Geo Reactor Frustrations

[DonW]

Cheap I agree but that thing looks brand new, it should be working at least pretty good. I've had the same unit for two years and it still works great, although it will probably be replaced soon do to salt creep corrosion

A few years ago they were ok. They have gone way down hill, right into the toilet.

Don

 

[acrodesiac]

Really, are then being made somewhere new or are they just not being made as well due to massive demand or something

 

[DonW]

Really, are then being made somewhere new or are they just not being made as well due to massive demand or something

Beats me. I cant think of a single person that was happy with the one they bought recently. I had to 4 of them last year alone and gave up and got a genx. Much nicer and accurate for a few bucks less.

Don

 

[acrodesiac]

Thanx for the feedback on the gen-x, I was considering that one

 

[zenn]

So I fixed the problem. Turns out i'm a moron. The last time i broke down the reactor and emptied it about a week ago, I took apart the bubble counter on the regulator. I somehow put the rubber gormet between the bubble counter and the brass top on wrong thus not sealing this connection. I put it in the right spot...fired up the reactor...and walla...it works perfect.
After looking like a moron though, I'm just happy it's working right.

 

[zenn]

Is the thing circled in red a check valve?

 

[DonW]

Yes if you want to call it that. Search john guest check valve. They actually work.

Don

 

[zenn]

switched out to a genx regulator...and the reactor's been working like a dream for the last week.

I've got to the point where I know how to adjust everything and make the reactor work correctly. Thanks for all the help Don.

 

[zenn]

Just wanted to add some pics to show how one of my sps corals is doing despite all the difficulty that I've had getting the calcium reactor going. I would say 75% of the growth in the second picture happened in the last month.

Mid February

April 25th

 

[meitzler]

What settings did you finally end up using?

 

[zenn]

80ml/m and 12bpm.

In retrospect, the two things that I had the biggest challenge figuring out were 1. low mag leading to difficulty balancing alk/ca and 2. a junky regulator that wouldn't keep a consistant bubble count making it impossible to make adjustments.

But now that it's been working perfect for at least 2 weeks now, I believe all the frustration was worth it as my milli and monti cap are finally starting to grow like crazy.