New Ca reactor design with pics and drawings

[DJ88©]

Well.. I guess I am kind of back. On a break between semesters at school right now and had an idea about a CA reactor. So I built it. Keep in mind it isn't completed. I need to hook in the return from the circ pump(forgot to buy one fitting Grrrr..) and figure out where to drill and tap for a recirc loop. As it stands now the effluent feed from the top of the reactor is fed back into a small venturi to ensure suction from the top of the reactor back into the circ pump. I'll post all five pics then a bit of a description.











My logic for the design of this reactor is this;

I wanted to minimize fittings outside the reactor and plumbing. So to do this I had to have both come out of the bottom. I also wanted to have an upflow reactor.To be able to do this I needed to draw the water in the reactor back down. Without having a stupid amount of piping inside I needed to split the chamber in two. Easiest way to do this is exactly that. Split it in two. Doing this with a circular chamber would be a bit tricky to ensure a strong bond of all the acrylic inside. So I went and bought $25 worth of pre cut arcylic and made is square. Twice as much as I needed as it turns out. On one half of the reactor the water is foced up through the media and then passes over the divider and then back down to the outlet and circulation pump. the downflow area should trap any possible bits of media that were broken apart and would then possibly be sent out of the reactor as particles. Thus giving the benefits of BOTH styles of reactors currently used. To make sure that I am sending the "cleanest" possible effluent out I have built in a small diameter acrylic tube inside the downflow side to just above the outlet to the circ pump. A piece of poly tubing is then fed down to the void space between the foam and the outlet which is used as the effluent out to the tank.

I'll drill and tap for the recirc line when I test it with media in the reactor and salt water inside just prior to use.

clear as mud?

[gas4544]

Darren,
Looks like you are supplying the water to the reactor through a spray bar to spread out the water flow at the bottom of the reactor - pretty cool.

Where do you suppose the CO2 will "gather" that you want to draw into the CO2 recirculation loop? At the top of the reactor chamber? Is the small diameter vertical tube in the "downflow" side of the chamber provided to allow any CO2 that collects at the bottom of "downflow" side under the foam block and perforated plate?

Gary

[DJ88©]

Looks like you are supplying the water to the reactor through a spray bar to spread out the water flow at the bottom of the reactor

Exactly. In mymind it will give more media a chance to be in contact with the CO2 laden water. If it works. Wohooo.. If not.. How am I going to know the difference.

Where do you suppose the CO2 will "gather" that you want to draw into the CO2 recirculation loop? At the top of the reactor chamber?

I am figuring that it will gather above the down flow chamber at the top of the reactor. So the side closer to the recirc pump. If any does at all. Tho from past experience with messing around with reactors I am betting some will at least.

Is the small diameter vertical tube in the "downflow" side of the chamber provided to allow any CO2 that collects at the bottom of "downflow" side under the foam block and perforated plate?

That tube is actually a guide for the effluent poly tubing out of the top of the reactor from below the plate. Tho now that you mention it. I will raise the tube up so that it's base is level with the plate so that any excess gas trapped below the plate will go up and then into the recirculation loop.

Thanks a dual purpose that tube has now. Posting those pics has paid off already. Thanks big time.

In theory I think this thing will work quite well. Whether the Media, CO2 and effluent decide to listen to my thought patterns and do as I am expecting, is another story. I'll let you know by this weekend. Heading out to get the last fitting for this thing and some ARM. Then we will see how it works when I hook it up to my tub of LR.

In addition.

This will hold approx 1.9 gallons of media. I am guessing that one container of ARM is pretty close to a gallon. So it will hold more media in it than my old 24" high 6" diameter monstrosity reaction chamber did. All in a package that is under 17"(reaction chamber) in height. I was suprised at how much more volume that square shape holds than the cylinder. Do keep in mind that the sides of this reactor are 6.75" and not 6".

[gas4544]

I just re-read my question about the small diameter vertical tube and realized that it was missing a few words. It should have read:

Is the small diameter vertical tube in the "downflow" side of the chamber provided to allow any CO2 that collects at the bottom of "downflow" side under the foam block and perforated plate to rise to the top of the reactor?

But you understood the intent of my question even without the missing words at the end of the question.

Overall, the design looks pretty good. And who says that a reactor has to have a circular cross-section? I imagine that the materials for a cylindrical chamber would cost more. And using a rectangular cross-section gives you more water volume in a similarly sized footprint - assuming the support base of the reactor is rectangular.

Gary

[DJ88©]

I imagine that the materials for a cylindrical chamber would cost more.

This reactor cost me for acrylic under $30 to make. But that is using cut offs at the local supply store. That is only using 1/2 of the acrylic I bought. I have enough pieces left to make the reaction chamber for one more. Plus purchase the pieces for a top and base(about $1 per piece in the cutoff bin). When I was paying much more per foot for 6" diameter round stuff I don't know why I didn't try this earlier.

And using a rectangular cross-section gives you more water volume in a similarly sized footprint - assuming the support base of the reactor is rectangular.

Remember that other design of mine? This has the same footprint. much shorter height(by about 9-10 inches) and holds more media. If this works as well as it should,(Water doesn't know the difference between square and round when it is full of media), I won't build a round reactor again. This was so fast to make. No cutting round flanges. Straight cuts are so much nicer to do. And faster.

Plus I just like having so little actual plumbing. That was my whole idea initially. I hate pipes and such sticking out everywhere. Waste of space. If I were to build one without the little venturi I could reduce the reactors footprint by about 3" inches in length.

All in all. It looks pretty good I think. The test will be once the CO2 is runnig into it and how well it works from there.

[DJ88©]

Well it's up and going. Took two containers of ARM to fill it(more than my 6" dia. monster I had built previously). The little venturi I built for the recirc/CO2 injection into the circulation pump is working fabulously! Looks so far like we have a winner. The flow inside is great. Here's a pic of it running on my tub of LR. Well worth the work that is for sure. I'd say less than it was making a round one. Tho I know many will disagree. But when you don't have a shop for making round flanges etc. Square is sure easy to do if you can get your hands on a table saw. (thanks Troy).

If I were to do another. Square it is.

[ReefVan]

DJ88,

Wow! Excellent reactor design, I would like to build one myself next week. You really did a nice job, very well thought out.

In your last picture, where the complete reactor is up and running, I see 2 poly hoses exiting the photo on the right. Could you please identify where these 2 lines are going.

This will be my 1st calcium reactor project and I'm just trying to get a feel for what I need to get.

[saltwaterfishlover]

my guess would be one line is the efluent going back to the tank and the other is the supply from the tank.

looks like a great design tho....

[ReefVan]

Yea!

Now that the coffee has kicked in, that obsevation about the 2 poly lines sounds right!

Thanks for the insight. Do you usually return the effluent with dosing pump or is it a slow drip with a valve back to the sump or the tank?

I imagine if you want to get real fancy you could use a pH controller and solenoid. $$$

But in most cases, what system are people with DIY Calcium Reactors using?

[Flatlander]

Hi Darren, ,

Good to see you again. Thats one sweet looking reactor. Amazing what you engineers can come up with.

[saltwaterfishlover]

my personal reactor I use a small maxijet to feed tank water into the reactor then have a small gate valve to adjust the flow out. I use a ph meter and an alk test in conjunction with the needle valve (co2) and gate valve (effluent) to get the ph and alk I want for the effluent to hopefully keep my calcium, ph and alk of the tank stable.

this is how I do it maybe not the best way but works for me so far

[saltwaterfishlover]

the first picture looks like an optical ilusion with the way the walls are and the clarity of the plexi. sort of like an escher drawing.

[DJ88©]

my guess would be one line is the efluent going back to the tank and the other is the supply from the tank

Exactly. The lower line is the feed from the minijet to the reactor. The upper line is the effluent feed.

Do you usually return the effluent with dosing pump or is it a slow drip with a valve back to the sump or the tank

All I have done is used the minijet feeding the reactor. I placed a 1/4" irrigation valve immediately after the pump to control the drip rate.

But in most cases, what system are people with DIY Calcium Reactors using

Nada. All I ever do is set the flow rate, then once that is stable I set the bubble rate to about 30 per min. Then measure the alk. Once I get the alk set to the levels I want by adjusting the bubble rate I then measure the pH of the effluent. Then all I use is a pH monitor to make sure nothing is changing.

Hi Doug!

Thats one sweet looking reactor. Amazing what you engineers can come up with.

I don't know if my engineering has helped much with this. I just get bored. Mind starts creating things and once in a blue moon I decide to build it and see how it works. Wait till the summer. I will have free time and all kinds of electronics components to build.

saltwaterfishlover,

I think the way you and I do it is the most common and easiest way to run a reactor. At least I think it is.

ReefVan,

Building a reactor is quite easy if you have the equipment to make all the cuts. Even without the saws etc you can still do it. Most plastics shops will do cuts for a price. Once you build one and get the idea the next one is a piece of cake. Some will say no but I think they are easy to build.

[nofilter]

looks excellent!! thanks for sharing!

[DJ88©]

Well a bit of an update.

Working like a charm.

Running it at about 80 ml/min and 15-18 BPM. Effluent is at pH6.9 and dKh of 24. Seems the venturi for the intake of water and the recirc line is working great. Better than I expected actually. I took the BPM up to about 30 and it dropped my pH to 6.5 in short order.

Keep in mind that I am running this on a 30 gallon bin full of LR. For now.

Cheers

[DJ88©]

Well as it appears I can't edit my last message.

I re-measured the BPM of my CO2 and it is sitting at 10-12 right now. Still at 6.9pH.

[Flatlander]

Sheeez, thats an amazing low buuble count for that ph and alk. Must be a very efficient reactor, Darren.

Crap, mine runs at 60bbm, to get anywhere near that. I run my effluent at almost a stream velocity.

[DJ88©]

Doug,

I am soooo happy with this thing.

Once it settled in the pH kept dropping. And dropping. I had it down near 6.2 and had to keep cutting back on the CO2. I was hoping it would work. But never did I expect this. Last night to see a bubble coming every ~5 seconds blew me away. I NEVER had rates like this on my old reactors. NEVER!

The dKh this am is 22.4.

WHOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This morning it is sitting at exactly 12 BPM and a pH of 6.96.



YAY!

I'd re-measure the flow of it but I really need to run to school.

This is almost as exciting as climbing my first 5.9's the other day!

as an aside and to just be a smart *****.... I won'tever build, recommend or use an outdated. obsolete, ancient single pass reactor again. kidding..

[arnjer]

Will you share your plans with me......I have never built a reactor.

Thanx

Jerry

jfoster1@midsouth.rr.com

[Flatlander]

Arrggg, stupid edit feature. Now I have to leave "buuble" in my last post.

Good reactor Darren. I even have a co2, recirc loop and still consume more.

[schemo]

yes looks very nice, and for the price that's even better!!!!!!!

schemo

[DJ88©]

Jerry,

I really don't have any plans for this. I built it out of my head for the most part and one small pencil sketch. I'd post any drawings I had but to sit down right now and make some CAD or Visio drawings of it are too time consuming. I have school work that consumes my days right now. Sorry. I can try once this semester is over in June to do some drawings up or when I have some free time. But I can't make any promises.

Doug,

I got nailed with that edit feature too. Least it wasn't buuble

I have been doing some thinking on why there is such a drastic difference between my design and a standard Ca reactor.

Two things I think.

The first is the spray bar. By having the water forced into the media through several small outlets instead of one large one as most reactors have it is massively increasing the surface area contact between the CO2 laden water and the media. (don't quote me on that but it sure seems logical and reasonable)

The second is that by first forcing the water up through the media and then having an open area at the top any excess CO2 still in bubble form collects there to be re-introduced into the pump via the recirc line. Minimizing actual micro bubbles of CO2 leaving the reactor before having a chance to touch the media. The second half of the reactor aids in this by having the water again turn down and it is only after this second area of media that I remove the effluent.


In effect I have created two zones in my reactor. A "dual stage" reactor within one chamber, in effect. The first is where the primary contact with the CO2 is done and the second is where any remaining CO2 is used up. With a recirc loop in between. Wow that just occurred to me. man am I smrt. lol




Schemo the price is awesome! lol If I needed it I still have the acrylic left for one more.

I tested again this morning and will do so for a few days to make sure that these aren't completely nutty measurements.

12BPM, pH 7.0, ~80 ml/min dKh 20.

[arnjer]

I understand the time thing......any chance of you throwing the extra pieces together and making me one? If so how much would you charge?

Jerry

[DJ88©]

Even tho I enjoy helping out fellow reefers I am going to have to say I can't. I really don't have a lot of time on my hands. Plus shipping something out of acrylic across the border and then pretty much across the continent when I am not set up to do so kinda makes me nervous. If anything were to go wrong I am not a quick drive away to fix it.

I will work on getting some drawings. As soon as I can this thread will re-appear.

Cheers!

[arnjer]

Thanx

Jerry