calcium reactor questions

[rgzfly]

I just purchased a knop c reactor. In an attempt to do everything right before I set it up, I have a few questions. First when using a tee off your main tank to get water to the reactor. How do you do this? Do you need a special fitting, like a John Guest? I just don't know how to reduce 3/4 pvc to a reactor. Does this make sense? I know you can use siphon from the main tank, but I want to tee it off my main supply line. I just don't know how to do that. Any help would be appreciated. Also, since I bought it used, but in excellent condition, I wanted to know where I could get replacement parts? I tried knopprducts.com, but that site has been closed. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Richard

 

[mwitten]

rgzfly wrote: I just purchased a knop c reactor. In an attempt to do everything right before I set it up, I have a few questions. First when using a tee off your main tank to get water to the reactor. How do you do this? Do you need a special fitting, like a John Guest? I just don't know how to reduce 3/4 pvc to a reactor. Does this make sense? I know you can use siphon from the main tank, but I want to tee it off my main supply line. I just don't know how to do that. Any help would be appreciated. Also, since I bought it used, but in excellent condition, I wanted to know where I could get replacement parts? I tried knopprducts.com, but that site has been closed. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Richard

I have done this two different ways myself:

1) Bought an in-line "t" specifically designed to do that at one of the stores locally (Fish Store and More, I think)

2) Just adapted a small powerhead and the "air injection" adapter that came with it. I used some silicone to plug the normal water outflow hole, and that forces the water through the little stem and into smaller tubing, and so to the reactor. Oh, and the pump is in the sump.

The problem with the first one was that every time I shut off the water, the backflow/siphon pushed air into the reactor and generally messed up the settings. Getting a balance between input pressure, CO2 bubbles/minute, etc. takes a bit of doing, and it was often messed up when I shut the pump off for feeding or some maintenence. I find the dedicated powerhead to be much more reliable and consistent and generally mindless. I think I am using a small Maxi or perhaps a Mini-jet, but don't remember off hand.

-Mike

 

[wildemon]

This may be beyond your comfort level, but if the tubing can work with a John Guest fitting, you can tap and thread 3/4 PVC fittings to accept them. If you knew what size tubing, you could pick up a threaded "T" at HD/Lowes. John Guest fittings are usually available there too.

If you had to make the threads, Ace has the taps and I use a "Unibit" to drill a tapered pipe thread hole.