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

[WmTasker]

Well after much debate and lots of reading on RC (thread after thread), I finally put together a calcium reactor today.

Here is my supply list:




Milwakee Regulator $70 - Ebay
QuitOne 1200 pump $21 - Foster&Smith
ARM Reactor Media $16 - Champion Lighting
MaxiJet 1200 $20 - Champion Lighting
Reactor Chamber $55 - Lowes
John Guest Fittings $11 - Lowes
Assorted Hoses $3 - Lowes
Drill bit and Tap $13 - Lowes
PVC parts $3 - Lowes
Barb Fittings/clamps $3 - Lowes

CO2 tank $$Free$$ - Found in my father garage

The finished Product





I started out by glueing my pvs 1/2" thread to 1" slip adapters to the 45 degree elbows that had 1" slip on one end and 1" male threads on the other.






Next I used a 7/16th drill bit to drill one hole in one elbow and 2 in the other. I took my tap and threaded the holes to fit the 1/4" John Guest fittings. Two of the fittings are 1/4 to 1/4 and the other is 1/4 to 3/8. The 3/8 fitting is to supply water from the sump. I used this since the 3/8 hose made a better fit to the Maxijet 1200.




To finish up the elbows. I attached the barb fittings to them. The barb fittings were 1/2 male thread to 5/8 barb.

 

[WmTasker]

I then moved on to cutting the pipe for the inside of the reactor. I made the pipe 10 1/2 inches long. I used my chop saw and put about 6 slits on each side of the pipe for the water to flow through the arm media. I also put a little rubber gasket at the bottom of the pipe to help make a better fit.






I then put the pipe in place, add media and closed it up. It held about 5 lbs of media. I hooked up the hoses just to make sure everything was were it should be.






I then made my adapters for the pump. I used two more barb fitting (like the ones from above) and two 1/2" thread to thread couplings. I want together like this.





I finished up bu cutting some 5/8 ID hose to length. I put them into place and put a few hose clamps on to make sure there was no leaks.






After getting everthing up and running. I found out I have a bad selinode on the regulator. So I called milwakee and they are sending my a new one. Cant wait to get it.

Hope everyone enjoyes this.

 

[Travis L. Stevens]

This is AWESOME. I love it. I wonder if there is any more budget crunching we can do to make it even cheaper

 

[WmTasker]

If theres a will theres a way. Im sure if you look hard enough and be patient, you can find parts cheaper than what I paid for them.

 

[stogie]

This looks really cool. Keep us updated on how this performs

 

[Purple Haze]

seems rather popular to get bad solenoid valves with the Milwaukee kit lately.

 

[WmTasker]

seems rather popular to get bad solenoid valves with the Milwaukee kit lately.

The guy there (Brian Moore) was really nice about the whole thing. He was going to put a new one out to me today in the mail. Im just disapointed that I didn't get it all up and running today.

 

[Picapet]

BRAGGER!! = o )

Tasker is da man...saw it firsthand... it is great!
Great Job William...
You get an A+ for the day and a star next to your name!

 

[WmTasker]

BRAGGER!! = o )

Tasker is da man...saw it firsthand... it is great!
Great Job William...
You get an A+ for the day and a star next to your name!

To bad everyone doesn't have a neighbor like me.

<----- I like under your occupation where it says "seld employeed"

 

[Picapet]

ABout time someone NOTICED... that is the cross between SELF and Seldom...
Seld Employed!
Means I am SELF employed... But Seldom do a dang thing!
Thanks for noticing!

 

[8BALL_99]

Ok Thats it I'm building one of these.......Looks good

 

[NwG]

Really nice work... nice thing is you can make a seconed chamber really easy!!!

 

[WmTasker]

Really nice work... nice thing is you can make a seconed chamber really easy!!!

I have an old RO unit that I was planning on using for that. I just haven't put it together yet. Thats for my next day off with nothing to do.

 

[Richard Tester]

This is the SHIZNIT -- Is the chamber a water filer canister? It looks kind bigger than most I have seen. Excellent Idea man!

 

[Rivenjim]

quick question about the reactor chamber what was its origonal purpose that they were selling it at lowes for thanks in advance

 

[WmTasker]

The reactor chamber is in the water filtering department at lowes. Its made by wirlpool, and was orginally designed to be a whole house water fitler. It holds a little over a gallon of water. It was the biggest filter I have seen at any of the water / home improvement places.

 

[JCqtown]

Here you go.
link

Im searching to see how cheap I can find it online

 

[DONALDUGLYDUCK]

i see you went for the filter, the big 1 i think it will work better how much was it i want 1 next day off lol

 

[cloudancer]

That's a great DIY, I love it.

I've been putting off a Ca reactor because I haven't had time to invest in learning acrylic. Now I have no excuse and therefore will finally have to make one.

 

[TroyPierce]

Milwakee Regulator $70 - Ebay
QuitOne 1200 pump $21 - Foster&Smith
ARM Reactor Media $16 - Champion Lighting
MaxiJet 1200 $20 - Champion Lighting
Reactor Chamber $55 - Lowes
John Guest Fittings $11 - Lowes
Assorted Hoses $3 - Lowes
Drill bit and Tap $13 - Lowes
PVC parts $3 - Lowes
Barb Fittings/clamps $3 - Lowes

CO2 tank $$Free$$ - Found in my father garage

You forgot to add "Finally having a CA reactor - Priceless!"

Great job. When ya get your solenoid, give us an update on performance.

Did you add a bubble counter?