Began work on a Monster PVC Calcium Reactor Lots of pics!

[MarkS]

The is going to be a single chamber, reverse flow calcium reactor. The body is a 44" tall piece of 6" PVC pipe. The pump will be a Sequence Dart (on order). I am guessing that this will hold 50# of media.

First I started with the diffuser plate/media support. It is made out of 3/4" PVC plate. I used my router to cut a 6" disk with a 3.5" OD x 3" ID x .5" groove. The groove will accept a 6" piece of 3" PVC that will be drilled with several 2" holes.

I used my drill press and a 1/2" Forstner bit to bore the copious amouts of holes in the plate. This was EXTREMELY tedious! The steps invloved were:

1.) Position the plate under the bit.
2.) Use the bit to hold the plate in place while clamping.
3.) Clamp it down.
4.) Bore the hole.
5.) Remove the PVC shavings from the bit.
6.) Remove the clamps
7.) Repeat. 66 times.

All of the holes in the center of the plate bored.

Finished! Whew! Bottom of the plate. I calculated 13.132 sq. in. of open space in the plate (.25" x .25" x pi x 67). Is this correct?

Top of the plate.

Bottom with some 3" clear PVC sitting in the groove.

This is the template. I took this to Kinkos and printed it on some sticker stock. Then all I had to do was peel off the backing and slap it on the PVC. Worked perfectly! The actual file is in DXF format. If anyone is interested, PM me your e-mail address and I'll send you the file.

 

[MarkS]

Routing the grooves for the PVC body and media support in the reactor base plate.

With the support.

Filling in the hole. I just dipped a piece of 1/8" PVC welding rod in cement and stuck it in the hole. When the cement dries, I'll cut off the excess and sand it flush.

With the PVC body (dry fit).

That's all for now. I have the pump and Uniseals on order and will post more pics when they arrive. I am still trying to find a local source of 3/4" PVC plate that can sell to me by the foot. I do not want to buy a whole sheet. Once I get the last of the PVC plate, I can build the top flange set. I should have this done very soon.

 

[Rikko]

I like! Very slick! I'll be subscribing to see how it turns out - please also followup after a few months and let us know how everything turned out!

 

[MarkS]

The completed media support.

The 3" PVC stand is glued to the media support plate, but not to the reactor base plate. This is my first reactor, but I can safely assume that there will be a build up of sludge under the stand over time. With the support removable, this can be cleaned out.

 

[MarkS]

More pics...

More pics...

Fortunately, the local plastic shop I regularly visit had a piece of 3/4" PVC measuring 12" x 32". Prefect!! I even have a usable piece of scrap for later projects. All I need to complete this are a few John Guest fittings and misc. plumbing, the regulator/solenoid and the CO2 tank.

I created another template and took it to Kinko's. Much to my surprise, it only cost me $.82 to print this out on their large format printer. I then used some spray adhesive to glue it to a piece of 1/4" acrylic and cut out the disk. I then used my drill press and bored the holes with the Forstner bit. This allowed me to drill all of the bolt holes in the top flanges with near CNC accuracy at a fraction of the cost.

Cutting the flanges.

Template attached to the flange. The pin that comes with the Jasper jig works wonders as a centering pin.

Boring the first hole in the flange.

One flange with bolt holes.

Cutting two grooves for o-rings.

Completed bottom flange with a 6 5/8" hole for the 6" PVC pipe.

Perfect fit!

More pics to come...

 

[MarkS]

Plumbing question...

Plumbing question...

Here is how I envision the pump inlet plumbing:

The plumbing is 2", which is necessitated by the Dart's inlet size. The two plugs at the side inlets of the cross will be drilled and tapped. One side will be the inlet from the tank and the other side will have the CO2 inlet. I'm also going to have the top flange drilled and tapped and will run a line from this to the plug to draw excess CO2 from the top of the reactor. This all then leads to the pump.

This is my first time building a calcium reactor. Is this the correct way? What should be changed and am I missing anything?

 

[MarkS]

Shhh.... Everyone be quiet or you'll scare away the crickets. I like the sound of crickets....




:sad1:


If someone could be so nice as to answer the above plumbing question before Friday, I'd appreciate it. That's when I'm getting the pump and I'd kinda like to know how it should be plumbed before I screw something up and wreck this project.

 

[fppf]

You need to find a friend with a CNC mill.
What ever happened to the huge skimmer?

 

[MarkS]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6369190#post6369190 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fppf
You need to find a friend with a CNC mill.
What ever happened to the huge skimmer?

Naw. I can DIY the stuff now that I have a good router and circle cutting jig. This is kind of fun. The skimmer is still at the LFS. I changed the recirc pump inlet plumbing drastically and this greatly increased foam production, but it is causing the pump to draw more amps and he can only run it at night when the lights are off. I'm going to have to think of something, but I am not sure what. Other than replacing the Hammerhead with a Tigershark. I don't want to spend that kind of money right now.

Any advice on the reactor plumbing?

 

[fppf]

Sorry Mark, can't help you there.
I have not built one or looked into it with any real time. I don't have corals yet so a little Bonic goes a long way for me. Good enough for now.

 

[MarkS]

I guess no one on RC has ever built a calcium reactor before.

 

[manderx]

why did you pick the dart for a recirc pump? seems like a pressure rated pump would do better, plus not have to deal with big pipe.

 

[MarkS]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6371301#post6371301 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by manderx
why did you pick the dart for a recirc pump? seems like a pressure rated pump would do better, plus not have to deal with big pipe.

I'm not sure why I chose that, but that's the one I'm going to use. Will I need any modifications to the inlet plumbing? Will I need any restrictions in the line to create a venturi or will it work as is? If this were a standard size calcium reactor and this plumbing was the appropriate size, would it work as is?

 

[H20ENG]

Looks good, Mark.
You could just drill and tap the lines for the CO2, recirc and inlet / outlet into the 2" pipe, without the cross and large fittings. You may want to go up to 3/8" tubing, but you shouldnt need to go any bigger. I'd also put them close to the pump suction.
With that height, you may see considerable backpressure, especially when the media starts to break down a bit. You may want to use the larger style media like is used in the Schuran- dead sticks.
However, with the Dart, it may keep the media almost fluidized. You may want to screen the outlet in case it gets over fluidized so it doesnt grind up your pump. I may be paranoid here, but that pump moves a ton of water. At first it will see backpressure, but if the media fluidizes, the flow will ramp up like you wouldnt believe.
Dontcha love drillin all those holes?
Have fun,
Chris

 

[spazz]

ok guy you know i watch your new threads to see what kind of monsters your making. but this ones too big. what size system will this be going on? 10,000 gallons? thats insane. my buddy energy dont have that large of a reactor on his 1700g reef. he does have 2 reactors running but it dont even come close to that much reactor. you know that monster might be 4" of mush in the bottom in a month. you cant see what the media is like inside. just some thoughts of mine.
hows that monster skimmer doing?

 

[H20ENG]

I started to write about it turning to mush, too. But I deleted it because hes running a Dart. That thing will keep the flow up enough to eat up the media equally throughout the unit.
I DO agree that its pretty big, but it should last 3 years before a recharge. :lol:

C'mon Mark, put a window in there!:hammer:

 

[DrBDC]

Keep the pics and the conversation going as I'm going to build one after I get my AC3 to do the controlling.

 

[MarkS]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6377260#post6377260 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by H20ENG

C'mon Mark, put a window in there!:hammer:

That's a given. I just need to find some 1/4" clear PVC cheap. There will be one window at the bottom, about 18" tall. This time, I'm going to glue it in place. I'm not going to go through the Hell that the window on the skimmer put me through!

Spazz, it's really no bigger than a dual 6" x 18" reactor. Big yes, but I don't think it's too big.

 

[MarkS]

Oh yeah, spazz, before I forget... Quit spazzing out. I'm having fun. I don't really even care if it works. 80% of this thing is made from scrap I had laying about. I figure that I'm only going to be out $100 - $150 if it does not work. Almost every part can be put to work in other projects.

Now, lets keep this thread about the construction.

 

[spazz]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6386294#post6386294 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by MarkS
Oh yeah, spazz, before I forget... Quit spazzing out. I'm having fun. I don't really even care if it works. 80% of this thing is made from scrap I had laying about. I figure that I'm only going to be out $100 - $150 if it does not work. Almost every part can be put to ork in other projects.

Now, lets keep this thread about the construction.

well if thats the case then its worth it. even scrap is worth something to some one. it just shows your still thinking and not dead yet. lol