Ca reactor trouble - suggestions ?

[andestang]

Been having trouble with my Ca reactor. Its a dual chamber design and on the main chamber I'm having air build up and as a result the pump draws it in and quits pumping which of coarse no effluent comes out. I've topped up the chamber several times to get rid of the air only to have it build up again. Any suggestions ?

[untamed]

You have a leak somewhere. The air has to be coming from somewhere. Check the connections near the circulation pump and on the line to/from the circ pump. Air could be being drawn in just like a venturi.

Are you sure it is air? Could it be C02? I've never seen this, but maybe you are putting some much C02 in that it react in time and builds up.

[Der_Iron_Chef]

How long does it take for it to build up? Is it fairly quickly or slowly over time?

[Delphinus]

How old is the media? It might not actually be a leak (well, it could be, but not necessarily). It could also be that the media is starting to compact and the pump is unable to recirculate - thus in the area of low pressure (suction side of the pump) the bubble forms and grows. I find if I let my media go too long I get this phenomenon. It's really hard on your pump too BTW.

Also I'm curious how you have your reactor fed? Typically the effluent rate should not be affected by a bubble in the recirc chamber. That's another reason I'm thinking it may be media clogging...

[Tangman]

How old is the media? It might not actually be a leak (well, it could be, but not necessarily). It could also be that the media is starting to compact and the pump is unable to recirculate - thus in the area of low pressure (suction side of the pump) the bubble forms and grows. I find if I let my media go too long I get this phenomenon. It's really hard on your pump too BTW.

Also I'm curious how you have your reactor fed? Typically the effluent rate should not be affected by a bubble in the recirc chamber. That's another reason I'm thinking it may be media clogging...
I was going to suggest the media aswell, just didn't want to type that much--- good answer, Delphinis

[wickedfrags]

There is supose to be air in there (usually the top 1") but you should still have effluent.

Check the efffluent tubing to the tank and see if it clogged (this happens on the intake as well). Try blowing out the tubing, and if the air does not pass through, what I do is use a long piece of aircraft wire of the correct diameter and snake the tubing (you could also replace the tubing). You should see the stuff that comes out!

It could also be pressure due to aragonite breakdown as noted below. Let us know what you find and if it is not fixed post a pic for us.

WF

[andestang]

Ya, I even have shut down the CO2

Are you sure it is air? Could it be C02? I've never seen this, but maybe you are putting some much C02 in that it react in time and builds up.

[andestang]

I'll have to emty the unit and check the media. I'm not sure how old the media is as I bought it with it in the unit - maybe a year and a bit ? The pump draws from the top of the main chamber so as soon as that air pocket gets there the pump quits drawing. How old is the media? It might not actually be a leak (well, it could be, but not necessarily). It could also be that the media is starting to compact and the pump is unable to recirculate - thus in the area of low pressure (suction side of the pump) the bubble forms and grows. I find if I let my media go too long I get this phenomenon. It's really hard on your pump too BTW.

Also I'm curious how you have your reactor fed? Typically the effluent rate should not be affected by a bubble in the recirc chamber. That's another reason I'm thinking it may be media clogging...

[andestang]

Dave I checked that earlier and its all clear. I have a flow meter on the unit and it drops off when the air builds up. I'll take a pic for everyone to show.There is supose to be air in there (usually the top 1") but you should still have effluent.

Check the efffluent tubing to the tank and see if it clogged (this happens on the intake as well). Try blowing out the tubing, and if the air does not pass through, what I do is use a long piece of aircraft wire of the correct diameter and snake the tubing (you could also replace the tubing). You should see the stuff that comes out!

It could also be pressure due to aragonite breakdown as noted below. Let us know what you find and if it is not fixed post a pic for us.

WF

[wickedfrags]

A flow meter for the water effluent right? Located after the second chamber and controlled by a needle valve? Ya we need a pic :)

Dave I checked that earlier and its all clear. I have a flow meter on the unit and it drops off when the air builds up. I'll take a pic for everyone to show.

[Delphinus]

Do you have a separate feed pump or are you relying on the siphon created by the recirc pump? I could never get a steady flowrate using just the recirc pump. I guess this makes sense because the resistance will probably change as the media gets used up.

Anyhow my guess is if the media is a year old then this is very likely the culprit. A year is not a bad run. Seems to me an air bubble on its own shouldn't cause the pump to vapor lock (if you think about it, the pump should just suck that air bubble, shred it into a million little bubbles that trickle up through the media). I think it's more that the water has nowhere to go.