calcium reactor - what's the best way to replace regulator

[demifelix]

It's my first time so I don't know what are the right steps to take to not mess anything up. Here's what I'm thinking. Please help out a brother here.

1. turn off the feed pump and circ pump
2. drain the water from the 2 reactor chambers until the water level is below the regulator
3. disconnect the hose coming out of the bubble counter
4. swap out the regulator
5. fill DI water into new bubble counter
6. connect the hose from the old bubble counter to the new one
7. turn on feed pump and circ pump

Does that sound right? Am I missing anything?

 

[ghbrewer]

Do you have a check valve on the co2 line?

 

[ghbrewer]

If you have a quality check valve, you shouldn't have to drain the reactor. (Unless you are going to change and/or add media as well).

 

[ghbrewer]

Also, don't forget to close the valve on the CO2 tank before you disconnect the regulator...

 

[hiimsean]

All you should have to do is turn off your feed and reactor pump, close the regulator, disconnect the co2 line, disconnect the regulator. Should take 2 minutes.

 

[ghbrewer]

I agree, very quick fix, but it is good that he is giving it some thought. I am assuming his reactor may be taller/higher than his tank, that is why he stated he would have to lower the level of water inside the reactor to below the existing regulator location. If there is a check valve, this will not be necessary, as the check valve will stop water from back flowing/siphoning back through the CO2 line. Regardless, I give him credit for thinking it through, sometimes it is easy to have a mishap when just diving into it.

 

[demifelix]

thanks for the input guys. No I don't have a check valve. The line runs from top of the bubble counter straight to the input port of the recirc pump. I have a short CO2 tank so the regulator sits lower than then 2 reactor chambers and I don't want water to back flow into the regulator. I think the reason it's not back flowing is because the recirc pump is running so it sucks everything from the pipe into, but once I turn off the recirc pump then all the pressure from the reactor chambers will need to be diverted somewhere. That's really my main concern.