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View Full Version : Bubbles per minute on Geo's reactor


djfrankie
02/18/2001, 05:28 AM
I got my reactor about 2 weeks ago. Last week I finished setting it up with the kit from PA (solenoid, regulator, needle valve, MAG2 pump).

I understand Geo recommends a pressure of 5 psi on the regulator's outlet side. Also to start off a steady drip of 60 BPM out of the effluent valve.

Now here comes my problem , he recommends about 30 BPM on the bubble counter and this is what I'm having the hardest time doing. I've been pretty patient , but what gives?

Adjusting the BPM with the needle valve is like mission impossible. Just to give you an idea, let's say I set it to 1 bubble per second. Half an hour later I come back and it's dripping 5 bubbles in a row then it stops for a few seconds drips 1 BPM for an approximate of 5 seconds stops and then 5 more bubbles in a row.

Could this be a malfunctioning needle valve. I've done everything according to Geo's instruction sheets and no luck.

Another thing is he recommends a psi of 5 on the regulator, but this wouldn't even push the CO2 though the line so I increased it to 10 psi. Part of that problem is that I'm teeing off the water inlet out of my Sen 900 pump. I have a gate valve on it to regulate it and it seems to work just fine. Now if I can just get the BPM in the counter to be continous I'd be a happy man.

Any help I can get will surely alleviate my suffering.

Frank

Starmstr
02/18/2001, 12:02 PM
IME there are 3 factors which an enduser can adjust.
1st. The length of hose running from the tank to the bubble counter.
2nd. The ammount of water in the bubble counter it's self.
3rd. The amount of CO2 preasure.

In my case I have the following a GEO dual with an eheim 1260 pump for rec and a maxijet 404(which is to small) for feed. For adjusting my reactor I start out with 10lbs of presure and then lock out the bubble count at 1 per second. With this setting locked I then adjust the preasure on the regulator to match the appropriate bubble count. So it's set the count at a higher presure, lock out the needle valve and then lessen the presure on the reg to obtain the proper count.