calcium reactor

[ntswift]

I finally got my calcium reactor up and running however I cant get it to quit leaking around the seal at the top. Is this a universal seal (one size fits all) or what? I dont know what kind it is as I got it used on here. Also I keep breaking the heads off the nylon screws trying to tighten it down. Is it just a snug tight or a tight tight, just dont break it? Thanks for the help!

Matt

 

[pyton]

me would suggest you have too much pressure going into your chamber. Use valve to reduce pressure

 

[ntswift]

Pressure from the pump? I haven't turned the CO2 on yet and its leaking pretty good.

 

[pyton]

check your PM pls

 

[Frankie]

Hello ntswift,
If you bought it used then the top seal may be spent from drying out. You can remedy this by first trying some vaseline on it to help make the seal, or replace it. Gaskets are cheap if you go directly to a local gasket company and size it up there.
You may just be over tightening them causing a seal failure. Back them off some. All you ned to do is compress the gasket some to make a tight seal. Not flatten it.
The screws will break if you make them to tight. This has happened to me also. I just replace them with stainless steel screws when I loose one. 1/4" nylon screws are pretty weak.

 

[ntswift]

I may have to give that a try. It doesnt appear to by dried out but it may just be too warped to put it back into its right spot. I cant get it to seat right so when I put the lid back on there is always part of it that isn't seated and therefore causing the leak. I found some nylon screws at home depot but i was thinking of just getting metal ones. my only fear is that I will either strip out the hole or break the plastic top when I tighten it down. Maybe a nut and bolt configuration would work??

 

[estanoche]

Id be concerned about stripping them out too - but do try the vaseline trick first.... put a CRAPLOAD of vaseline all around the seal, and then tighten your screws down to snug... My reactor leaks unless I have a good vaseline seal all the way around it too

 

[ntswift]

I will give it a shot. I am going to replace the gasket first just to be safe with one just a little bit thicker and then use the vaseline to finish it off. I am going to be gone for a 3 weeks in January so I don't want this thing to start back up when I'm gone.

 

[pyton]

me friend said to use hair dryer to streach o-ring and Dow Corning - Compound 111 Valve lubricant and seal for the lube.

 

[FreakinReefin]

You could easily be tightening it down wrong. What I mean by this is tightening them down consecutively in a circle. Make sure you hand tighten each a little at a time and start with one then tighten the one directly across from it, rather than tighten the one next to it. This is important with pretty much anything that has a gasket. Tightening them up wrong will cause a bind spot in the lid and will not seat with gasket correctly. If this doesn't make sense than I would gladly create a short video showing this. OR you could have a bad gasket...however even with a perfect gasket, you can easily tighten it wrong.

 

[vinny2261]

Hey Matt take the old one out to Brown Bearing Supply on E Trent just before Broadway, They carry a lot of O rings and such. If you pinch those putting the lid on they almost always leak. Buy a couple and keep them in a ziploc to help keep them from drying out.
Merry Christmas
Vince

 

[vinny2261]

Don't use Vaseline, it is a petroleum product. They make a product for O rings and rubber parts called I believe it is Plumbers Grease, which I believe is not a petroleum product and is designed for plumbing. Also on a quick note the O ring or gasket is designed to fill the void so water does not leak out. Most of these type fitting should only be hand tight with just a little more. This pressure just squishes the gasket to fill the voids and not leak. Sometime if you over tighten the cap it squishes the gasket to much and allows water to escape around the voids. So if you have a pinched gasket or it was overtightened or perhaps just old I would suggest a new one, they are relatively cheap and a small drip will turn into a small flood...man I love spell check LOL

 

[ntswift]

FreakinReefin- Yeah I was tightening it down like you would a tire. Kind of in a star pattern going back and fourth until they are all snug. Thank you for the advice on that though. It took me a while to realize that I was tightening it down wrong but even with tightening it right it was still leaking.

Vinny2261- I will give them a shot this week. I will definitely will keep some on hand just incase this happens again. That makes sense about tightening it down too tight. That was kind of what I was wondering with my question. Thanks again everyone for the advice!

 

[returnofsid]

While vaseline shouldn't be used, as it can break down the compounds of the O ring, it will work in a pinch. As has been mentioned, there are specific products that will work better. Just make sure they are NSF rated. This will insure it's reef safe, as well as food safe...lol.

 

[ntswift]

Well I went down to Brown Bearing and low and behold they had it! So I got 3 of them just in case. Got it home and it did fix the leak. However now I am having trouble getting the pump to start up consistently and also getting the CO2 give me the right bubble count. So I have to pause this project for a few weeks unfortunately. I wanted to get it up and running before I leave but I dont want to get it going and only have a day to watch it. So thanks for the help for now and when I get back I may have some more questions for you guys! Thanks for the all help!

 

[vinny2261]

Maybe you could try and clean the pump with some vinegar. Sometimes if the pump has sat for a while the impeller magnetism seems to be off? If the problem persists a new impeller may solve the problem. Do not soak any rubber parts in it, but anything else is fine. Also try some new hose,CO2 safe, check the solenoid see if it needs cleaned. Shoot me a PM when you get back I could try and stop by to help out if you like.

 

[ntswift]

vinny2261- i would really appreciate that! I will let you know when I get back. It wont be for a month or so but I will definitely let you know! Thanks!

 

[ntswift]

Hey all, I just got back in town. Now to finish hooking this beast up. I came back to an aptasia outbreak and half my tri color colony dead. I know the calcium reactor wont kill the aptasia but one step at a time...