$200, my day off, and my new diy calcium reactor!
- Thread starter WmTasker
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pioneerlog
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Just spent 1.5 hrs, reading and understanding this LONG thread. My hats off to all that have contributed...a FANTASTIC job. I have all the parts to begin building a 2 chamber except for the primary pump. My existing reef is a 120 gal and feel this is the 'best bang for the buck' Since I need to buy a pump, what's your suggestion?
Thanks for the magnificent job....
Thanks for the magnificent job....
woowoodengy
Upgrading my 20gal
samvanrf said:I am new with Calcium Reactor though I have a reef tank for about 3 years. Here is the picture of the one I am building. First time I post here even though I have read a lot. Many thanks to WmTasker for helping. Great idea!
hey is that a metal hose barb fitting at the bottem???
if it is get rid of it it will leach copper in your tank with grave results.
looks very nice though.
To all who have built one of these: what pump are you using and how loud is it?
I have a mag 5 on mine and it is unbelieveably noisy, I think there is a lot of undissolved CO2 going through the pump, and I also think that the mag 5 is way too big for the job. I want to take it off and replace it but I want it to be quiet afterward. I'll use the mag for a closed loop or something.
I have a mag 5 on mine and it is unbelieveably noisy, I think there is a lot of undissolved CO2 going through the pump, and I also think that the mag 5 is way too big for the job. I want to take it off and replace it but I want it to be quiet afterward. I'll use the mag for a closed loop or something.
well we're boh right, brass and bronze are basically the same material.
Brass is copper (~80%) and zinc (~20%) but commonly includes both tin and lead and some of the other materials you listed, in amounts less than 5% totaled taking away from either the copper or the zinc depending on the particular alloy.
Bronze is copper (~90%) and Zinc (~10%) but commonly includes all of the same materials above in amounts less than 5% totaled.
Phosphor bronze contains primarly copper and tin with trace amounts of zinc (which is what you were referring to I would assume) in proportions of Cu/Sn:
98.75/1.25, 95/5, 92/8 and 90/10
For more information than anyone ever wanted to know on any material in existance check out <a href="http://www.matweb.com">this site.</a>
Brass is copper (~80%) and zinc (~20%) but commonly includes both tin and lead and some of the other materials you listed, in amounts less than 5% totaled taking away from either the copper or the zinc depending on the particular alloy.
Bronze is copper (~90%) and Zinc (~10%) but commonly includes all of the same materials above in amounts less than 5% totaled.
Phosphor bronze contains primarly copper and tin with trace amounts of zinc (which is what you were referring to I would assume) in proportions of Cu/Sn:
98.75/1.25, 95/5, 92/8 and 90/10
For more information than anyone ever wanted to know on any material in existance check out <a href="http://www.matweb.com">this site.</a>
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.
What your looking at, even though it is hard to see are the holes drilled. HTH.
![url]](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2F%5Burl%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Freefcentral.com%2Fgallery%2Fdata%2F579%2F73369CA_reactor_1_red.jpg%5B%2Furl%5D&hash=47e70a2e6cea95f49f051f8f11e7e5be)
![url]](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2F%5Burl%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Freefcentral.com%2Fgallery%2Fdata%2F579%2F73369CA_reactor_lid_2_red.jpg%5B%2Furl%5D&hash=0113faf3e9a78e97ed74cacb3261cd44)
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.
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.
pioneerlog
New member
Craby -- Great job!! I like the compactness. What pump are you using?? do you have any concerns with the co2 & vinyl tubing??
Pioneerlog,
Thanks for the compliment. I am using a Mag 2. I am using Vinyl tubing as that is what came on my MRC CA Reactor. I thought the only concern was loosing CO2 from the CO2 tank to the reactor. I think that once in the reactor, the type of tubing isn't an issue. Please speak up if I'm wrong.
Young-d,
I find the best things about this reactor are that you do not have to worry about leaks @ flanges, feable connection points through an Acrylic tube, & unscrewing (8) screws to open it.
Compactness is also a big plus as I have mine in sump. Other reactors don't fit, & I find it is more quite w/ the Mag pump submersed. Also, this prohibits any disasters if the reactor were to leak (IE: You don't completely seat the tubing into the JG fitting - speaking from personal experience).
Thanks for the compliment. I am using a Mag 2. I am using Vinyl tubing as that is what came on my MRC CA Reactor. I thought the only concern was loosing CO2 from the CO2 tank to the reactor. I think that once in the reactor, the type of tubing isn't an issue. Please speak up if I'm wrong.
Young-d,
I find the best things about this reactor are that you do not have to worry about leaks @ flanges, feable connection points through an Acrylic tube, & unscrewing (8) screws to open it.
Compactness is also a big plus as I have mine in sump. Other reactors don't fit, & I find it is more quite w/ the Mag pump submersed. Also, this prohibits any disasters if the reactor were to leak (IE: You don't completely seat the tubing into the JG fitting - speaking from personal experience).
Craby : Look great. Same setting as mine.(see previous post).However : i don't understand the part where you drilled the ribs. ??. Could you please explain more. I'm probably missing something...??? 
Cheers
Cheers
craby said: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.
What your looking at, even though it is hard to see are the holes drilled. HTH.
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.
Just got CO2 and set the whole thing up. Here is the picture. WmTasker, thanks again for sharing such a great idea. All functions works ... Effluent rate is 60 ml/min with PH at 6.8 (SMS122 shut off CO2 at 6.8 and turn on at 6.9). Will monitor PH, ALK and Calcium every day for the next 7 days. Thanks again WmTasker
samvanrf said:Just got CO2 and set the whole thing up. Here is the picture. WmTasker, thanks again for sharing such a great idea. All functions works ... Effluent rate is 60 ml/min with PH at 6.8 (SMS122 shut off CO2 at 6.8 and turn on at 6.9). Will monitor PH, ALK and Calcium every day for the next 7 days. Thanks again WmTasker
After 4 days and still checking... Drip rate is still at 60 ml/min and effuent PH is still at 6.8. Calcium is stable at 400 ppm but Alkalinity went to the roof (from 8.5 dKH to 14dKH). I have to shut off the reactor for now and may be put it on a timer. Anyone esle have this high Alk using the reactor? Any suggestion?
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