DIY CaRx questions

[hoosierpat]

I am thinking about building myself a small calcium reactor for my tank. I have not done much work with acrylic and I'm trying to avoid testing my fabrication limits. My question is whether the reactor chamber has to be cylindrical or whether I could build a square one. I've never seen a square reactor but I don't see how the shape would make much of a difference.

I don't have any plans yet so if someone has some easy, cheap, DIY plans for a reactor, send them my way.

Alternatively, I am thinking about just using a phosban reactor.

[dew2loud1]

aquamedics and aquaC's are square reactors and work fine
http://www.aquacave.com/CalciumReactors.aspx

[Cove Beach]

There is a DIY reactor on Melev's page.
http://www.melevsreef.com/shop/

[hllywd]

DJ88's was the first one I thought of but to me its more difficult because you need to build the box. With clear pipe that's already done. I made a jig for my router table to cut the circle and the local plastics shop glued it all up for me since they contend its illegal for me to possess glue...:rolleyes: Whatever, they did a nice job and didn't charge me anything, however, I still like the "teach a man to fish" adage!

Tim

BTW, here's my first try:

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n81/hllywdz/oHIOsTATEVSmINNESOTA092708004.jpg

[Radar1]

I know that www.firstclassaquatics.com sells acrylic flanges which would be very helpfull if you wanted to experiment with your acrylic skills. if you ask me the flange was the hard part to make for me and they sell round and square versions.

[stugray]

Square works for me:

http://reefcentral.com/gallery/data/500/60772DSCN0573_small.JPG

It uses a eheim 1048 and is an "up-flow" model.
It is also capable of drawing in it's own feed water & doesnt need a feed pump.

I use a masterflex pump just so I can carefully manage effluent rates.

Stu

[smchais]

Stu, did you build the reactor? if so can you help us with the build thread or plans?

[hoosierpat]

Those are all very nice. Hllywd, how very GEO of you :) My big problem is space right now. That is what I have realized since posting the first time. My tank is on a countertop above 2 24" cabinets. The left cabinet is holding my sump which takes up all but 2" to every side of it. It is also holding an ASM G1 skimmer with a ghetto(but necessary) pump upgrade. Therefore, it takes up probably a 16" x 16" space. Then I have a triple baffle and a Mag 5 return pump with a decently sized third chamber.

I have very little room in sump and I'm thinking not that I'm going to have to drill into the next cabinet anyway to house my CO2 tank. So I might as well spend some time looking for a decent small design. So far I am going with the Phosban reactor DIY reactor. I have about half of the parts and a reactor is within my grasp for a very good price. I now have to find a cheap(price, not quality) regulator with a solenoid and a cheap pH controller.

I will have to monitor the effluent since the reactor won't be big enough to put a probe in.

<vent>
I have plenty of time though. I have a major Macroalgae problem that I am going to have to dry out a lot of my rock to get rid of. I picked up a couple of mollies(yes, the freshwater kind) today and acclimated them to the saltwater for an hour or so. I was hoping that they might eat some of my algae since my sea hare is worthless and my tank is too small for most herbivores(except blennies which always eat my corals) like tangs, etc. My snails all suck as well, I found one today being eaten by a good size Welsophyllia, how much does it suck to be killed by a sessile predator? Anyway, my brother informed me when I got home that the orange molly(the sailfin male) had been in the process of getting sucked into the overflow after having all of his fins ripped off when the light went out. Apparently, my 6 Line ******* Wrasse didn't appreciate him flaring his dorsal fin. That's like kill number 10 for the wrasse.

Oh well, at least freshwater fish are cheap.
</vent>

[NanoReefWanabe]

i am trying to figure out a way to build a horizontal unit with a diffuser in it...so i can mount it under my stand that is also full like yours is...i am sure it can be done...

BTW i am very surprised your 6line didn't get censored there^^^

[hllywd]

Hllywd, how very GEO of you

Well that's what happens when you're not very creative, and don't have much money.:D Its been running since the day I took that pic and seems rock solid. My biggest complaint is the noise when the CO2 hits the pump impeller. I hope that gets minimized when I put my new sump in and have room inside the cabinet for the reactor.



www.firstclassaquatics.com sells acrylic flanges

Hmmmm.... nice, I bought 6' of the 6" pipe and may build calcium reactor v2.0 and a second chamber with those flanges. I need to practice my acrylic skills since I saw my first Zero Edge last weekend... calcium reactor v1.0 will be for sale soon!


Nice job stugray! How noisy is the 1048 when your CO2 is running?

Tim:cool:

[MeuserReef]

I built the "DJ88" style square reactor. I have not yet put it into service but am hoping that it will support a 120 gallon SPS forest...

... we shall see :D

[hoosierpat]

Even the Geos are loud when they suck C02 through the eheim. It's kind of annoying. That is a hell of a knockoff though. It looks like it is built as well as theirs. About how much did the material cost to make that, excluding pumps, etc?

[Cove Beach]

I also built my version of the DJ88, a little larger,stronger venturi. Its been running for almost 3 yrs now. Originally on my 75 reef and now on my 220 DT-430 system. I knew i would be upgrading so i built it larger than the original. Here are a couple pics.
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn311/CoveBeach/39.jpg
http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn311/CoveBeach/Calcium-Reac-220.jpg

[hoosierpat]

Cove Beach, nice. I like the addition of the probe. Is that an effective place to measure your pH?

[hahnmeister]

as good as any... the system is recirculating the water in the reactor fast enough that the pH throughout should read the same on the meter.

[Cove Beach]

Especially since the bottom blue line is the effluent output which is in the same chamber as the pump intake, and only a couple inches away.

[Rysam]

Im not 100% on calcium reactors but its time i get familiar so i have a couple questions..

the line from the top of the reactor going back to the venturi, what is that and why?

my next question is how are they fed? is there a small pump in the tank constantly feeding fresh water into it?and is that another one of the lines in the venturi?

it is definitely in my capability to build one i just need to understand how they work for the lightbulb will come on.

[Cove Beach]

The line from the top going to the venturi is a recirculation line which removes any C02 bubbles that may gather at the top of the reactor, then sends it back through the pump to be re- used. Some people feed their reactors with a maxi jet, and others use a tap off of a larger pump with a valve to control flow. The tee you see in the front has a clear line which is the CO2 from the bubble counter and the other blue line is feed water from the sump mounted MJ. From there the line goes into the tee in front of the venturi. All the venturi is needed for is to clear any build up of CO2.