# PVC glue in Co2 Reactor



## thai (May 14, 2007)

I made a Co2 Rector but I got some PVC glue inside the reactor. Would that harm the fishes, plants or shrimps that will be in my tank? Would I have to make a new reactor or is there a way to clean out the glue.

Thanks


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## Dutch-AquaDesign (Oct 23, 2006)

I flush my reactor for a few days with a pomp in a bucket with water.
Replace the water 2 times and use it now without any problems.


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## Acuaholic (Oct 29, 2008)

Ok, you should go take a look at what the plumbers sometimes do. I vseen the glue and the primer is allover the pipes. and people drink the water that goes through those pipes. So the fish will definatly be ok.


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## Logan's Daddy (May 3, 2008)

PVC "glue" isn't glue at all, it is a solvent that actually melts the two pieces of pipe being joined and then evaporates away leaving a "welded" bond.

Also, as acuaholic said, there's a good chance that the water in your tank has passed through quite a bit of PVC on its way to you already, and Pro plumbers are far from careful with how much glue they use or where it ends up.

Let it set up for 24 hours, run some water through it until you can't smell the solvent smell anymore, then, don't worry about it.


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## thai (May 14, 2007)

Thanks! I made it and now the smell is gone. I tried running the reactor but now ran into a few problems.

The reactor is bubbling around the co2 tube that is going into the reactor. It looks like it is going up the co2 line also. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Am I doing someting wrong?


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## SpeedEuphoria (Jul 9, 2008)

thai said:


> The reactor is bubbling around the co2 tube that is going into the reactor. It looks like it is going up the co2 line also. I am not sure what I am doing wrong. Am I doing someting wrong?


can you elaborate on this?

water going up the co2 tubing? or its leaking from wher you put the co2 lie in?

are you using a check valve?

Is the co2 on?


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## thai (May 14, 2007)

SpeedEuphoria said:


> can you elaborate on this?
> 
> water going up the co2 tubing? or its leaking from wher you put the co2 lie in?
> 
> ...


I plugged everything in. I have the Co2 turned on. The water starts to fill up the reactor and then it starts to bubble and leak around where I have the Co2 lines going in. I can see some water backingup and going up the tube, where I have the Co2 go in. I am using a check valve. Is there a certain procedure I should follow? Does the reactor usually fill up all the way to the top? Mine seems to be doing that. Thanks for the help.


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## Muirner (Jan 9, 2007)

make sure your check valve is installed in the proper direction, there is usually an arrow on the check valve.

Also it sounds like you have a leak near where your co2 lines go into the reactor. You should use aquarium silicone or something similar to seal this. I used a brass "bung" that was threaded and put it in a hole that was a little undersized. that with teflon tape gave me a perfect seal.


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