pressure gauge on calcium reactor anyone?

[FishTruck]

Reading information from GEO and my old Korallin reactor - there are suggestions that the reactor should be pressurized a bit for best performance. Indeed, running my GEO by pulling with a peristaltic pump never works out - it gets full of gas. Likewise, just pushing in fluid with the peristaltic pump and letting it drain freely gives very inconsistent results.

What works is pushing with a powerhead, then using either a flow restrictor.... or a peristaltic pump at the end of the effluent to basically restrict the flow.

It seems like there is an optimal pressure inside the reactor which helps the CO2 dissolve, as well as discouraging air intrusion. I'd like to measure this. Any suggestions on what type of pressure gauges I can use... and where to put it?

How about a simple RO DI pressure gauge plumbed at the effluent line just before the flow restictor?

 

[ca1ore]

You could do that. The old MTC ProCal came with a pressure gauge. I copied (and improved on) their design ....

 

[FishTruck]

Neat!

What gauge is that? Did you use a bulkhead for the fitting?

 

[ca1ore]

It's just a standard RODI gauge, just older. No bulkhead, just a 1/2" NPT tapped hole and a bushing to get down to 1/4" .

 

[FishTruck]

And... do you find it helpful to maintain a certain PSI inside the reactor? Like... 2.5 psi for example?

 

[ca1ore]

I have always tried to run mine at about 3 psi. Helps ensure full dissolution of the CO2 and allows my auto purge to work. I see no downside really.

 

[ReeferBud]

How do you affect the pressure inside the reactor?

 

[FishTruck]

My idea was to use a DC pump as the "pusher" to adjust the pressure and a peristaltic pump as the "brake" to control the flow through the reactor keeping a slightly positive pressure of - say 3 psi - to avoid air intrusion. This might allow slightly more CO2 to dissolve in the liquid (but that's not what I am after).

Still untried as of today.... and I am moving on to a new reactor.

 

[ReeferBud]

Any updates on this project?

im thinking of installing a pressure gauge on my calcium reactor.

@ca1ore did you use an air filled or glycerin filled gauge? I know glycerin filled is supposed to be better but I’m concerned of the gauge eventually failing and having the glycerin leak into the reactor. Not sure how likely that risk is…

 

[FishTruck]

I bagged it and am now using a saturation reactor. No leaks.... LOL! As I read more... it was the older GEO reactors (like I was using) most prone to air intrusion.