I recently bought a koralin 1502 reactor. I got the Co2 filled up and got it running everything apeared to be alright i made minor adjustments every few days , but the problem came when after two weeks of us I ran out of Co2. Now I am using a 5lb Cos2 tank and from what I hear it should last me up to a year. My bubble count was about 15-20 bubbles per minute wich seems high now that I think about it But it doesn't sound high enough to deplete all that Co2. So i go in and talk to the guy at the weld shop and he tells me to check for leaks and what not and I get it filled again this time it only lasted me a week. Any suggestions on where the Co2 is going the guy at the shop checkied the bottle for leaks and it was alright. i think next i will try to get it filled up at a different store.
reactor problems
- Thread starter somethings fishy
- Start date
Your CO2 is mostly likely leaking, and most likely at the regulator connection. This happened to me several times with my reactor. Take some soapy water and drip it all over the regulator and look for leaks.
In general I use thread tape and then replaced the rubber O-ring with either the black fiber glass ring or the white hard ring you get from a welding shop. I also found that I was always undertighening my regulator.
Hope that helps.
In general I use thread tape and then replaced the rubber O-ring with either the black fiber glass ring or the white hard ring you get from a welding shop. I also found that I was always undertighening my regulator.
Hope that helps.
Please dont be insulted by this suggestion.
Make sure you turn up the pressure on the regulator. If you let the pressure drop too low, no CO2 will be forced out, seeming like you are on empty. Especially on a new tank, If I was to set the pressure at say 9psi, it will drop off over time in the beginning and might need to be reset a few times.
If this isnt it, then there has to be a leak..by the way, I never got a year out of a tank, maybe 3 months at the most,HTH
Make sure you turn up the pressure on the regulator. If you let the pressure drop too low, no CO2 will be forced out, seeming like you are on empty. Especially on a new tank, If I was to set the pressure at say 9psi, it will drop off over time in the beginning and might need to be reset a few times.
If this isnt it, then there has to be a leak..by the way, I never got a year out of a tank, maybe 3 months at the most,HTH
no insult taken and thats not it the tank is definatly empty the remaining pressure gauge reads zero but thanks for the suggestion. where other than the conection from the regulator to the bottle could there be a leak. On another note once I get it running what is a good bubbling rate and how does the effluent drip rate affect the "potency" of the water being dripped. What are the affects of turning it up or down.
Im not sure about your specific reactor, but check for leaks along the co2 line from the reactor to the tank, especially at any connections (check valve, etc. also make sure there is not a pinhole in the line)
About your effluent potentcy, the lower the pH of your effluent, the more potent. (more media is dissolved in the lower pH) Increasing the co2 while maintaining effluent drip rate will lower pH of effluent, making it more potent. Increasing the effluent drip rate while keeping co2 constant will raise pH, making effluent less potent. Changes take some time to take effect, for example, if you were to increase your effluent drip rate, you will notice an immediate LOWER ph reading, but this will change over time, and the pH will slowly climb. You need to dial in your reactor based on your tank and alk/ca consumption.
I should keep quiet now, Im starting to confuse myself.
Any questions, just ask.
About your effluent potentcy, the lower the pH of your effluent, the more potent. (more media is dissolved in the lower pH) Increasing the co2 while maintaining effluent drip rate will lower pH of effluent, making it more potent. Increasing the effluent drip rate while keeping co2 constant will raise pH, making effluent less potent. Changes take some time to take effect, for example, if you were to increase your effluent drip rate, you will notice an immediate LOWER ph reading, but this will change over time, and the pH will slowly climb. You need to dial in your reactor based on your tank and alk/ca consumption.
I should keep quiet now, Im starting to confuse myself.
Any questions, just ask.
When I first set up my reactor, I went through several 5 lb aluminum bottles like water. I knew it had to be a leak so I did as many suggested and used soapy water. Could not find a darn thing. So instead I switched to 10 lb. steel bottles and I've had no problems since. To this day, I'm not sure what it was...
Hmm, then again, I'm not sure how this helps ya either...
good luck!
ink
Hmm, then again, I'm not sure how this helps ya either...
good luck!
ink
Fishy I went thru three 5lb tanks when I setup my first reactor in about two weeks. Found my leak inside one of my regulator gauges cant remember which one. It took the guy at the welding shop about a half hour to find it but he did and changed out the gauge no problems since. HTH
Robin
Robin
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