DIY phosphate reactors

Towsley · #1 12/28/2007, 09:00 AM

DIY Phosphate reactors
Does anyone have any DIY plans for one. I currently am running phospate & carbon in bags and was thinking that a reactor would give me better contact for them. Can I just use a pipe and put the bag in it and the return line in the top

draleigh · #2 12/28/2007, 06:47 PM

you could, but for $35 you can get one that is built for that use. i was gonna make one, but figured for that cheap i may as well just buy one that is made for it

Altpers0na · #3 12/28/2007, 08:01 PM

what fun is that?

Siffy · #4 12/28/2007, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Towsley
Can I just use a pipe and put the bag in it and the return line in the top

Short answer, no. But you could put the bag at the end of the pipe to prevent the media from coming out. You wouldn't want to have the media in a bag. It needs to roll and move freely as to "show" more surface area to the "dirty" water. I don't have any set plans for you, but it all would depend how pretty you want it to look. A 1ft long piece of 3 or 4" white pvc pipe with caps (maybe a threaded plug at the top) will do the job. Input hose running down to the bottom. That will force the media to fluidize between 2 pieces of foam. And an exit hole at top. Or you could leave the top open if it's in sump. If you had to have one that looked nice, you're better off buying one... Unless you have a need for a really big reactor that could hold a LOT of media.

As you have a 65g tank and not a 650g tank, you're likely best off buying one for $40-50. Now, when we all have 650g tanks, here's a cheap source for short pieces of 6" dia acrylic tube, http://www.estreetplastics.com/Acrylic_Tube_s/45.htm

NanoReefWanabe · #5 12/28/2007, 08:22 PM

can be done very cheap out of PVC...but you lose the ability to see what kind of action you are getting inside the chamber..and will risk pulverizing the media....

the design is very basic for them...chamber fed from the bottom...drain out the top...

draleigh · #6 12/28/2007, 09:20 PM

my point was even on ebay you can get a nice aquaC media reactor for $45 shipped. i am a big DIY'er myself. I am making a DIY carbon reactor from a house filter container i have left over from another project. Same concept as the phosban reactor, just bigger. As others have say, sure you can DIY it, for me, it just made sense to buy it for a few extra bucks.

NanoReefWanabe · #7 12/28/2007, 11:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by draleigh
my point was even on ebay you can get a nice aquaC media reactor for $45 shipped. i am a big DIY'er myself. I am making a DIY carbon reactor from a house filter container i have left over from another project. Same concept as the phosban reactor, just bigger. As others have say, sure you can DIY it, for me, it just made sense to buy it for a few extra bucks.

agreed