Would it be wise to start this thing during the week?

[Anonymous]

When I'm not going to be home to monitor it? I'm ready to go, but kinda think waiting till the weekend would be a good idea.

Am I being overly cautious?

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

One more question about starting this thing. When I fill it though the bubble counter, will I have the same problem that I had when I filled it in the utility sink, nearly blowing it up? I think not, because the return line coming out of the top would relieve the pressure.

I guess I need to make up a couple of gallons of salt water to fill the reactor.

As for the regulator, what PSI should we use for our initial settings for the working pressure and the storage pressure?

Louey

 

[fergy]

You can start it up in the evening, when you get home...it's not that problematic.

You can fill the bubble counter with freshwater from the sink, if you want. It won't be enough to make a difference. You can also fill it with tank water.

I set my regulator for 20-30 PSI. You don't need any more than that.

BRIAN
_________________
grand daddy purple

 

[Anonymous]

ok, i got it all plumbed in and i have tank water flowing thru the reactor. I think i'm gonna just let it run like this til tomorrow evening. Then I'll fire up the pump and and turn on the co2. Wohoo!

The bubble counter did not fill. It only has about 1" of water. Not even enough to cover the check valve. Do I need to do something to let the air out of the bubble counter so that more water will fill it?

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

wait a second. I opened up the gate vale and increased the flow and the bubble counter is starting to fill.

 

[Anonymous]

now it just adding a drop every minute or two...it's about a 1/4" above the top of the check valve......

 

[fergy]

I noticed this with mine, as well. I used to use 1" fittings at the top of the bubble counter, and this wasn't an issue. I discovered that if I barely opened the valve, water would trickle into the bubble counter. Also, I had to close the valve a few time to vary the flow to get it to fill. It took me about 5 minutes to get it right.

BRIAN
_________________
america economy

 

[Anonymous]

i found that by opening and closing the gate valve and waiting a minute between each adjust, the bubble counter seems to fill a little bit each time. Mine is over 3/4 full now. Should it be 100% full?

Louey

 

[fergy]

doesn't really matter, and it will only fill up to the bottom of the PVC fitting in the top. I filled mine up all the way to that.

BRIAN
_________________
schrom photos

 

[Anonymous]

ok, mine is now filled to the pvc fitting. I think I'll leave the valve wide open for the night. Then, when i start the pump tomorrow, there should be less clouding. The clouding from the initial start was minimal, cleared up within an hour.

I real glad that nothing leaks so far. Knock on wood.

Louey

 

[fergy]

Don't run it full out, just keep a steady trickle out of it. No reason to run it full.

BRIAN
_________________
Katana

 

[Anonymous]

One other question I've been meaning to ask. I like to use the little red locking clips with John Guest fittings. These clips don't clip onto these brown/tan fittings as easily as they do the white fittings that are commercially available.

Is there a reason for this (the way they fit the white fittings vs. the brown/beige fittings) and do YOU think they are worth using.

I have been told that some Insurance companies would not cover a flood in these clips were not use!

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

Ok on the full out, I'll dial it back to a trickle.

Louey

 

[fergy]

Wow, you've looked into the insurance on these? That agent knew what to look for...

The clips SHOULD fit, the only difference is supposed to be color. When I order from Farris, I have a choice of either color, for the same price. I just use the darker ones because I'm using black acrylic. No other reason...I think you can even get the white ones from McMaster-Carr.

Also, FWIW, those clips come in many different colors, for tracking purposes.

BRIAN
_________________
Business overhead expense disability insurance Forum

 

[Anonymous]

I stumbled upon the insurance deal when I was buying some John Guest fittings here locally. I don't think the salesman had any other motive to sell the clips to me considering they only cost 10 cents each. And I have already had one minor flood due to tubing slipping out of the fitting that DID NOT have the locking clip in place ( the flood had nothing to do with the reactor, it was an RO/DI storage issue.)

The clips look like cheap insurance and should probably alway be used IMHO.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

One more ?. I put a tee on top of the 1/2" riser that is inside the tube, as suggested to keep the media from going down into the box. Is this tee (or 90 as the lesson plans says) to remain or should it be remove once the reactor is filled?

Louey

 

[fergy]

Doesn't matter either way, but I'm leaving mine on, because it keeps a jet of water from shooting into the outlet fitting.

BRIAN
_________________
chocolate chunk pics

 

[Anonymous]

Damn. I took my tee off because the lesson did not say to leave it. Oh well, i'm not opening the thing back up to put it back.

Louey

 

[fergy]

It won't really matter. I didn't mention it because my lids usually have two outlets, and they are not on center, so the jet of water isn't an issue. Remember, I didn't finish my reactor at the end of the last article, because I did it a different way.

BRIAN
_________________
JT Sports

 

[Anonymous]

I fired up the pump and the CO2 last night. I tweaked until bedtime and was still only reducing the effleuent PH from 8.38 to 8.0. That was with a bubble count around 45ish and a throughput rate that was a mere drip (meaning one drop per second or so). This morning I had little, if any, throughput, and no bubble count either! hmmm? I increased both. It'll be interesting to see what is going on when I get home the evening.

I am using a gate valve teed off my return to control the reactor feed and the needle valve that came with the regulator to control the bubble count. I bought the $79 regulator that Inland offered as a powerbuy. Has anyone sucessfully controlled their bubble count with this regulator?

Louey