C02 working pressure dropping

lewismw · 07-04-2008, 03:02 PM

Can anyone help me with a problem i am having with my new Geo 612 Calcium Reactor?
I cannot keep the BPM constant and i notice that the working pressure on the Reef Fanatic Delux regulator is dropping slowly.

After an hour of getting things tweaked the way i want (BPM = 60 and working pressure b/w 2-3) I will notice the BPM has dropped to 0 BPM and the working pressure is under 2. So i can turn the needle valve open more and the bublbles start again...and again....and again......

why wont the system hold/maintain working pressure?

Woodstock · 07-04-2008, 03:45 PM

I have never had a calcium reactor but I can offer a few good links that might help:
Reactor Setup help
A Guide to Using Calcium Reactors by Simon Huntington - Reefkeeping.com

NCguy · 07-04-2008, 03:59 PM

It could be several things....Are you using a PH controller? If there is too much carbon dioxide injected into your system the solenoid will shut off the bubbles.

lewismw · 07-04-2008, 04:20 PM

no i am not using a controller. I am just relying on the needle valve to control my Bubbles and amount of C02 into the reactor. However, the amount and speed of C02 i am telling the regulator to send to the reactor is slowly dying out......like it was a balloon running out of air. I mean the C02 bottle should supply a constant pressure i would think.

fatman · 07-05-2008, 12:01 AM

There are single stage and two stage regulators. The single stage regulators are quite a bit cheaper but do not allow for tank presseure changes going into the regulator as your CO2 is used. They only regulate the output pressure entirely based on the initial inlet pressure. A two stage regulator would solve the problem but it will cost more. If you know any welders talk to them, it is very likely that they would have one or two extra laying around that would sell cheaply (or cheaper than a supply house), as that is the first things welders usually sell when they need extra money. Or go to a welding supply company and check out their two stage regulators replacement regulators. However, be aware that the quality of the regulators sold by the welding supply houses will be a much better quality than that sold normally for calc reactors, so be expecting initial sticker shock when looking at the prices. The top of the line in Welding regulators is the Victor brand. You do not how ever need a regualtor of that quality, if they have some what cheaper brands available I would definitely consider them first. I have owned some Victor welding regualtors, torches and such. They are nice enough and good enough to pass down to your children or grand children. No joke, they are good, but expensive. You could use all your old gauges and fittings on the new regulator to save money. Remember you do not need the special regulators the sell for CO2 as they are design for heavy CO2 usage and have fins incorporated into their designs that are not needed for your application. You need just the two stage regulator that would be used on an oxygen tank. The fittings used on a typical Oxygen regulator will do you no good as they will not work with a CO2 tank.

07-04-2008, 03:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
lewismw Tunicate Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2 View Gallery Karma Komment	C02 working pressure dropping Can anyone help me with a problem i am having with my new Geo 612 Calcium Reactor? I cannot keep the BPM constant and i notice that the working pressure on the Reef Fanatic Delux regulator is dropping slowly. After an hour of getting things tweaked the way i want (BPM = 60 and working pressure b/w 2-3) I will notice the BPM has dropped to 0 BPM and the working pressure is under 2. So i can turn the needle valve open more and the bublbles start again...and again....and again...... why wont the system hold/maintain working pressure?

07-04-2008, 03:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
Woodstock The Wand Geek was here. ;) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 24,365 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: C02 working pressure dropping I have never had a calcium reactor but I can offer a few good links that might help: Reactor Setup help A Guide to Using Calcium Reactors by Simon Huntington - Reefkeeping.com __________________ ~Doni Marie~ *GOT ICH???* *My Victorious Battle with ICH* 120 Reef Chronicle ~ *Breeding Picasso Clownfish~* *Massive 300 gal growout~* *My Anemone & Picasso Tank ~* *Picasso & Snowcasso for sale~* "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin __________________________________________________ ______________________________________________

07-04-2008, 03:59 PM	#3 (permalink)
NCguy WiseGuy Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: North Carolina Posts: 194 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: C02 working pressure dropping It could be several things....Are you using a PH controller? If there is too much carbon dioxide injected into your system the solenoid will shut off the bubbles. __________________ Tim 210g Reef,100g Sump,50g Fuge,Reeflo 200 Skimmer 3x400w MHs, Barracuda pump

07-04-2008, 04:20 PM	#4 (permalink)
lewismw Tunicate Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 2 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: C02 working pressure dropping no i am not using a controller. I am just relying on the needle valve to control my Bubbles and amount of C02 into the reactor. However, the amount and speed of C02 i am telling the regulator to send to the reactor is slowly dying out......like it was a balloon running out of air. I mean the C02 bottle should supply a constant pressure i would think.

07-05-2008, 12:01 AM	#5 (permalink)
fatman Has been struck by the ban stick Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Alaska Posts: 552 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: C02 working pressure dropping There are single stage and two stage regulators. The single stage regulators are quite a bit cheaper but do not allow for tank presseure changes going into the regulator as your CO2 is used. They only regulate the output pressure entirely based on the initial inlet pressure. A two stage regulator would solve the problem but it will cost more. If you know any welders talk to them, it is very likely that they would have one or two extra laying around that would sell cheaply (or cheaper than a supply house), as that is the first things welders usually sell when they need extra money. Or go to a welding supply company and check out their two stage regulators replacement regulators. However, be aware that the quality of the regulators sold by the welding supply houses will be a much better quality than that sold normally for calc reactors, so be expecting initial sticker shock when looking at the prices. The top of the line in Welding regulators is the Victor brand. You do not how ever need a regualtor of that quality, if they have some what cheaper brands available I would definitely consider them first. I have owned some Victor welding regualtors, torches and such. They are nice enough and good enough to pass down to your children or grand children. No joke, they are good, but expensive. You could use all your old gauges and fittings on the new regulator to save money. Remember you do not need the special regulators the sell for CO2 as they are design for heavy CO2 usage and have fins incorporated into their designs that are not needed for your application. You need just the two stage regulator that would be used on an oxygen tank. The fittings used on a typical Oxygen regulator will do you no good as they will not work with a CO2 tank.

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