recommendations for checkvalve needed

[chwkreefer]

I built a neilson reactor awhile back and am not happy with the checkvalve I'm using. At this point my supply line to the reactor is 1/2" vinyl tubing with a pvc checkvalve in line between my powerhead in the water reservoir and my reactor. But good grief I need a maxijet 1200 just to get enough pressure to get water into the reactor. Considering I only need low flow in and out of the reactor there has got to be a better way.

Does anyone have a good recommendation?

Could I reduce my line to the diameter of airline tubing and use an airline checkvalve? or is that a bad idea? I definitely need something that doesn't have so much resistance.

Looking forward to your suggestions.

Bill

[StirCrazy]

why do you need a check valve there? I would take it out and just use a valve to throttle the amount of water getting into the reactor.

Steve

[chwkreefer]

I need the valve to prevent water from back siphoning out of the reactor back into the reservoir. If I had a perilistic pump I wouldn't need it but powerheads do let the water run back through them.

[StirCrazy]

so I am assuming your reactor is higher than your reservoir then. this is an awkward set up to do. I am also assuming now that you have a spicific drip rate set to match your evaporation.

The problem here is that "MOST" check valves that we use are spring loaded to alow them to be used in any position. If you buy one that is not spring loaded you will solve your problem of low pressure "BUT" if it is not orentated right or gets the slightest amount of contaminants in it it will fail to operate.

the easyest recomendation for me to make is to raise your reservoir and use gravity to feed your reactor. (this will also free up a pump for other uses) Now I can see this might not be a option for some people so let me think about this for a bit and I will see if I can figure something else out.

Steve

[chwkreefer]

I have a float switch in my sump that turns on the powerhead in my reservoir to feed the reactor.

So if I raise my reservoir above the top of my reactor, I can see it not back siphoning into my reservoir, but would I have a new problem with water going into my sump from my reactor? I think I still would have a problem without a checkvalve.

[StirCrazy]

you would use a floatvalve to solve this.

Steve