$200, my day off, and my new diy calcium reactor!

[em21701]

troypierce, I have it mounted like it is shown. I will probably take it off the wall to change the media anyway, but a more rigid bracket would allow it to be changed right there. There is plenty of room to get the wrench in with all the plumbing attached, but not the way I have it mounted. Putting the pump above the reactor is a really bad idea, even if you could get it to circulate the first time it would certainly run dry the first time you lost power. Almost all pumps need to be mounted below the water level to function. The peristaltic pump may be able to be mounted above the reactor because it is being fed by another pump.

gath2, I'll post some of it in it's "home" later tonight when I get home.

As a side note: stray CO2 + strong lighting = instant alge.....d'oh!
don't let the CO2 make it back to your tank!

[houseofha]

Is thee any more info on what tank size this (or one with additional unit) will accomodate?

Still really curoius about this and want to get one if the size can be figured out.

House

[sediener]

I would guess it could handle at least a 100G tank mixed reef without having to refill monthly. It may fall short on a packed 100g+ SPS only tank though. I saw the chamber at lowes and the media volume in the canister looks about 2/3 the size of the korralin 1502 that I have.

For more than a guess you'll have to wait for some longer term testing....

- steve

[WmTasker]

Anyone having problems getting there bubble count consistant? Everytime I get the bubble count to about 60-90 bubble per minute, I come back an hour or so later, and the count is down to 20 or so bubble per minute. Its driving me up a wall. I have one of the milwaukee regulator with built in bubble counter. The first dial read 100 psi and the second read about about 3 psi. Any suggestions would be great.

Thank

Keep all the ideas coming. I'm really looking forward to seeing all the reactors you are making.

Em21701 .... Looking really good. Glad to see you got the co2 out of your effluent. As Far as being able to change the media quickly. I think it would be better to take it apart and do cleaing on parts at this time. Things might get blocked and quick running properly if routine maintance is don't done on the unit.

[sediener]

I adjust my second dial to 20-30 psi... so variations in the pressure inside the reactor won't affect the bubble flow as much.

If your first stage is only 100psi you are almost out of CO2.

- steve

[8BALL_99]

WmTasker, I had problems with mine... I pretty much just played with it till it worked,, I turned the first knob up very high so that the bubble counter was going nuts then I adjusted the second one to just a lil faster then I wanted.. After a few hours it slowed down to where I wanted it.. Took me a couple of days to get a feel for it.. I agree its a pain.. I tried adjusting it like the directions say,, But I never could get it to work that way.

[WmTasker]

Thanks for the input.

sediener .... Do you think its almost empty? I just filled it this fall and then just sat it in the basement till I made the reactor. It sat about 7-8 months.

[sediener]

From what I understand ~1800psi is a full tank. Unless the gauge is messed up or I am missing something. Your tank looks pretty old, did you get a new gasket for the regulator connection?

- steve

[WmTasker]

Right before they filled the tank, they did a pressure test on the tank and I was told it was fine.

[Gipsy]

I just finished my new reactor! Exactly per WmTasker specs. I'll post update later.
Thanks man!
Cheers,
JD

[SR HELLBOY]

Originally posted by em21701

The connections going clockwise: effluent out, tank water in, co2 in. The CO2 now recirculates properlyand the effluent is bubble free

This is the way i'm going, great job!!!

[WmTasker]

Originally posted by SR HELLBOY
This is the way i'm going, great job!!!

Looks great

[WmTasker]

Originally posted by Gipsy
I just finished my new reactor! Exactly per WmTasker specs. I'll post update later.
Thanks man!
Cheers,
JD

Look forward to see it.

[Gipsy]

The reactor is up and running. No leak (so far....)
I did set the bubble count at roughly 90 per minute.
The feeding pump is a MJ400.
Circulation Quiet one 1200 (boy those are REALY quit!)
I'll love to post picture as soon as i understand how (the server keep quicking me out with some sort of 50k limit)
Cheers,

[WmTasker]

I think I have my bubble count under control. Two days straight with a reactor pH of 6.7 -6.8

Gipsy
Glad to hear everything is going good so far. Looking forward to seeing pics. The only way to get around the 50k limit on pics is to become a premium member. Just click on the "I support RC" logo below my name to join.

[Gipsy]

Here are the pictures!!! I hope it work (the pictures!!!)
Cheers

[adamPL]

Great job guys!
Will it work for 26g? What pump should i use for? and one more quastion, how do y count the flow from tank to CR and back to the tank (to hi or to low level calcium in the tank)?

adam

[craby]

This is how I have my reactor plumbed in. I realised, after I plumbed it all back together, that I had the pump return going to the (in) side of the reactor, a big no no.


I did this so that there would be little to no head pressure that the accumulated CO2 at the top of the lid would have to overcome to get drawn back through the pump.
I also drilled holes through the ribs in the lid to allow the CO2 to travers these section in the lid to get recirculated.
What your looking at, even though it is hard to see are the holes drilled. HTH.

[craby]

If you notice in my above pics, fine ARM media particles are settling @ the bottom of the reactor. Do y'all see the need for an acrylic disc w/ 1/8" holes drilled through out, put down @ the bottom to keep the ARM off of the bottom approx. 1"?

[WmTasker]

Craby

I can't see any of the pics.

[adamPL]

Hey where can I buy CO2 bottle?

[em21701]

craby, I can't see the pics either, and I'm getting an MSN login box for each of them.

adamPL, I got mine on ebay. Most places that you get them filled will take your bottle and give you another one that is full, so don't be afraid to get a used one, since you will get a used one back anyway.

[sediener]

Originally posted by adamPL
Hey where can I buy CO2 bottle?

http://www.beveragefactory.com/draft...anks/co2.shtml

There is one place with pretty good prices...

I get mine refilled at a fire extinguisher shop. I am looking to upgrade my 5lb tank since it is 22$ to refill it and 24$ to fill a 20lb tank. go figure. It'll pay for itself in ~1 year of fillups. My point is, get the biggest tank you can fit in your space.

- steve

[Gipsy]

Sediener :
I think you're geting robbed... I pay $9 for my 10lbs and i'm sure it's not the sheapest by far.
A way to avoid to have to trade youre bottle is to go to a liquor store that refeel beer tap. they will fill it up for you right there.
plus they put food grade CO2 (not sure of the difference but sound good). That said most (like 99%) of those places will not fill bottle over 10lbs. Hope it helps!
Cheers!

[calvin415]

Is there any way a paint ball CO2 tank would work for a small reactor? Anyone know of a regulator that will mount on them?