What non-aqualifter pump is a good "reactor" feed pump?

[Vincerama2]

Hi Guys, I'm using an aqualifter on my sulphur reactor. That was the recommended pump and I had one but I felt it wasn't really feeding much, so I bought another one. Same deal. Even with the input valve wide open, water just drips out the effluent. And it's almost like that is just due to the recirculation pump's flow and the aqualifter is in fact just in the way. The input of the reactor IS slightly above the sump level, but I wouldn't think it matters.

Anyway, any good reliable pumps? I think whatever I get would still need couplers and stuff to reduce to 1/4" line.

And I suppose I could tee off the return pump, but I'd really rather not as it would add complexity to the plumbing and still need a bunch of reducers.

Any tips? Thanks!

V

 

[sfsuphysics]

My thought would be to tee off the return, as for reducer you can go straight from your 1" (or whatever the size) plumbing to a 1/4" barb, put in a little valve to control the water flow and you're good to go.

But what's the max flow you can put through? Might look into the Neptune PMUP, that's a small pump that puts in "ATO" amounts of water, but it pushes WAY more than an aqualifter, like 25x more. You could always tee off the output of something like that and put a valve in place to divert water (not sure how they handle up to back pressure)

 

[grizfyrfyter]

I use a maxijett 600.

 

[rygh]

One alternative is a peristaltic pump.
A small one, and you run it a second, wait a few minutes, run a second, repeat forever.
It surges a bit more than a constant drip, but that should not really matter at that low level.
You definitely do not want to run a minute, wait a day, run a minute, etc, though.

With normal pumps, the drip rate is notoriously unreliable as valves get crud in them. This eliminates that.

 

[Vincerama2]

Good point on the peri-pump!

I like the idea of it "bursting" flow so the water that is taken in gets some extra time for the bacteria to munch on it.

I think that in theory, I could use a siphon from the main tank down to the reactor, then to the sump with a valve set to drips BUT I know that Murphy's law states never to do that. I guess I could control the depth into the main tank that the intake siphon can reach so if it starts getting out of control the water level is self limiting... Just thinking.

V

 

[rygh]

The downside to bursting is the O2 levels surge up more in the reactor. So it has to be limited.

Siphon idea seems risky.
You probably want slightly filtered sump water anyway, to reduce clogging.

 

[rygh]

FYI: I had a coil denitrator way long ago, but never a sulphur one.

 

[Vincerama2]

I found this on another forum

https://wamas.org/forums/topic/41910-maxijet-to-quick-connect-john-guest-adapter/


Some CPVC, hogged out to 1/2" with a few fittings to a 1/4" JG push connector. I think I'll try that.

V

 

[Vincerama2]

OK, so I confirmed that the Maxijet nozzle will properly fit a 1/2" John Guest connector!

So I bought the following parts, the 1/2" to 1/2 NPTF (on the right) that connects to the maxijet, about $5 from HD), then a 1/2 "connector which is female/female NPT (70 cents) then the 1/4" to 1/2" NPTF connector to attach to a 1/4" icemaker line/RO line/Reactor line ($5 at HD)

The valve is overpriced, but handy, it's like $9.

But the important pieces are about $10 all told. And you can get them all at Home Depot (or the one in San Carlos anyway).

So now just screw then together, attach the valve if you want (Only useful if you want to control output to a reactor that does not have it's own input controlling valve, it turned out uncecessary in my case, but whatever). And now you can just plug your maxijet into one side, the 1/4 line into the other then to your reactor!

The Aqualifter I was using was completely and utterly useless, even though it was the recommended pump. I could actually turn off the pump and the recirculating pump had enough movement/pressure to cause drips out the effluent. Now, however, I can actually provide good flow to it. When I re-enable my calcium reactor I think I will do the same thing. Oh, I used a Marineland branded maxijet, which I've heard is inferior to the original (and now called Cobalt) Maxijet.

And FYI, you can probably find these parts cheaper if you look. HD sells these a bit more than I think they are worth, BUT they had them all on display and I toom the MJ to the store to mix and match.