Requires less frequent cleaning there. Depending on your return pump, this may add pressure to the reactor so make sure it can handle that.

I had an early versa and was not all that impressed and ended up sticking with my MasterFlex. Versa seems unavailable at the moment anyhow, so may be moot. MasterFlex are physically large and prices on used models have gone up quite a lot since I bought mine 6 years ago. I toyed with trying the kamoer but worried a little about reliability/longevity.

Putting on the effluent side works just as well?

 

[Bpb]

Where in the world are you finding a versa? Used market? They’ve not been in stock anywhere for months.

 

[SPS2020]

Regarding the Kamoer X1 Pro, mine has gone offline two different times recently and continues to run while there is no WiFi connectivity. I'm currently using it for ATO with the intention of moving it to a one part doser...but the behavior scares me.

 

[Reef-Engineer]

kamoer works great, versa is fine too. Masterflex is wildly overpriced for our application.

Whatever you use, use it on the effluent side (sucking through reactor)

Pinch valves are doomed to clog at some point

 

[Water Dog]

Is your Geo reactor the old style, with the recirculation manifold through the lid & effluent port through the manifold or the newer style, with the manifold on the side & effluent port through the lid? If it’s the old style with the manifold through the lid, take a look at this thread, for tips and modifications for using a peristaltic pump.

Frustrated with my Geo Calcium Reactor

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...

www.reef2reef.com

In post #17 of that thread, there is also an excellent mod using a fuel filter that will avoid clogs when running a CaRx the old school way, with either a manifold off the return or using a small pump to feed the reactor and using a needle valve to adjust the effluent rate.

 

[ca1ore]

Putting on the effluent side works just as well?

Before MasterFlex that’s how I ran my MTC ProCal. It has a pressure gauge so I can monitor pressure. MTC ProCal was probably the most robust reactor on the market. Assuming the geo can handle 6 psi or so, valve on the effluent side ought to work. Early versions of the ProCal had a small prefilter like Leon mentions. MTC dispensed with it at some point not sure why.

 

[jda]

Valve after the reactor allows the minute particles that clog to get trapped in the reac instead of clogging. Flow control pinch works better than a ball valve, IMO.

 

[AcanthurusRex]

Regarding the Kamoer X1 Pro, mine has gone offline two different times recently and continues to run while there is no WiFi connectivity. I'm currently using it for ATO with the intention of moving it to a one part doser...but the behavior scares me.

Never set up WiFi on Kamoer. I don't see why it needs to be wireless.
Replacing the Versa tubing with pharma tubing looks doable.

 

[Robinson]

Never set up WiFi on Kamoer. I don't see why it needs to be wireless.
Replacing the Versa tubing with pharma tubing looks doable.

I tried three different tubing sizes and material (pharma and silicone) on the versa to replace the factory one and dint dint work, or the tubing was jamming the pump or it wast not sucking liquid. I give up as I spend a few bucks trying this with out good results. And as you know, pharma tubing is not cheap :)