5
1.
Body of the valve
2.
Magnetic reel
3.
Power cord
4.
CO
2
-inlet
5.
CO
2
-outlet
6.
Now, a tube is mounted in the same way on the outlet (5). Here, you do not need to use a
pressure tube, you may use ordinary PVC-tube (6/4 mm, ¼“).
7.
The free end is connected to the bubble counter inlet or to the CO
2
–inlet.
8.
If you use a pressure regulator with adjustable operating pressure, set it to 1 – 1.5 bar.
Note:
Always
use
a
non-return
valve
between
the
aquarium
and
solenoid
valve.
It
prevents
water
from
flowing
back
from
the
aquarium
into the regulator and the CO
2
–bottle and may cause damage. We recommend
to use the original Aqua Medic bubble counter with integrated non-return valve.
3. Operation with timer
The CO
2
–consumption during the day (light phase) is determined primarily by the plants. In the
night (dark phase), the plants excrete CO
2
–gas. So it is not necessary to provide CO
2
during the
night time, it may even be harmful. The solenoid valve can be linked to a timer to meet these
specific requirements. An elegant solution is to connect the solenoid valve to the timer that
controls the light. The valve is then switched on and off together with the light.
4. Operation with pH controller
This operation mode should be preferred in comparison to others. It is the most exact and
economic version. Only the exact quantity required is fed into the system. It balances the loss that
is, for example, caused by water movements and aeration. Fluctuations of the pH-values are
avoided by an electronic control. This is an advantage for the creation of a well-balanced
environment.
5. Operation with water
The Aqua Medic solenoid valve may also be used for the control of smaller reverse osmosis
systems. Some important points have to be taken care of to avoid mistakes and damages:
-
The reverse osmosis unit should not exceed the capacity of 150 l/day (35 gpd) of pure water.
The small opening of 2 mm will cause pressure drops and decrease the capacity, if used with
larger systems.
-
If used with tap water, the solenoid valve may be blocked by dirt and rust. In order to avoid
this, several precautions have to be taken:
-
The solenoid valve has to be connected between the sediment filter and the RO module to
protect it from clogging. The storage tank where the water is collected should have a safety
outlet to the drain. If used for saltwater aquaria, the evaporated water should not be refilled
directly from the RO unit. It is recommended to collect the RO water in a separate tank and to
provide the aquarium from this tank.
-
The solenoid valve may not be operated with saltwater or pure water (reverse osmosis).
