CalcFeeder Basic/Pro - latest generation calcium reactor

[robbous]

Originally Posted by chrises08

has anyone ever thought of drilling a hole in the top of the media chamber and putting a ph probe port there for measuring what the ph of the chamber is? seems like you could do that and then hook it up to your apex for easier monitoring/resetting of pumps and all for those of you that are having problems.

Yes this could be done though apex so that when ph gets to high have apex shut down the feeder pump for about 10 seconds as long as feeder pump ( pump between mixing chamber in media chamber) it's plugged into an outlet on the EB eight bar. This is what I do now about every 5 to 6 days. But I suppose I could just upgrade to the latest firmware and have it the gas that way.

[HippieSmell]

Is there a thermal shutoff on the circulation pump? Mine just shut off...

Edit: it came back on after ten minutes. It's only 75 degrees in my fish room.

[robbous]

Originally Posted by HippieSmell

Is there a thermal shutoff on the circulation pump? Mine just shut off...

Edit: it came back on after ten minutes. It's only 75 degrees in my fish room.

Honestly that is happened to mine as well quite a few times it seems to run very hot what I did was purchased a small clip on fan and had it blowing towards the pump the pump has never shut off since I've done that

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by robbous

Honestly that is happened to mine as well quite a few times it seems to run very hot what I did was purchased a small clip on fan and had it blowing towards the pump the pump has never shut off since I've done that

That's unacceptable. My setup isn't even under the stand. It's been fine until this fall when the heater turned on and the room it's in got up to 75 degrees, which isn't even hot. Can't imagine houses without air conditioning.

[robbous]

Originally Posted by HippieSmell

That's unacceptable. My setup isn't even under the stand. It's been fine until this fall when the heater turned on and the room it's in got up to 75 degrees, which isn't even hot. Can't imagine houses without air conditioning.

I am just telling you what I did, why calcium reactor is located in the basement in its own fish room with a temperature That never gets above 70°my pump still would fail once in a while but not since I've added on that fan

[PacSun Service]

Hello

If Your pump is turned off because of overheating please open circulation valve more as now it block pump output too much and this cause overheating.

Best regards
Pacific Sun Service

[robbous]

Originally Posted by PacSun Service

Hello

If Your pump is turned off because of overheating please open circulation valve more as now it block pump output too much and this cause overheating.

Best regards
Pacific Sun Service

I can't do this because if I open up the circulation pump too much my pH will rise above the desired level to melt the media there is a sweet spot that I have to keep that pump flow at.

[sebastian903]

i've passed thru this issue with my reactor (AC2 pro) the original pump it came with overheated after 15 mins of operation, PacSun replaced it with a model used in skimmers with that pinwheel impeller, now it works with no issues. the overheating problem is because the pump has very restricted flow for its power.

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by PacSun Service

Hello

If Your pump is turned off because of overheating please open circulation valve more as now it block pump output too much and this cause overheating.

Best regards
Pacific Sun Service

It is already fully open.

Originally Posted by robbous

I am just telling you what I did, why calcium reactor is located in the basement in its own fish room with a temperature That never gets above 70°my pump still would fail once in a while but not since I've added on that fan

No, I meant the pump overheating is unacceptable.

My reactor is also in the basement with its own room, but there's housing ductwork that warms it when the house heat is on.

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by PacSun Service

Hello

If Your pump is turned off because of overheating please open circulation valve more as now it block pump output too much and this cause overheating.

Best regards
Pacific Sun Service

Wouldn't closing the valve reduce power consumption and lower temperature?

[KMB]

If you all had to do it all again would you buy this? I need to purchase one for a 420 so up in air which to purchase

[Przemek_PacSun]

Originally Posted by HippieSmell

Wouldn't closing the valve reduce power consumption and lower temperature?

No, more closed valve create higher flow resistance = higher temperature on pump.
Please contact with our service - they will find solution how to solve it for you, don't worry.

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by Przemek_PacSun

No, more closed valve create higher flow resistance = higher temperature on pump.
Please contact with our service - they will find solution how to solve it for you, don't worry.

Isn't temperature dependent on power consumption?

I've been in contact with your service department. They asked if the pump shut down again. I said I didn't know because I need to see it happen, which is impossible unless I watch the pump all day. The fact I saw it happen once, and others have had the same problem, should be enough. It's just not the correct pump for this application.

[PacSun Service]

Hello

Pump temperature could rise when valve is closed as water give more resistance for pump and then power consumption is higher. Valve should be closed (maximum closed in about 30%) only if water flow is too high - CO2 is sucked from mixing chamber to media chamber by pump.
Please watch Your calc feered now with fully opened valve - If You will find any problems with pump again please contact with our service at service@pacific-sun.eu we will find best solution how to solve this problem.

Best regards
Pacific Sun Service

[HippieSmell]

Originally Posted by PacSun Service

Pump temperature could rise when valve is closed as water give more resistance for pump and then power consumption is higher.

That's the thing, I believe power consumption lowers with increased head pressure.

[HippieSmell]

My pump is dead. What an endless headache.

[HippieSmell]

Would a pump like this work? https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/10px-...pan-world.html

[Przemek_PacSun]

Hi Hippie,
Im sorry to hear that.
We will want to ask our Distributor in USA to send you new pump on Monday so it will be quickest way how it can be solved. Please drop me today your shipping address to p.cybulski[at]pacific-sun.eu.
Aquabee will replace that faulty pump(they told us that probably it's hidden defect).
We had overall two reports from Customers about problems with pumps but Aquabee cover it and we trust in their products( we sold many of their pumps in hundreds of our reactors(not only CalcFeeder but also IBR series). But again - sorry to hear that.
I'm waiting for your mail.

Regards

Przemek

[robbous]

Originally Posted by Przemek_PacSun

@Ted_C
As you can see - that reactor is working without any media (it's AC2) which can limit flow on mixing chamber(AC1/AC2 don't have main regulation valves).
On first photo you can see too much foam/gas inside mixing chamber. That can happen if flow is too strong or pH will drop too low(water is saturated and nothing more can be dissolved). So on first photo it's not looking natural(some gas bubbles are sucked by main pump - which mean that there is too strong flow).
On second photo there mixing chamber is almost empty(without any gas).
I will try to publish some short movies from my phone later.

Additionally if gas inside mixing chamber is not clean co2 - but also gas coming from dissolved media (some media release natural gas during dissolving process ) pH will increase.
That's a reason why degassing process can help protect pH swing(similar function is included in Dastaco calcium reactors)

@HippieSmell
You need to check last firmware with degassing option - please reply to all questions sent from our service(I got information that they not received all answers from you to their questions).
I'm 100% sure that they will find a way how to solve your issue.

Regards
Przemek

Just wondering if you plan on posting some vids like mentioned above.

[robbous]

Originally Posted by Ted_C

FYI. For those installing the new firmware and turning on the degassing, degassing mode runs the controller pump in reverse it seems.

This means if you collect your normal ouput in a cup that overflows into your sump, the cup can be emptied and you'll start sucking air into the reactor.

Your cup is going to need to be below the sump's water line to avoid having this occur.

It also seems running degassing mode is a simple timed program to run the pump in reverse. There's no sensor or anything involved that would tell the program it's complete.

It also seems like when you turn degas on, it's a program that can run at some time on it's own. This hasn't actually happened for me yet. If this runs and our output cup is above the water line, you'll suck air back into the media chamber.

Glad you told me this i run my output effluent in a cup so i can monitor my ph via my apex. sucks because now i can't keep that output flow in a cup for fear it will drain it.

[Ted_C]

I used to too.

I drilled the lid for the media chamber and put in a pH port and did everything possible to seal it up (well, actually my LFS drilled and tapped the lid for me). Rectoseal on the threads, siliconed the pH probe on the inside of the pH port and wrapped the inside pH port with silicon water sealing tape.

So now I monitor the pH in the media chamber.

I also found excellent replacements for the plastic thumb screws:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The pressure points applied to the top of the lid with these are a little larger than the original plastic thumb screws - but it seems to be working perfectly. You still need needle nose pliers to torque these down enough so you dont have any leaks.

My next project: figuring out how to have a single solenoid on my CO2 regulator (it came with a 24V that I have been running 24x7 with the PacSun Solenoid further down - in-line to the tubing. As far as I can tell - all these solenoids we use are magnetic. I put the PacSun electronics bit on the Burkett 6011 Pole and it seems to open it up just fine. I screwed up my regulator somehow when I did all this though as its currently dead.

They tell me I'll void my warranty when I do this. I really don't care about a warranty at this point. I'm about one or two more problems from switching the controller to standalone mode and going with GEO.

[PacSun Service]

@Ted_C

Our service just warned You that in case of Calcfeeder controller damage casued by some other producer solenoid valve connected, Your warranty will not cover repair costs. If nothing will be wrong with controller warranty will be still valid. You could try but You make it on Your own risk.

Best would be if You would send us at service@pacific-sun.eu photo and model of solenoid valve which You want to use, we will check compatibility and then You will be sure that it will not damage Your controller.

Best regards

Pacific Sun Service

[Ted_C]

When you think about how these solenoids work (in general) and the controller and voltages and wattages - it should never harm the controller.

The controller sends a signal down the wire at 12 v and up to 4 watts. All that signal does is activate the electronic portion of the solenoid at the end of the wire (your electronics - not anyone else's solenoid electronics).

Those electronics at the end of your wire is basically an electromagnet that pulls the spring-loaded plunger of the mechanical portion of the solenoid - opening it - allowing gas to flow through. When power is removed - the plunger is no longer magnetic - so the plunger drops down and closes the valve.

So if you use the same electronics portion of the wire and solenoid provided by Pacific Sun and just put the pacific sun electronic portion over any solenoid pole that fits - there should be no questions about what it might do to the controller. There's no current or voltage associated with the mechanical portion of the solenoid.

If I were to try to re-wire your controller wire into someone else's electronics - yes - I can see that being bad if it's not 100% 12V DC and 4.8 Watts.

In my case - I am using a Burkett 6011 SS solenoid pole (the mechanical part) with your electronics and wire. I tested the functionality yesterday and when on - I do get gas flow and when off - it's off. It doesn't fit as snugly as the original set-up from pacific sun - but it works.

The real question about voiding warranties is if the new set-up would over-pressurize the chambers or hoses or anything. Since that's all controlled at the regulator - the only thing I could see happening is the mixing chamber fills up too fast with gas and lowers the water level too much. In that case I can adjust my outlet pressure or my needle valve / bubble count to the specifics of the reactor. overpressurization shouldn't occur - as any newly added pressure should just push fluid out the outlet.

[Przemek_PacSun]

Hello Ted,
Yes, if everybody will think about voltage and wattage(!) - it should be fine.
Problem is when anybody will connect third-party 12V device(pump, solenoid) also working on 12V - but requiring much higher current(higher wattage).
If it will be more than 6W(0.5A) it will damage power circuit on controller board.
It happened in the past when one or two Customers tried to connect Lite-on dosing pumps(also 12V) to our Kore5th instead of original 12V pumps.
They checked only voltage - but not required current(and overall power taken from controller) so their power circuits were burned.
It can't happen when it used with our original solenoid or DC pump(like for AWC purposes in Kore 5th).
If you will use electronic from our solenoid and attach it to solenoid pole - it should be probably fine(but you should check taken current by solenoid because if pole will have different coil - required current for switch on/off could be different).

Best regards

Przemek

[outy]

Originally Posted by HippieSmell

Would a pump like this work? https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/10px-...pan-world.html

If this is for a feed pump I have had a maxijet1200 that has been working a decade on my GEO feeding it. That is overkill

If your talking about a recirc pump, I use an iwaki md15

Don't use that for a feed pump.