Calcium reactor tuning question

[Eric23]

I'm running an mtc minical reactor fed off a T from return line. I find I'm constantly trying to adjust because of competing pressure between the feed line and the incoming co2.... I have my needle valve wide open coming off the reactor and the feed valve tuned down off the T so the effluent is a broken stream but I need to keep my Co2 operating pressure above 7 psi to keep water from the reactor from going back into the bubble counter. I see most people keeping operating pressure much lower

 

[scuzy]

Do you have a check valve on your co2 regulator? If not you need one to prevent back pressure.

 

[ca1ore]

So you definately need a check valve on the CO2 line. Do you know what the operating pressure is inside the minical? I run the ProCal, which has a pressure gauge; cannot recall if the mini does as well. The issue with running these off the return pump is that higher pressure can build and prevent proper co2 addition. You may need to constrain the feed valve even more than you have.

 

[Eric23]

The minical doesn't have a pressure gauge on it. There's a check valve at the bottom of the bubble counter where the Co2 feeds the reactor. I was having problems getting consistent Co2 bubbles because of the pressure from the water feed but I seem to have over come that by setting my Co2 operating pressure to .7 bar, keeping the needle valve on the effluent wide open, and limiting the feed pressure from the return T with brs valve... Do I need to worry about pressure inside the reactor ? I'm not having any leaks yet..

 

[Bpb]

Interesting. I keep my regulator operating pressure at around 20, and just use the needle valve to make fine adjustments to the gas as necessary. I also use a check valve. You should always run a check valve. My solenoid is also always in the open position. Never shuts off unless I do it manually to make sure it still works. If using a quality solenoid it shouldn’t overheat

 

[Eric23]

Interesting. I keep my regulator operating pressure at around 20, and just use the needle valve to make fine adjustments to the gas as necessary. I also use a check valve. You should always run a check valve. My solenoid is also always in the open position. Never shuts off unless I do it manually to make sure it still works. If using a quality solenoid it shouldn’t overheat

Did you buy a check valve and add it to the Co2 line ? Do I just get any old check valve like one for air stones or is there a specific check valve for Co2 ... As I said before the reactor has a check valve installed where the Co2 line attaches

 

[Bpb]

Mine came with the calcium reactor. Any check valve will do. I have a spare nylon Cole Parmer check valve. The one that came with my geo reactor appears to be identical. As long as there’s one installed. It’ll prevent water from flooding the solenoid valve

 

[Eric23]

Ok yeah I have one already but maybe I'll add another just to be safe.. So the .7 bar (10psi) operating pressure isn't to out of line I guess

 

[ca1ore]

Ok, so the minical has the check valve attached to the bubble counter like the ProCal does. Just because water fills the bubble counter does not mean it's also going back down the CO2 line. I run a second check valve closer to the regulator, but it's probably not necessary. I run my ProCal at about 3 psi, and I do have to set the secondary on the regulator a bit higher than that. I think running a CaRx under slight positive pressure is a good thing. That you have to set the regulator to 10 psi means the reactor is less than that, well within the tolerances of the unit.

 

[Eric23]

Ok, so the minical has the check valve attached to the bubble counter like the ProCal does. Just because water fills the bubble counter does not mean it's also going back down the CO2 line. I run a second check valve closer to the regulator, but it's probably not necessary. I run my ProCal at about 3 psi, and I do have to set the secondary on the regulator a bit higher than that. I think running a CaRx under slight positive pressure is a good thing. That you have to set the regulator to 10 psi means the reactor is less than that, well within the tolerances of the unit.

Thank you for replying with the info... There's very little documentation on the internet for the operation of these reactors

 

[ca1ore]

Happy to help. Been running my ProCal for close to 20 years. I don't know that I was THE first to have one; but I certainly was among the earliest. They're great units, BTW; will outlast most of the other alternatives on the market.

 

[Eric23]

So you definately need a check valve on the CO2 line. Do you know what the operating pressure is inside the minical? I run the ProCal, which has a pressure gauge; cannot recall if the mini does as well. The issue with running these off the return pump is that higher pressure can build and prevent proper co2 addition. You may need to constrain the feed valve even more than you have.

Ca1ore do you know what the npt size is for the inlet on the bubble counter ? I want to swap it out for a John guest fitting and then put an inline John guest check valve

 

[ca1ore]

Sorry, I am not sure. I believe it is 1/4", but it could also be 1/8".