Schuran Jetstream 1 Calcium reactor. Some pictures. - Page 35

ninersrule1 · #**851** 03/03/2007, 12:48 AM

tried PMing ctenophore

Just looked at your pic.

Did you have to mod that flange that fits into the very top union above the ball valve? Or did you comes as a socket?

Reason I ask is because mine has a male thred and then it has another union above it.

I just think we have different parts above the ball valve and that is why I cannot get my mod to work.

mvite · #**852** 03/03/2007, 08:34 PM

Great thread! I finally read it all!!

I hooked up my JS1 a few days ago--and so far it's fantastic! I over-tightened a plastic screw....and CRACKLE...but no big deal.

I am getting a slight drip of water from the Eheim for some reason. The "top" of the pump is open---and a drip or two escapes on me every now and again.

Solid!

mvite · #**853** 03/03/2007, 11:21 PM

Can anyone post a pic of their effluent "water slide"? I think I know what you did--but would like to see to be sure.

Thanks!

ninersrule1 · #**854** 03/04/2007, 12:22 PM

i think there is one earlier in this thread by ctenophore

try page 26 or 27.

mvite · #**855** 03/04/2007, 01:53 PM

Phew---It's 27--

I just can't tell where the "waterslide" spills out. My reactor will be bolted to the wall--and I guess I would just use two elbows to dump downward and out.

Brent Thomann · #**856** 03/04/2007, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ninersrule1
tried PMing ctenophore

Reason I ask is because mine has a male thred and then it has another union above it.

I just think we have different parts above the ball valve and that is why I cannot get my mod to work.

He just removed the ball valve probably. thats what a lot of people do.

mvite · #**857** 03/10/2007, 09:08 AM

Now that I've got it running for over a week--I gots some questions for any of you who would be willing to share their thoughts.

I am considering running CO2 on a timer for maybe 12 hours a day as suggested by Schuran. The thing is-- I use a ph controller as a shut off--just in case the needle valve fails or something---I have the CO2 shut off when the reactor ph falls to 6.2 or something.

My question is---How can I use a regular timer in this application---or can I even do it?

RCA · #**858** 03/10/2007, 09:38 AM

mvite - I'm in the same boat as you, running a controller. I've got an SPS 120 so I'm running the reactor 24/7. When I first started with the unit I put a timer on the controller (the only way to shut it off for a period of time without having the backpressure from the CO2 affect anything. I kept running water through the unit even when the CO2 was off. I'm running a small pump to push water through the reactor. You could probably put the pump on a timer, and your controller will keep the chamber at the specified pH while you are not pushing water through. The only concern here is the back siphon that would lower the water level in the reactor.

I'm contemplating incorporating a peristaltic pump b/c I can't get consistent effluent drip rates with a small pump on the feed line (stuff is perpetually clogging the MJ minijet inlet and the microvalve inline with the pump), in that case when the pump is turned off there would be no back siphon since the rollers act as a somewhat checkvalve.

-Ryan

mvite · #**859** 03/10/2007, 11:49 AM

Ryan-
Thanks for your input.

My timer wouldn't fit into the back of the controller--so---I plugged a power strip into the back of the controller and then plugged the timer into the power strip. Then I plugged the regulator into the timer.

I would like to leave the pump running 24/7---I was only planning on timing the CO2. I was starting to get a large area of gas on the top of the reactor and I realized that it was probably only going to keep growing if I add more gas constantly.

Everything else the mfr. suggested worked the best---so I am gonna listed to this too. I guess I will aim to get the reactor ph to around 6.3-6.5 and let it rise when the timer is off. I will have to figure out the "swing" of the effluent--and then it's effect on the alk of the tank.

Fun fun fun! But I do really like this reactor!

Pennoyer · #**860** 03/12/2007, 01:02 PM

I leave my water running through the reactor 24/7 and control the addition of CO2 only. I have the solinoid which controls the CO2 tank plugged into a timer (regular dial kind available from anywhere) which turns on and three times per day. Most of my CO2 is delivered during the dayligh hours to coincide with the higher pH of the tank. The reactor pH swings up and down depending on whether the CO2 is on. I keep the drip rate pretty constant and just allowed the gas to run longer in order to dial in the reactor for my tank's demand. Been running it like this with great grown and stable tank params since I got this reactor when they first were offered by Premium Aquatics I think about two maybe two and half years ago.

Pennoyer · #**861** 03/12/2007, 01:02 PM

I leave my water running through the reactor 24/7 and control the addition of CO2 only. I have the solinoid which controls the CO2 tank plugged into a timer (regular dial kind available from anywhere) which turns on and three times per day. Most of my CO2 is delivered during the dayligh hours to coincide with the higher pH of the tank. The reactor pH swings up and down depending on whether the CO2 is on. I kept the drip rate pretty constant and just allowed the gas to run longer in order to dial in the reactor for my tank's demand. Been running it like this with great grown and stable tank params since I got this reactor when they first were offered by Premium Aquatics I think about two maybe two and half years ago.

Pennoyer · #**862** 03/12/2007, 01:04 PM

double post; Any Mods out there; please delete the first one. Thanks

scarter · #**863** 03/14/2007, 08:41 PM

lots of great info on this thread

Gools · #**864** 03/15/2007, 07:16 AM

Anyone have one running on a 180gal or bigger tank? Just want to know what you think of them. I have one running on a 180 fully stocked sps, and it can't keep up.

RCA · #**865** 03/15/2007, 07:28 AM

Gools,
I don't see why it couldn't keep up. I'm at a drip rate of a bout 70mL/HR (depending on the day...I have trouble keeping it consistent with the MJ feeder pump). If you increase this to a near steady stream you could definitely keep up with the demands of a 180. What's your dose rate and your effluent pH you're running? I know my bubble counter shuts off for about 3 minutes before it's on again for about 1 minute (bubble spacing is about 1~2"). I'm eating up CO2 like crazy.

-Ryan

Gools · #**866** 03/15/2007, 07:49 AM

Yah same my CO2 bottle is emptying pretty quick. I'm putting in 170+ bpm,(hard to really tell it goes faster then I can count) and effluent is wide open. Alk's good and all, But I thought this reactor was suppose to reuse CO2. My Old reactor I was using around 120bpm, just don't get it. I shouldn't say it's not keeping up, it's just not doing what I thought it would do.

1SickReefer · #**867** 03/15/2007, 08:14 AM

Gools,

With those numbers, what is effluent ALK? It should be WAY off the charts...

invincible569 · #**868** 03/15/2007, 09:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gools
Anyone have one running on a 180gal or bigger tank? Just want to know what you think of them. I have one running on a 180 fully stocked sps, and it can't keep up.

What kind of media are you using?

RCA · #**869** 03/15/2007, 09:40 AM

the reactor does reuse the CO2 (the water surface stays below the bubble at the top of the effluent chamber). The whole point of the return line at the top of the effluent chamber is to reuse the unused CO2, so it is definitely working. With a steady stream drip rate though you are pushing a lot of water through the unit. I seem to be pushing my KH too high right now, so the unit is definitely working, at least for me with the fully stocked 120.

I wouldn't be so worried about the effluent KH as I would about the low pH you're dropping into your sump.

Ryan

mvite · #**870** 03/15/2007, 09:51 AM

I am running mine on a 200 gallon prop system--with a ton of frags. I have only been running it for a couple weeks---but now that I have the CO2 only running at night it is working much more predictably.

I am running the ph controller on the timer---and the regulator throught the controller. They are plugged into my lights, so when the lights come on--so does the CO2.

I have been running the CO2 for about 12 hours at about 200bpm--the reactor ph is around 6.25-6.28. I think that the CO2 that is left in there when the injection shuts off for the night helps dissolve the media for a couple hours afterwards.

Gools · #**871** 03/15/2007, 02:29 PM

It's all working good, venturi is sucking excess CO2, and I do have a build up in the top chamber. But my Alk is anywere from 9.0-9.6. It stays steady in those numbers. I'm not saying it's a bad reactor, My Alk is good and all, just was expecting to see a reduction in CO2. It's just not what I was expecting. I do have it "T" off of a large pump. It will have to run that way until I get a new head for my peri pump. And I am using Schuran media, and it dissolves faster then I can add it it seems.

mecka · #**872** 03/16/2007, 10:13 AM

What are most people doing pushing or pulling the water through,using a peri pump?

RCA · #**873** 03/16/2007, 10:24 AM

maintaining a consistent drip rate for the effluent thereby controlling the precision of the reactor. If you use a small pump to push water through (like I do) then you'll find the inlet gets clogged quickly with reef debris and sump junk, in addition you need to use a microvalve to control the drip rate, where as the motor of the peri pump operates the drip rate (i.e. more precision). I will most likely be changing over once I can identify a small peri pump that will be right for this application. I hear those cole pamer's are relatively large and unsightly.
-Ryan

Ewan · #**874** 03/16/2007, 12:59 PM

check this out:

http://www.twopartsolution.com/index...ex&cPath=26_31

Here are some great OEM peristaltic pumps. These guys were a RC sponsor... I'm not sure if they still are or not.

For the record, I've been using an Aquamedic SP3000 for about 6 months with no problems now. I'll likely upgrade to one of the OEM pumps mentioned above. I really like the set drip rate, as long as it's in an acceptable level. Then you only have CO2 rates to fuss with. using the set rate of the SP300, I had about a week of testing and adjusting CO2, but it dialled in nicely.

If there's one theme of this thread, its that the jetstream is much, much easier to deal with with a peristaltic feed. I used to HATE holding a little cup under the effluent line, staring at my watch. and then making adjustments. The Tee method did not work very well for me over time. Once you go peristaltic, you'll never, ever look back.

Anyone want to buy a stopwatch and a little graduated cup

?

-rob

Ewan · #**875** 03/16/2007, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mecka
What are most people doing pushing or pulling the water through,using a peri pump?

I've set up both ways, with no difference in performance. Schuran recommends pulling water through the reactor. The only problem I have with this method is that you must disconnect the CO2 line from the gas/air separator (bell at the top) when filling the reactor, and pour water through the open ball valve in order to fill the gas/water separator after a media change. Opposed to pushing the water through the reactor, where the CO2 line still needs to be removed in order to push the air out of this area, but additional water will not need to be added with a cup. When pulling through the reactor, the pump will pull the water line in the reactor up to the little hole in the main chamber, and no farther. While pushing, the water column will continue to the top, and out the open CO2 line.

Anyone that has set the reactor up both ways will know what I'm talking about.