DIY inline reactor problems

[milalic]

I build my reactor using one of the plans available here(hotzifier).
The reactor is liking in the union of the hose and the barb.
I have an XP3 canister filter. The reactor mesures around 14" from top to bottom. Any suggestions of what might be wrong?

Thanks

[Jason Baliban]

So it is leaking where the hose slips over the barb? Did you get some real good hose clamps and really tighten them?

Or is it leaking from where the barb screws into the PVC? If this is the case, did you use teflon tape?

What size barb are you using and what is the size of the hose?

We'll fix you up

jB

[bharada]

Like Jason said, add a hose clamp over the hose/barb connection. If it's leaking where the PVC parts screw together then you either need to tighten it a bit more, or add more teflon tape (you should be putting on three full wraps of tape over the threaded part before assembling).

[milalic]

It is the hose that comes with the XP3 which I believe is 5/8".
the barb is 5/8" x 3/4".

Do I have the correct barb? I might need and exchange the hose barbs. I do not remember the size

[Jason Baliban]

Are you using hose clamps?

If so can you get us a pic of where the prob is?

jB

[bharada]

Usually a 5/8 barb will have a tight seal on a 5/8 hose, but sometimes you end up with fittings that are on the small side of their specs or hoses that are slightly larger than spec. In either case you need to get some hose clamps (worm clamps that are tightened with a screwdriver) to cinch down the connection.

[Jason Baliban]

Originally Posted by bharada

Usually a 5/8 barb will have a tight seal on a 5/8 hose, but sometimes you end up with fittings that are on the small side of their specs or hoses that are slightly larger than spec. In either case you need to get some hose clamps (worm clamps that are tightened with a screwdriver) to cinch down the connection.

Milalic,

These are the clamps you will want to be using. Great pic Bill!!

jB

[Biznatch]

Also make sure the barbs threads are NPT, not threaded to attach a hose to a tube. The NPT are angle and seal when you tighten it. I made that mistake, but caught it when I could only get the barb in like 4 turns before it would stop. Also get the fat Hose clamps from home depot, they are liek 1/2" wide and work really well.

[milalic]

Any size of worm clamps will do?

[milalic]

What I meant in my post is that i Have a really big worm clamp. Which is not working cuz water is leaking from the hook up of the barb and hose. What I notice is that the hose is not that tight to the barb.

[Jason Baliban]

They make different size hose clamps. They usually tell you the maximum and minimun diameter they will adjust to. It is possible that your clamp dose not tighten enough.

jB