Bad CO2 metering valve?

[Groove]

I have been battling with my calc reactor since I bought it. I cannot for the life of me get the CO2 bubble rate to stay constant. I try to set it at 5 bpm and find the next day it stopped. I crack it open a little more and set it again at 5 bpm and a day or two later it stopped. I had it going for a week if I'm lucky. I'd rather dose two part than deal with this POS I got. It came with my MRC reactor.

Does anyone else have this problem?

Anyone have an extra metering valve?

 

[Armando]

I had the same problem with my regulator #1, and replaced it. Now I am having the problem with my regulator #2, need to replace it.

You probably have the crappy model that I have/had. It's a golden color one, not sure about the brand. I bought mine from My Reef Creations.

I now use the AB ones (silver), they work great.

 

[Groove]

I now use the AB ones (silver), they work great.

Where did you get it? Are you talking about replacing the entire regulator or just the metering valve?

 

[Richard]

Mine crap the bed also. I replaced it with a Milwaukee regulator,solenoid and bubble counter. Not the best but funds are low at this time and getting lower as hoilday gets closer.
I believe Custom Aquatics have it on sale for 80.00.

 

[Armando]

In my case I had to replace the entire regulator because the crappy check valve didn't work and water flowed back into the regulator.

You might be able to replace only the needle valve.

I bought the AB regulator online, i think was Marine Depot.

 

[Jim Tansey]

What is your pressure out of the regulator? You can usually get better performance from the needle valve with a moderate pressure drop accross it, in other words try to operate the valve in it's mid range position and adjust the regulated pressure so the bubble count is about right with the valve in mid range. If you can't do that the orifice may be to big or small.

Jim