Arrival!

[Weatherman]

I'm thinking there may be some confusion as to how all the plumbing is suppose to be set up. I remember being confused when I first got my GEO as to where all the tubes were suppose to go. Maybe a picture will help.





The circulation pump on the GEO 6x12 is an Eheim. It’s sitting down there in the lower-center of the picture right behind the Belkin UPS.

The input line to the pump is coming down, along the side of the reactor chamber, from the top. It feeds into the pump from the side. The input line has the little bubble counter on one side, and the input tube from the sump is on the other side.

The output from the Eheim does a U-turn out the top of the pump and attaches to a connection in the back bottom of the of the reactor chamber. The flow of water in the reactor chamber is upward from the bottom.

The circulation pump provides very little suction to draw water into the reactor. Without the Maxijet (or some other method to push or pull water into or out of the reactor), water would, probably, not flow into or out of the reactor at all.

[Viv]

Ok, here's a lousy pic of what I'm talking about....maybe its just to empty the reactor if ever needed? It's the end after the pvc that goes into the bottom of the reactor chamber- it has a ball valve connected to it. I added a second photo for a different angle.

[Weatherman]

It does look like a drain.

If you have bottom-up flow in the reactor, turned on the pump and opened that valve, water would rush out.

[Viv]

olrighty then, I guess today it gets put together. Got a late start on the day so as soon as I fully awaken I'll get started. I am gonna try and take pics along the way...Weatherman, you have been very helpful answering my questions, THANK YOU !

[Viv]

Well, its all set up. Just waiting for the reactor to clear before opening the CO2...took lots of pics along the way and will eventually add it to my blog....really was a straight forward setup, but of course I had to check everything multiple times , tomarrow should be interesting

[Viv]

Water cleared by 6am, so I couldn't stop...finally figured out the solenoid (didn't realize it was controlled by a screw on the side) I kept trying to turn the front knob, which is not movable, lol ! Anyway, I'm not sure if it's because the tank is older, but the Left is reading 500 psi and the right is reading 30psi. I really hope that's ok-I'm not sure how to raise the Left to 1100, without the right raising also.? The effluent is flowing at 30 ml/min. and the bubbles are at 20bpm. I figure I'll check the effluent PH in a few hours, along with the tank PH, CA, and Alk. I do have a PH probe in the top of the reactor. Pinpoint is set High at 6.60, Low 6.20 and center 6.40. I need to get an airstone for outlet 2 on the pinpoint so there is nothing hooked up as of yet. Hope I've done this right, I guess time will tell-but if you are reading this and see a problem, please let me know. At least now I feel I can go get some sleep--its been a long night.

[Weatherman]

If you are only getting 500 psi on the left gage, it suggests the CO2 tank is almost empty, or the valve on the top of the tank isn't open far enough (it doesn't take much to get the pressure to jump to 1000 psi).

It sounds like your regulator is preset to keep the pressure on the right gage around 30 psi. Those types of regulators work ok, although I prefer the ones with the control knobs.

I guess the worst thing that could happen at this point is that you really are nearly out of CO2. Then, the pressure on your gages would drop to zero and the CO2 bubbles would stop.

[Viv]

I'm sure I didn't open the tank all the way! Will open the top more to get it (the left psi) higher, this will raise the gage on the right though...but I'll play a little...

[Viv]

I opened the tank up, the left highest I can go is 750 psi, right is at 30psi. The regulator with solenoid has reef fanatic on the front dial. I don't really understand why I cant move the regulators other than down. I was told the co2 tank was full-but maybe not? I weighed it before I began so I would know when I was half full. It's a 10 lb tank and weighed 20 lbs when I began.
The bubble rate slowed a little, from 20bpm to about 16bpm and the effluent increase to about 40ml/min from 30ml/min. I brought them both back to 20bpm and 30ml/min respectively.
I gotta go to work tonight, hope it will be ok till tomarrow morning. I haven't really seen any change in the tank parameters, but its a large tank so it may take some time (just as long as I'm nearby!). Thanks for following with me Weatherman...its nice to know someones their to help guide me through all this!

[Hendersonracing]

Originally Posted by Weatherman

I guess it depends on how high you want to mount the reactor above the sump. When I got my GEO, it recommended to the use of a MaxiJet 1200. That pump is rated as having a maximum head of 69", so it would be more than capable of pushing water up about four to five feet even with the frictional losses from the tubing.


Directing the effluent from the reactor to the skimmer may help a bit to restore CO2 equilibrium with the air in the room, but the process of restoring equlibrium is pretty slow.

I actually have my pump above my reactor Its hiding in the overflow and the effluent is dripped into the sump.

[Hendersonracing]

Originally Posted by Viv

I opened the tank up, the left highest I can go is 750 psi, right is at 30psi. The regulator with solenoid has reef fanatic on the front dial. I don't really understand why I cant move the regulators other than down. I was told the co2 tank was full-but maybe not? I weighed it before I began so I would know when I was half full. It's a 10 lb tank and weighed 20 lbs when I began.
The bubble rate slowed a little, from 20bpm to about 16bpm and the effluent increase to about 40ml/min from 30ml/min. I brought them both back to 20bpm and 30ml/min respectively.
I gotta go to work tonight, hope it will be ok till tomarrow morning. I haven't really seen any change in the tank parameters, but its a large tank so it may take some time (just as long as I'm nearby!). Thanks for following with me Weatherman...its nice to know someones their to help guide me through all this!

he is very helpful.....It may take a few days to adjust the bub rate and the effluent drip.....set it and leave it for 48 hrs and measure alk & calcium then let us know the changes
Joe

[Viv]

I'm so glad you did your reactor! I'm still a little leary over the CO2 tank, but that's just me...I have referred to your thread many times throughout my setup! So you along with all those who helped you, helped me and I thank you all.
All in all I think I'm pretty happy to have done this, there is still some tweaking to do, but for me, it should help me control my PH, which has always run too high...in a way I'm lucky, I'll go to work tonight and will sleep when I get home tomarrow, so I'll check it again sometime tomarrow evening...(otherwise, I'm sure I'd be staring at it all night, lol!)

[Hendersonracing]

My ph has been alot more stable with the reactor than without it....

[Viv]

That's great news! I hope to be on the same path soon!

[Hendersonracing]

good luck It just takes time..