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TomFromStLouis
03-24-2003, 2:04 PM
My Aqua Medic CO2 Reactor 1000 is leaky. The leak where the black plastic cap fits on the clear tube was easy to fix: I just dabbed some silicon around the entire connection and one day later it was fine. What really irks me though is the hose connections. You would think they could build the nipples the right size for a tight fit but NOOOOOO. The hose will stay on but the fit is so loose that water just cascades out when I turn on the filter pump.

Ok, so I thought a little silicon and a hose clamp would provide seal. It only brought the deluge down to a trickle. Now I have slathered silicon around the outside of the hose end and reactor nipple. I will wait another day for that to dry and give it a try.

If that does not work, I am wide open to suggestions. I would have returned the reactor long ago if I thought they weren't all made to the same specs. How do you seal off leaky connectons?
TomFromStLouis
03-24-2003, 2:11 PM
Now I am really miffed. This thing is starting to look like some kind silicon creature from a grade B movie. Gonna slop more on and around. Very frustrating....

Besides, this is keeping my whole filter off and I cannot advance my cycle at all. HELP!
Heady
03-24-2003, 2:32 PM
If you are using liquid silicon it will NOT work. Silicone caulk MAY work as a permanent attachment solution if you allow it to cure before running water through it.
TomFromStLouis
03-24-2003, 2:37 PM
I am using silicon caulk
TomFromStLouis
03-25-2003, 9:50 AM
You know those posts on public forums where someone simply humiliates himself for all to see by showing how completely stupid they can be? Then they post almost all the responses to their own post? Yeah, well, this is one.

The CO2 rector I bought has fittings for a 1/2" hose (12mm) while the Eheim comes with 5/8" (16mm). While there was no mention of this in the reactor packaging that I recall, the fix was as simple as going to the big box and getting some smaller hose and a reducer arrangement. I wish this was made more obvious to simpetons like me, but I ahve learned to live with it. ;-)