Yep, my eheim pump finally arrived. In case anyone is waiting, I can tell you that the 3/8" close nipple to 3/8X1/2 bushing is not exactly the way to deal with this pump. In the inlet side, the 3/8 nipple fits, but you'll never get the bushing on it with the "screen" or whatever it is on the pump in place. On the output side, you need a 1/4" close nipple (or something smaller that 3/8") then the bushing. i was really p.o'd when I learned this, having driven all over town to find the 3/8" nipples. Then, I saw that you can simply screw the 3/8X1/2 bushing on to a threaded part on the hose barb. You have to trim the hex part of the bushing. I used the router table and the flush trim bit, screwing the bushing into a 1/2" PVC coupler so I'd have something to hold.
Okay, so now the pump is ready. Here's how I plumbed to save space.
I put the pump to the left of the reactor, not right. The reactor out goes to a thread X slip elbow, the elbow to a slip tee (with threaded side; that replaces the threaded tee we used for the input from bubble counter), then another slip/threaded elbow, straight into the union and pump input. Basically, it's a straight hard plumbed shot to the pump. Then on the in on the reactor, I used a thread X thread elbow, pointing up, and screwed the cobraflex into that. It takes out a lot of the bend in the cobra flex and keeps the plumbing nice and tight to the reactor, which was important to me with limited space.
As you might guess, you can't screw elbows into our in/out on this reactor unless you make the base much smaller; it can't extend out beyond the edge of the in/out threads on the reactor. This is what I did, ending up with a base that's about 8X12.
This leads to the homework for the final lesson; an innovation. For my next reactor based on this design, I would put some more space between the in and out; i had to trim the threaded elbow for reactor input to get it on once the out plumbing was attached. Actually, putting the in and out on separate sides might work, as might the reactor input on the base top. Anything to keep the plumbing to a bare minimum; the ideal scenario is to place the i/o so that you can basically plug the pump in with the fewest bends and length of plumbing. I also think the cobraflex is not up to the standard of the rest of the reactor; this thing is built to last, and the plumbing ideally should be as well.
How have you others dealt with the pump plumbing? And, how are these aquamedic regulators ( I bought one) working out for those folks who've had their reactors up and running for a while?
Matt
Okay, so now the pump is ready. Here's how I plumbed to save space.
I put the pump to the left of the reactor, not right. The reactor out goes to a thread X slip elbow, the elbow to a slip tee (with threaded side; that replaces the threaded tee we used for the input from bubble counter), then another slip/threaded elbow, straight into the union and pump input. Basically, it's a straight hard plumbed shot to the pump. Then on the in on the reactor, I used a thread X thread elbow, pointing up, and screwed the cobraflex into that. It takes out a lot of the bend in the cobra flex and keeps the plumbing nice and tight to the reactor, which was important to me with limited space.
As you might guess, you can't screw elbows into our in/out on this reactor unless you make the base much smaller; it can't extend out beyond the edge of the in/out threads on the reactor. This is what I did, ending up with a base that's about 8X12.
This leads to the homework for the final lesson; an innovation. For my next reactor based on this design, I would put some more space between the in and out; i had to trim the threaded elbow for reactor input to get it on once the out plumbing was attached. Actually, putting the in and out on separate sides might work, as might the reactor input on the base top. Anything to keep the plumbing to a bare minimum; the ideal scenario is to place the i/o so that you can basically plug the pump in with the fewest bends and length of plumbing. I also think the cobraflex is not up to the standard of the rest of the reactor; this thing is built to last, and the plumbing ideally should be as well.
How have you others dealt with the pump plumbing? And, how are these aquamedic regulators ( I bought one) working out for those folks who've had their reactors up and running for a while?
Matt
