Any use a Doser to run effluent on a Calcium Reactor?

[Ed Hahn]

I recently purchased a Deltec PF 601 calcium reactor. I tried to use a powerhead to push water through it and I learned my Deltec reactor can not be presurrised. It would leak each time. Do any of you use dosers to add effluent and if you do which type? thanks in advance, Ed

 

[Ed Hahn]

Ok, I got a reply. I was told to use a aqua lifter pump. thanks.

 

[DonW]

If you want to use a peristaltic pump pull the effluent dont push it. This keeps a negative pressure on the reactor. Negative pressure keeps all the air out and will allow you to drop the ph lower without adding more co2. The peri pump will pull a very consistent rate.

Don

 

[Ed Hahn]

I wonder if I could use a Aqua lifter pump the same way?

 

[kpiotrowski]

yes you can. they are used in many aplications where negative pressure is needed like hob overflow boxes for ex.

may be why they call it an auqa LIFTER.

 

[mojoreef]

That expensive of a reactor and it cant handle any pressure??

Mike

 

[Ed Hahn]

yep, I have cleaned Oring several times.

 

[DonW]

I wonder if I could use a Aqua lifter pump the same way?

Possibly but not likely. The aqualifter doesnt have enough lift and is a straight through design. If you put a valve on it to control effluent it probably will not pull. If you put a valve on the inlet of the reactor Im sure you will have the same issue they work better pushing. The peri pump uses neither and relies on the roller speed to adjust flow and stop siphoning when off. Peri pumps have a very high head there is almost no stopping them. The aqualifter is really just a air pump hooked up backwards.

Don

 

[Ed Hahn]

Don, The peristalic pumps I have seen can not run 24/7.

 

[DonW]

Dc pumps can't. Ac pumps can. Think hospital of course they run 24/7.

 

[kpiotrowski]

Possibly but not likely. The aqualifter doesnt have enough lift and is a straight through design. If you put a valve on it to control effluent it probably will not pull. If you put a valve on the inlet of the reactor Im sure you will have the same issue they work better pushing. The peri pump uses neither and relies on the roller speed to adjust flow and stop siphoning when off. Peri pumps have a very high head there is almost no stopping them. The aqualifter is really just a air pump hooked up backwards.

Don

I was under the impression aqualifter are more of a pull pump than push. they call them a vacuum pump.

 

[DonW]

I was under the impression aqualifter are more of a pull pump than push. they call them a vacuum pump.

All an aqualifter is is a tiny air pump. It uses a rubber diaphragm just like an air pump. The only difference is that the air intake has a hose fitting instead of a filter. In short its a pass through design meaning siphoning through the pump is possible. With the aqualifter you rely on valves to control the flow. Its really doesnt have the power to pull a vacuum. With a peri pump you have a tube and roller. Picture filling a rubber tube with water and pinching with your fingers. As you slide your fingers up the pinched tube the water is pushed out of the tube. When you stop the pump the tube remains pinched and sealed. So no air or fluid can escape, the speed at which the roller turn controls the effluent rate.
Now you can use a cheaper peri pump with out speed control. I used an elcheapo aquamedic with a schuran reactor for a few yeas with no issues what so ever. With the cheap ones you put the pump on the output side of the reactor and put a valve on the input side of the reactor and toss the valve into your sump. Even a cheap one like the aquamedic is much more reliable than an aqualifter.

Don

 

[kpiotrowski]

the aqualifter has to have more suction than a peri pump ( unless the peri pump is just flying around on super overdrive). I just can't wrap my mind around why it wouldn't. I have worked with peristaltic and roller pumps for 20 years....I am a Nurse. and I have seen aqualifters pull air out of a J-tube in a hob overflow and start the siphon. they also use them in those false bottom tanks ( don't really know what they are called) where you basically have a bottomless tank that sits on top of your main tank and is above the water level of the tank below.

I really don't know what is a the best solution to this posters dilema. just trying to get my pumps straight lol.


p.s. use to have a cabin on a lake where we pumped water 300 yard from the lake to the cabin. it was a diaphram pump. ( just so you know where I am comming from)

 

[DonW]

the aqualifter has to have more suction than a peri pump ( unless the peri pump is just flying around on super overdrive). I just can't wrap my mind around why it wouldn't. I have worked with peristaltic and roller pumps for 20 years....I am a Nurse. and I have seen aqualifters pull air out of a J-tube in a hob overflow and start the siphon. they also use them in those false bottom tanks ( don't really know what they are called) where you basically have a bottomless tank that sits on top of your main tank and is above the water level of the tank below.

I really don't know what is a the best solution to this posters dilema. just trying to get my pumps straight lol.

Your thinking to hard. A aqualifter has less than 3ft of head. A peri pump will pump a mile there is no head. Those pumps you use at work will pump a mile or more especially the feeding tube pumps. We used feeding tube pumps modified to kill the alarm and never shut off for years to run ato's and ca reactors. Now days cheaper options are available like bulk reef supply pump which are just generic pumps that they put in a box. These should look familiar. </title> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <title>Dosing Pumps for Kalkwasser or Dosing Reef Additives

 

[kpiotrowski]

I hear ya...I keep looking for an extra outdated feeding pump to fall off the back of a truck. anyway, thanks for your time.

 

[Ed Hahn]

I want to run the Deltec Calcium reactor with as much ease and reliabilty as possible. I purchased a aqua lifter pump under the recommendation of a friend. I do plan on showing my tank. I am looking for a reliable perastalic pump that can run 24/7 365 days a year.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Don, I am looking at the same pump, The Sentry. thanks to both of you!

 

[Ed Hahn]

Here is a heads up. I found a few Medical grade dosing pumps on Ebay. They were averaging $59 each. Not sure if they fell off the truck, but if they do I hope they survive and end up in someones reef tank . Paying it forward!!