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  #76  
Old 05/12/2005, 02:45 AM
shiipseki shiipseki is offline
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yeah.. I would like to know too.. I'm a total mess when it comes to DIY..
  #77  
Old 05/12/2005, 09:52 AM
em21701 em21701 is offline
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WMTasker
I'll post a few pics tonight when I get home. I'm going to use a scrap piece of airline tubing as a gasket on the bottom in place of the rubber you used.
  #78  
Old 05/12/2005, 02:05 PM
WmTasker WmTasker is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by em21701
WMTasker
I'll post a few pics tonight when I get home. I'm going to use a scrap piece of airline tubing as a gasket on the bottom in place of the rubber you used.
Looking forward to seeing them. I just got my SMS122 pH controller in today. So might have a few updates for tonight.
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  #79  
Old 05/12/2005, 02:10 PM
Gipsy Gipsy is offline
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I only have one word : brillant!
I run out over lunch to Lowes (the only one in Wisconsin) and pick one filter up.
The over all stuff will be better taht most of the commercial one (i have one off those and it doesn't stop leaking as soon as the presure rise a little.. I'll not say the brand to be nice...).
Once again brillant man!!!!!
My actual one is feed by the return pump throught a 1/4 tube, do you think that will work for your design? (that will be on pump less to take care off...)
Best regards,
JD
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  #80  
Old 05/12/2005, 02:29 PM
Nemo_0916 Nemo_0916 is offline
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WmTasker .. OH MY GOODNESS!! What a KILLER idea!! Instead of having to try to buy an acrylic tubing the size you want etc. etc. etc. ... use an RO unit and add as you please 4 5 6 chambers who knows!! !! I love it!!

Yes I will have to build one myself when I start my 60G SO EXCITED!!
  #81  
Old 05/12/2005, 02:36 PM
WmTasker WmTasker is offline
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Gipsy
I hope this one works better than the one you have. I don't think you are going to get one of these to leak by having too much pressure. If it can handle the water pressure going in your house, it should handle a little maxijet. You should have no problems using the pump the way you have it on this one.

Nemo_0916
Thanks ... hope you have fun putting yours together.

Make sure you both try to post pics of your reactors when you are done.
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  #82  
Old 05/12/2005, 03:37 PM
Gipsy Gipsy is offline
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WmTasker
Tahnk for the imput. You're right. If this unit can handel the pressure of city water, i don't think that my Genex IV will make it leack!
I just ordered the quiet one pump and a bubble counter from Dr F&S.
I think the $26 for the Aqualine bubble counter are well spend : one think less to worry about! (get the clear tube, make the end, drill, glue...blabla).
Plus i'm thinking about a bracket that will use the top holes to support the bubble counter. I'll post pict when it will be done! (may take a few days)
BTW I ask our best guy in the shope what kind of tap/drill to use for the snap fitting. The one i got from Lowes are not John Guest brand but Watts PL-3308. The drill size is "R' (.339") or 11/32" and the tap 1/8"-27 NPT just as a FYI. (I'm a engineer, I have to drop number all the time, sorry...)
Regards,
JD
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  #83  
Old 05/12/2005, 04:45 PM
totalpackage181 totalpackage181 is offline
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sweet idea!

ya that's a great idea, i made almost the identical things for a phosban reactor, ( a little filter pad on the top to stop it from escaping) and it works like a charm....next project calcium reactor!

i guess my only question is about how many gallons an hour are passing through the unit ..( back into the tank)?

and at what ph?
  #84  
Old 05/12/2005, 04:52 PM
trmiv trmiv is offline
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This is cool. I wonder if a single one the size of the smaller one you made would be enough for a 50 gallon system with some SPS, LPS, and a clam? Have to see how well the unit you made keeps up with your tank.
  #85  
Old 05/12/2005, 04:55 PM
headshrink headshrink is offline
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Nemo_0916 - hmmm... using a whole RO unit, I like it! I am not familure enough with them to know how exactly to do that but PLEASE take lots of pics if you do it. I wonder if you could take one RO/DI "rack unit" and make several aquarium components in it (ie: Ca reactor, Posban, etc.)
Make it so!
  #86  
Old 05/12/2005, 07:42 PM
wormdog99 wormdog99 is offline
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Fantasticly awesome DIY!!! Bravo!! I have been looking and reeding and planning a way to make a cheap reactor and here it is. Thanks for the awesome picks and great walkthrough. Only question I have on it is, what size tank do you have this beautiful machine hooked up to?

Thanks again for the great post,
Matt
  #87  
Old 05/12/2005, 07:55 PM
Nemo_0916 Nemo_0916 is offline
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headshrink .. WOW!! I wasn't going to take it that far but thanks for the idea!! It prob won't be awhile until I DO do it IF i do it that is but that's a GREWAT idea! I was originally thnking a whole RO/DI unit converted into a purely CA reactor ...
  #88  
Old 05/12/2005, 08:15 PM
WmTasker WmTasker is offline
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TotalPackage
I really don't know how many gallons I have going through it right now. Once I get the pH down to where it needs to be, I will measure the output of the reactor to find the gph. The pH has been bouncing between 7.4 and 6.8. Im trying to get it to stay at 6.8

Wormdog
I have the reactor on my 120 gallon reef. You can CLICK HERE to see all about my reef.
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  #89  
Old 05/12/2005, 08:19 PM
wormdog99 wormdog99 is offline
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hehe...my bad. I wasn't clear enough. I was asking what size CO2 tank you had the reactor hooked up to.

Thanks,
Matt
  #90  
Old 05/12/2005, 08:22 PM
WmTasker WmTasker is offline
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Quote:
Originally posted by wormdog99
hehe...my bad. I wasn't clear enough. I was asking what size CO2 tank you had the reactor hooked up to.

Thanks,
Matt
Thats ok. I have a 10 lbs tank.
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  #91  
Old 05/12/2005, 09:31 PM
em21701 em21701 is offline
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Here is the reactor I just finished, using pvc all around instead of the vinyl tubing. I have a mag 5 pump on it (probably overkill but that's what I had). There is a threaded Tee for each of the I/O connections, the one above the pump is for the water to come in from the tank, I'll get that from my sump return. The one just before the pump is for the CO2, and the one just before theCO2 input is for effulent out.

Now I just have to wait patiently for the CO2 tank and regulator to arrive. I'm very interested to see what the bubble count you guys finally arrive at so I have a good starting point. I'll only be feeding a 45 gal tank (70 gal total volume) so I should have no trouble keeping up.
  #92  
Old 05/12/2005, 09:37 PM
WmTasker WmTasker is offline
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That looks sweet. I can't wait to see you once you get it up and going on your tank. Do you have a lot of SPS/LPS corals in your tank?
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  #93  
Old 05/13/2005, 07:19 AM
andro andro is offline
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em21701: I like how you used all PVC, I was thinking about the same thing with the JG fittings, I don't have a tap and I think it is cheaper to just do what you did instead of buying one.
  #94  
Old 05/13/2005, 08:18 AM
em21701 em21701 is offline
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WMTasker:
I have a few SPS but I intend to add more. I also have 2 maximas, I wouldn't mind adding another one of these either!
  #95  
Old 05/13/2005, 11:10 AM
craby craby is offline
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Ventury

Do you think the way you have the CO2 hooked up to the PVC adapter @ the pump inlet is acting as a ventury?
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  #96  
Old 05/13/2005, 11:14 AM
WmTasker WmTasker is offline
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Re: Ventury

Quote:
Originally posted by craby
Do you think the way you have the CO2 hooked up to the PVC adapter @ the pump inlet is acting as a ventury?
NO it doesn't. I took the hose off of the bubble counter and water just started squirting out.
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  #97  
Old 05/13/2005, 11:20 AM
em21701 em21701 is offline
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I ran mine in the sink and saw water squirt out also. I don't think there is anywhere near enough flow to start a venturi.
  #98  
Old 05/13/2005, 11:33 AM
OxInYourBox OxInYourBox is offline
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Very nice. I've watched this from the first post and will be making a trip shortly to get the parts to make one.

em21701-I was planning the same setup in my head. To confirm-are you using a 3/8" or 1/4" JG fittings in the plumbing? Too much white makes it hard to tell.

One general question to all reading-Why not incorporate a 4 way T at the bottom of the chamber and run pvc to the sides of of the chamber and drill each as a spray bar to increase media contact time? May have to bump up the recirculating pump a notch. Thoughts?
  #99  
Old 05/13/2005, 11:40 AM
craby craby is offline
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FYI -
The 1/4" tap is called 1/4" NPT (National Pipe Thread), or 1/4 - 18 (18 threads per inch).

I wander how we can make a ventury for the CO2. Supposedly this would break up the CO2 into smaller bubbles before it hits the pump.
Maybe we could use 1" PVC to just before the pump inlet, bushing it down to 1/2" & use a 1/2 x 2" nipple w/ a short piece of tubing inside the nipple. Tap the nipple & go through the tubing, & connect nipple to pump w/ a 1/2" threaded coupling. The other side could remain flex tubing for movement option.

Do y'all think this would work?
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  #100  
Old 05/13/2005, 11:53 AM
em21701 em21701 is offline
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OxInYourBox: I used 3/8" fittings, but I think I'll have to replace the one for the CO2 with a 1/4". I won't know for sure till the regulator gets here. The 4 way cross may help spread the water out but you sacrifice valuable media space for all that PVC.

craby:The trip throught the pump is pretty violent, you might be making it needlessly complicated. The CO2 bubble size should be sufficiently reduced by the pump. Also the turbulence resulting from the water flowing through all the elbows will reduce the bubbles further.
 

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