MARS mtg - DIY Calcium Reactors

[73ChargerFan]

Sorry for the cross post between clubs, but MARS (http://www.marineaquarist.org/) in Sacramento will be going over the design of calcium reactors at their meeting tomorrow night, and on June 28 they will be holding a DIY session to contruct one. I've never been to one of their meetings before, but it seems like a good excuse...

[anathema]

I have been thinking about building a Kalk reactor, maybe I should go also.

I was at Tap plastics today, they hav 4" acrylic pipe in stock.

[dsb1829]

TAP is pretty good. They will sell you the tubing by the foot if they have it in stock. Gusty, if you go with 4.5" it will work with sch40 pvc caps and fittings.

MARS does their DIY meeting every year. Sounds like their members get a lot out of it. I think they have it organized in such a way, or they have in the past, where each member that puts in the effort can actually build their own and take it home.

ttt...

[anathema]

thanks for the tip, I was going to check into that very thing. Doubts about whether it would work with PVC were what kept me from buying it today.

They said 4.5" would be special order. :(

On two happy notes, I will have a real sump with partitions I am gluing in right now done by the end of this weekend.

and...

The acro frags you gave me are really growing like crazy. They are for some odd reason, the fastest growing SPS in the tank. Thanks a million!

[anathema]

How was the meeting?

[dsb1829]

Yeah, did you make it Anthony? You could have been the marathon man this month by hitting all three meetings :D .

I have yet to make it to either of the other clubs. I barely have enough time to make it to ours :rolleyes: .

Gusty,

Not a problem. There is an online reference that gives what ID/OD combinations work with off the shelf PVC fittings. That is one that I know off the top of my head though. I will forward you the reference when I find it.

[73ChargerFan]

Actually, I hit 4 meetings this month, 3 last weekend and SF the previous weekend.

The MARS meeting was good. They welcomed new members and guests (me). They explained their design for a DIY calcium reactor, and the improvements they have made over the past year. The DIY session will be Saturday June 29, so I'd better order those parts soon! Oh, and I have a listing for an online plastics dealer that supposedly is cheaper than TAP for 4 1/2" pipe. Altogether, the parts will probably make out to $60, not including tank and regulator. One member works for an industrial & welding gases company and recommended not purchasing the regulator from an aquarium dealer, that we could get a more precise, better built, and probably cheaper unit through her company.

[anathema]

I might try to make that meeting. I want to make a kalk reactor, so it's not the same, but I still might benefit from the experience.

[73ChargerFan]

The next MARS meeting is next Friday, the 21st. Anthony Calfo's going up there as well, so maybe we'll carpool. Anyone who wants to attend the DIY session on Saturday June 29 should probably come along next Friday and join their club. Membership is cheap, $ 20 I think.

This will be a good time to learn to work with acrylic, and learn from a guy who has done it before.

The design is a modified version of Sanjay's DIY reactor. (http://www.animalnetwork.com/fish2/aqfm/1998/mar/features/2/default.asp) It might be a good idea to read it ahead of time.

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These items must be ordered online ahead of time:

2 feet of acrylic tubing, 4.5" O.D. - available at www.aquaticeco.com for $ 9.75 per foot, SKU is TA5. Other venders can be found through Reef Central's DIY page.

1 ea. Liquid tight wire connector, NPT - available at www.aquaticeco.com for $ 2.85, SKU is LC12.

1 ea. Inline Probe Gland 1/2", available at www.aquaticeco.com for $ 2.95, SKU is GL12.

1 ea. Bubble Counter, supposedly can be had at Marine Depot for $ 6.00, but I haven't found it yet.

RIO 800RVT - Rejuvenation Venturi, at Marine Depot or Custom Aquatics, for under $ 20. This MUST be the venturi type. Other MARS club members have stated that they've used 600RVT, or even a 100 that had a hole drilled in it. If you have a standard model, I think it can be modified.

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From your LFS, get 3 feet of 1" thin wall acrylic tubing. Should cost about $ 3.00.

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The plumbing parts can be had at Home Depot or Lowes. The SKU is from Home Depot.

1 ea. 4" ABS Threaded Cap, $ 3.00
1 ea. 4" ABS Female Adapter HubxFIPT, SKU 188417, $ 4.73
1 ea. 4" ABS Cap Hub, SKU 145668, $ 5.29
2 ea. 4" Flush Drain Cap, $ 6.00
1 ea. 3/4" PVC T fitting, $ 0.50
1 ea. 3/4" PVC Cap, $ 0.35

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Subtotal for just the DIY reactor: $ 67.75

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Finally, the expensive items can be bought now or later. You'll need these items, or something similar like a Neptune or Octopus controller. I'd probably pick up the CO2 tank and regulator from a local gas supplier, like welding supplies...

From Marine Depot:
1 ea. Pinpoint pH Controller & Probe, $ 180
1 ea. Deluxe CO2 regulator system, dual gauge, $ 145
1 ea. 10lb CO2 tank, $ 90 (don't get the 5lb)

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TOTAL $ 482.75 + tax & shipping

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P.S. I'll be in Denver this weekend, adios!

[73ChargerFan]

I'm going to the MARS meeting Friday night and can give a ride from Pleasanton to anyone who wants to come along. I'll leave around 4pm.

The DIY session is two weeks, on Saturday June 29.

[ReefDream]

This sounds great, Charger! I would go if I thought it would really save me, but I think in terms of my time, it would not really be any savings. We're talking about 12 hours of driving between the two meetings for me. ;( I wish they'd do something like this for the SeaBay meetings!