KNOP Calcium Reactor Problems

Otty · 05-21-2007, 07:44 AM

I was wonder if anyone else has had problems getting air pockets in their Ca reactors??? Once I fill the system up with water and run it for a few hours it get air pockets in the bottom by the pump intake that causes the effluent to run erratic. Any one else have this problem....

KOgle · 05-21-2007, 08:41 AM

Yep.:mad:

The real question is does anyone know how to fix it?

fletch · 05-21-2007, 02:13 PM

When you filled your reactor with water did you fill it as far as possable to the top as you can?

Otty · 05-21-2007, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fletch

When you filled your reactor with water did you fill it as far as possable to the top as you can?

I filled it until all the air was out and then I shut the effluent valve and let the pump run for about an hour to make sure there was no air pockets. The after I turned the CO2 back on this morning I woke up to more air bubbles in the system. :mad:

You ever get air in yours??

fletch · 05-22-2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Otty

I filled it until all the air was out and then I shut the effluent valve and let the pump run for about an hour to make sure there was no air pockets. The after I turned the CO2 back on this morning I woke up to more air bubbles in the system. :mad:

You ever get air in yours??

Nope no air in mine

I don't have a Knob reactor I am using a MRC 2-stage reactor. Can you post a picture of your setup? so I can see how it is set up?
John

Reef Man · 07-27-2007, 10:02 PM

I have an air pocket in mine. I have tried and tried to get it out with no success. I haven't noticed any problems with the air pocket there. As long as the calcium level in the reactor is at 600 everything is o.k. by me.

When I purchased the Knop C I was told you need an aqua lifter pump to feed the reactor. After working on it, I noticed you don't need an extra pump to feed the reactor. You can install RO tubing from the reactors inflow straight into the sump without the extra pump

.

Also, the valve that comes with the Knop is faulty and doesn't do a great job. It's an orange turn valve type. A flow control pinch valve works great! You can buy it at marinedepot.com and it is called a flow control pinch valve.
After all this, my calcium went from 280 to 320 in 7 days. It's been 2 weeks since the adjustment and my calcium is now 340. Of coarse, the magnesium levels have to coincide with the calciums. Read up on these test to find out how these work together along with alkalinity.

Otty · 07-28-2007, 09:34 PM

After I hooked mine to a manifold that I run all my reactors and skimmer off of the air pocket has went away. I guess I was not feeding enough pressure into the chamber to keep water in there with all the CO2 I was adding. Chock that won up as a lessoned learned...

Reactor is keep things at about 435 ppm, best investment I made on the tank.