calcium reactor question

[Luis Figueroa]

purchased aquamaxx c-t1 reactor about a month ago. set it up and working alright at the moment. my question is about the bubble counter chamber, I've seen and been told that it should fill up with water so you can see the c02 rate. mine for some reason filled the chamber completely plus filled the tubing from the c02 tank after the check valve, so is this normal and ok or do I need to do something about it? I cant see any c02 (bubbles) traveling through the tubing to count the rate.

 

[CoralMD]

purchased aquamaxx c-t1 reactor about a month ago. set it up and working alright at the moment. my question is about the bubble counter chamber, I've seen and been told that it should fill up with water so you can see the c02 rate. mine for some reason filled the chamber completely plus filled the tubing from the c02 tank after the check valve, so is this normal and ok or do I need to do something about it? I cant see any c02 (bubbles) traveling through the tubing to count the rate.

Do you have the check valve turned the right direction?

 

[Luis Figueroa]

yes sir.

 

[CoralMD]

Water is to fill the chamber and line but not passed the check valve to the co2. If it’s the right direction only other thing I can think of is valve needs replaced.

 

[Luis Figueroa]

Water is to fill the chamber and line but not passed the check valve to the co2. If it’s the right direction only other thing I can think of is valve needs replaced.

could it be possible that the tank is empty already? I was using sooo little that I find it hard to believe the tank is empty after only 2 months of use. I don't even have a large consumption rate, it was so low that the regulator valve was like 1/16 of an inch turn and it was closed completely.

 

[GlassMunky]

Personally I’m not a fan of using a bubble counter on calrxs it’s too much human error. You’re much better off using a good soilonoid on your regulator and then having the whole thing controlled via ph through something like an apex.

 

[Luis Figueroa]

wish I could afford an apex but I can't at the moment. maybe this year I'll buy one. I took the tank off line to check it. it seems the selonoid is stuck in the off position.

 

[CoralMD]

could it be possible that the tank is empty already? I was using sooo little that I find it hard to believe the tank is empty after only 2 months of use. I don't even have a large consumption rate, it was so low that the regulator valve was like 1/16 of an inch turn and it was closed completely.

It’s possible, if you don’t have any gauges open the valve up to clear it out once in a blue moon I’ll have to do that to mine. It doesn’t take much of open valve to move some co2. I’d still check about the check valve Bc water shouldnt be bypassing it