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Re: CO2 & Reactor Flow Rate Problems
on 10/23/99 1:50 AM, afishy at afishy at gateway_net wrote:
> If anybody can help on this one it would be appreciated.
>
> I am working on getting an Ultralife CO2 system fired up and am having
> a water flow rate problem (?). Ultralife recommends that a 60 gph pump
> be used to push the water through the reactor. I purchased a EHEIM 1048
> that has a rated 158 gph with a 4'11" delivery head. I believe that the
> flow rate is way too fast with this type of pump as I am having a hard
> time pushing the CO2 into the reactor (I even tried blowing air into it
> myself and it was almost impossible!). During the startup and adjusting
> it looks as though I blew the Ultralife check valve from the high back
> pressure.
>
> Has anybody else run into this? My next step (I got a replacement check
> valve with emergency spares) is to try and reduce the flow rate to get
> it closer to the 60 gph that Ultralife recommends to see if this takes
> care of the problem. Any recommendations on how to get the 60 gph out of
> a pump that is rated at 158 gph with a 4'11" head? I saw a chart
> somewhere that gives hose lengths and delivery head adjustments in order
> to get slower flow rates but can't seem to remember where I saw it at.
> This entire system is being installed on a 125 gallon tank.
>
> Any helpful information and/or suggestions would be welcome. Thanks!
>
> Aaron
>
> afishy at gateway_net
Get a ball valve ($2-$3 at ThatFishPlace) and a T connector. Connect the
input of the T to the pump. Connect one output to your reactor, placing the
ball valve before it. The other output returns to the tank. Now you can
control the flow to the reactor by adjusting the ball valve. I used to do
this when I had biowheels to regulate how much water went through them.
Works great.
Dan Dixon
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