Setting up Geo off of return

[sawdonkey]

In tried setting up my new GEO 618 tonight and I’d like to feed it with my feature line. I got it all hooked up and I’m having an issue getting steady effluent. Do you calcium reactor pros advise putting my needle valve on the input line or the output line? If I put it on the output line, the reactor builds up a lot of pressure and pushes water up to the check valve on the CO2 line and I have to turn up the pressure of my regulator to 20psi before it will even push bubbles If I put it in the input, the reactor runs with no pressure and the drip rate pulses with each CO2 bubble.

I have the carbondoser and I’m not sure where I should set the outgoing pressure?

Any help would be greatly appreciate!

 

[sawdonkey]

I just re-read my post above and saw that there was an autocorrect that mad it confusing. I’m feeding this with my RETURN line.

Anyway, I have the needle valve on the input of the feed line coming off my return. I’m just not comfortable having so much pressure inside the reactor and pushing water against the check valve on my CO2 line. Overnight, it seems thing worked themselves out and now the drip is steady. I only my reactor PH probe as a fail safe if PH goes down to 6.2, but overnight, ph stabilized at 6.47, which is about where I want it until I dial things in to match alk usage.

 

[dadnjesse]

The needle valves are the bottleneck of a calcium reactor you can never get them to stay at the rate you set them. Unless you use a peristaltic pump. The best method would be a constant stream. Adjust the Co2 so the Effluent coming out is at least 20 DKH alkalinity. And keep testing the tank until you get your numbers where you want.

 

[Hersheyb]

You will have better luck with a smaller pump designated to the calcium reactor, like an MJ1200 or a sicce pump will do. Effluent will still fluctuate a little with a one of those pumps but much better than T-ing off your return pump. If you want super steady effluent output go with a peristaltic pump.

 

[TX_Punisher]

I dislike pressurizing a reactor. It works for some people but I’ve gotten leaks especially out of my ph proble holder.

I switched to draw through using a kamoer and it’s much more consistent and leak free.

 

[sawdonkey]

Yeah, I’m well aware that peristaltic is the best way to go. Before pulling the trigger on one, I thought I’d try my luck off of the return line to see if i can get it satisfactory. I’ll give it a few weeks and reassess. I have my needle valve on the input side now and my drip seems to be steady now. Reactor PH is steady too.