What check valve do you use?

[lurking]

So I was at some fat guys house the other day and we were talking about the importance of check valves and insuring they are working properly. I looked at my check valve today and sure enough the stupid thing is no longer working and is letting water travel back into the regulator.

I realized that if I buy another one this will be the third valve in roughly 3 years that I have gone through. Here is what I have been using. http://www.marinedepot.com/CO2_Bras..._for_Aquariums-Korallin-KL3115-FICOCV-vi.html

Its the heavy duty brass one. Does anyone else have a recomendation? I am hesitent to use these cheap hagen or azoo ones that I see around. Any feedback would be great. Thanks!

 

[cymaster007]

http://www.aquariumplants.com/THE_BEST_Check_Valve_medical_grade_p/check12.htm

 

[lurking]

http://www.aquariumplants.com/THE_BEST_Check_Valve_medical_grade_p/check12.htm

how long have you used it for? Ever had one fail?

 

[RuffReef]

Never used one would never trust one.

 

[lowbudget]

he talking on carx not the drain for tank

 

[SchnitzelReef]

I've got a spare from
Www.usplastics.com

Haven't used it yet


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[Mr. Plant]

Better not to use one.....Fail rate too high......

 

[SchnitzelReef]

We're talking about calcium reactors U HAVE to use one!


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[Mr. Plant]

I read "Check Valve...."

 

[rayray]

i use the same brass CO2/salt water check valve, lost track of how many I purchased from MD. i dont trust the cheap plastic ones either. And the brass ones for planted tanks are suspect because they might not be designed to handle the high back pressure of CaRxs.

I figured out this valve gets stuck after a while when the CO2 solenoid is off and pressurized saltwater gets in contact with the spring loaded diaphragm inside the check valve. Corrosion happens, then the valve gets stuck. I try to prevent this by never letting the CO2 solenoid turn off. I have a high flow rate throught the carx and constant buble rate to keep ph 6.5. if I have to turn off the solenoid, I have a John Guest shut off valve between the brass check valve and the reactor that I turn off first.

I also swap out the brass check valve every 1-2 months or on those rare occasions when the solenoid was off. the valves not in use gets a liberal spraying of WD40 on the inside and definitly the moving parts & allowed to dry before returning getting reinstalled. In other words, I treat this valve like once it does its job- of checking reverse flow, then it needs some maintenance before being trustworthy again.

 

[lurking]

John Guest shut off? I'm sure I could google but I'd love to hear from you. Thanks rayray

 

[lowbudget]

i love reading rayray's responses

 

[SchnitzelReef]

He's such a smarty pants!! Lol


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[rayray]

John Guest shut off? I'm sure I could google but I'd love to hear from you. Thanks rayray

the red arrow is the CO2 from the solenoid (CO2 cartridge) via the white/blue John Guest shut off valve to the bubble counter of the carx
1. if I have to turn off the solenoid, first I close the john guest valve to prevent salt water from entering the brass check valve
2. whats the job of the brass check valve? to prevent saltwater from entering the solenoid. but if saltwater sits in the check valve, its my opinion it corrodes the spring loaded diaphragm and eventually makes it fail. so if the check valve actually does what it was intended to, I remove from the line and service it, meanwhile replace with a ready backup.

off topic reef related pic

 

[Clifford]

Not that I am disagreeing with ray ray as most of his opinions are correct from my point of view, but I prefer a complete fail safe system with a j-tube (it's also called something else brain fart). Anyway, I like two siphon breaks with a j- tube for more flow and more security. I must point out that many of the old timer( no offense) like ray ray are more than correct I just have a different way of doing it.

 

[lurking]

Not that I am disagreeing with ray ray as most of his opinions are correct from my point of view, but I prefer a complete fail safe system with a j-tube (it's also called something else brain fart). Anyway, I like two siphon breaks with a j- tube for more flow and more security. I must point out that many of the old timer( no offense) like ray ray are more than correct I just have a different way of doing it.

Hey Chad do you find this cumbersome at all when dialing everything in? Do you have to wait once any adjustments are made for barometric pressure to stabalize? Do you have a picture by any chance?

 

[lowbudget]

i want to make that face too

off topic reef related pic