CA Reactor Problem

[LauraD]

Ready or not I have to learn about my CA Reactor. Jason set it up in our 92 but he is away during the week and it is up to me to maintain the tank. The reactor isnt working properly. Let me apologize first off for not using the correct termanology to discribe my issue but this is totally new piece of equipment to me.
The water coming back into my tank from the CA is reading anywhere from 7.1-7.8 ph during the course of a day. I adjusted the "bubbles" in the bubble counter and it helps get the ph lower, however it doesnt stay at the bubble count I adjust it too. The bubbles slow down and the PH rises.
Question: shouldn't the bubble counter stay at the setting I place it at? Is this my problem? If so, what do I do? If not, what else can I check?
Thanks for any advice you can give me,
LauraD

 

[Jim Tansey]

What is the pressure at the output of the pressure regulator (input pressure to the bubble counter) you need to watch this carefully if it changes your bubble count will change. Moniter this pressure over a length of time to see if it changes.

Jim

 

[LauraD]

Jim - There are two valves....one on left reads 90, one on right reads 0. I bet that means "no pressure". how do I adjust this? I know on the weekend Jason adjusted it so it had pressure, but why did it change? Is this something I always need to look at and re-adjust or is it an equipment failure problem?

 

[spectrum]

Sounds like you need a CO2 fill,

 

[nitrofish]

you should adjust the one that reads zero to 1. there should be a big knob or valve of some sort on the front

 

[LauraD]

The tank was filled 2 weeks ago.
I adjust the knob and nothing really happens. I think I may have a problem because on the face of the meter that is reading zero is a little silver post. The silver post is at the zero marker and it appears that it prevents the pointer from falling below the zero. My pointer is on the right side (wrong side) of this post. So it looks like the pointer cant move toward the 1.

 

[nitrofish]

thats odd.

 

[nitrofish]

heres my setup

 

[NateHanson]

Maybe this is a long shot, but have you tried turning the regulator all the way down Tammy to see if the needle is actually pegged at a pressure that's above the mechanical limit of the gauge? (like maybe it's reading 5 psi on a 4 psi guage?)

 

[nitrofish]

I was thinking that, you beat me to it.

 

[Jim Tansey]

The post is a stop for the gauge needle your gauge needle should on the clockwise side of the stop post. I sell and service gauges, regulator, valves and other flow related components, try this if the needle is on the wrong side of the stop post. Adjust the regulator to get some output pressure as seen by flow through the bubble counter, now give the gauge a firm tap on its face, this often will skip the pointer over the stop post, try a few times you will not hurt the gauge.

By the way are you sure you don't already have pressure to the gauge, if you exceed the range of the gauge the needle will come to rest on the back side of the needle stop.

Jim

 

[NateHanson]

Probably best to ensure that the guage isn't trying to read 6 by turning it down.

Then if that doesn't work proceed with Jim's advice on skipping the post.

Doing things in the opposite order could really screw you up.

 

[LauraD]

I will try that when I get home from work. when I turned the knob this morning to add pressure the bubbles increased (they actually started up, prior to turning the knob there were no bubbles) The little needle moved clockwise stopping at the needlestop.
question: if I had pressure already, wouldnt I of had bubbles?

 

[Reef55]

Laura,
What does the second guage read values up to?

Mark

 

[nitrofish]

I will try that when I get home from work. when I turned the knob this morning to add pressure the bubbles increased (they actually started up, prior to turning the knob there were no bubbles) The little needle moved clockwise stopping at the needlestop.
question: if I had pressure already, wouldnt I of had bubbles?

theres 2 knobs to adjust, the knob for the bubble counter and the knob for the regulator. I think if the presure is too high or too low on the regulator side you will have problems with consistant opperation. but im just guessing at this point.

 

[Reef55]

I am having trouble keeping my bubble count constant, and I think I figured out why. From what I have read, the second guage (the one for pressure going through the needlevalve), should be set at 1BAR, which is equal to 15PSI. My second guage only reads to 10PSI, and begins to release excess pressure at around 9PSI. So my setup cannot even get to the right pressure on the second guage to be capable of maintaining a steady bubble count!

 

[LauraD]

Reef55. the second valve (right side) reads 90

 

[Reef55]

90psi?? can you take a picture of it and post it?

 

[LauraD]

Okay, I will be home later today to take pics

 

[LauraD]

CA Reactor Probelem

Here a pic. Hope it comes out...I had to resize it really small in order to post it here. Can email a larger pic if necessary.

I turned my valve counter clockwise until it was so lose the knob fell off. The bubbles slowed down and the needle dropped (clockwise direction). I'd say I was releasing pressure. Then I turned the knob clockwise to add pressure.
The needle also moved in a clockwise direction and promptly came to a stop at the needle stop. the bubbles increased. I'd say I added pressure and my needle is in fact on the wrong side of the needle stop. With the added pressure it tapped on the face and hoped the needle would jump over the needle stop. No luck.
What do you think? Do I need to replace it or is it fixable?
The good news is that the added pressure I gave it this morning dropped my ph to 6.9. So I'd say we found my problem.