Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
Thanks for the compliment Robert. Yes, I am running for president.
Glad to hear you can attend.
Glad to hear you can attend.
Calcium Reactor DIY Session
- Thread starter Brian Prestwood
- Start date
Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
OK, Dec 2nd it is.
I'm compiling a parts list. I'll let you know when it is done.
I'm compiling a parts list. I'll let you know when it is done.
Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
Block Diagram with Callouts
Block Diagram with Callouts
Here's the block diagram with callouts. See if you can figure out what's what.
Block Diagram with Callouts
Here's the block diagram with callouts. See if you can figure out what's what.
jlfnjlf
New member
Brian,
Is there a legend of what each item is?
I am so looking forward to this...
Oh is it possible to have the game USC-UCLA game on in the background? I'm thinking it will make the build interesting at a minimum. That and I can not remember the last time I watched a college game.
John
Is there a legend of what each item is?
I am so looking forward to this...
Oh is it possible to have the game USC-UCLA game on in the background? I'm thinking it will make the build interesting at a minimum. That and I can not remember the last time I watched a college game.
John
Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
John
We'll be in the garage. I don't have a problem with a radio. We'll be doing finger checks (got 10) after each touch down.
We'll be in the garage. I don't have a problem with a radio. We'll be doing finger checks (got 10) after each touch down.
Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
John
We'll be in the garage. I don't have a problem with a radio. We'll be doing finger checks (got 10) after each touch down.
We'll be in the garage. I don't have a problem with a radio. We'll be doing finger checks (got 10) after each touch down.
Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
Here's my first pass at the parts list. The price is up to $63. Mostly due a better circ pump (Maxi-Jet) than the Rios we were using.
MARS # MARS Name Vendor Name
1 Reactor Wall Clear Tubing
2 Reactor Bottom Rubber Cap
3 Bottom Media Grate Drain Grate
4 Riser Intake 3/4 PVC T
5 Media Filter Pad Filter Pad
6 Reactor Water Input 3/16 Ridged Airline
7 Riser Tube 3/4 Thin Wall Tubing
8 Top Media Grate Drain Grate
9 Pump Maxi-Jet 1200
10 Reactor C02 Input 3/16 Ridged Airline
11 Cord Grip Cord Grip
12 Reactor Top 4" ABS FS-FT Coupler
13 pH Probe Seal Probe Seal
14 Reactor Cap 4" ABS Threaded Cap
15 Venturi Intake
16 Reactor Gas Vent 3/16 Ridged Airline
17 Reactor Effluent Exhaust 3/16 Ridged Airline
18 pH Probe pH Probe
MARS # MARS Name Vendor Name
1 Reactor Wall Clear Tubing
2 Reactor Bottom Rubber Cap
3 Bottom Media Grate Drain Grate
4 Riser Intake 3/4 PVC T
5 Media Filter Pad Filter Pad
6 Reactor Water Input 3/16 Ridged Airline
7 Riser Tube 3/4 Thin Wall Tubing
8 Top Media Grate Drain Grate
9 Pump Maxi-Jet 1200
10 Reactor C02 Input 3/16 Ridged Airline
11 Cord Grip Cord Grip
12 Reactor Top 4" ABS FS-FT Coupler
13 pH Probe Seal Probe Seal
14 Reactor Cap 4" ABS Threaded Cap
15 Venturi Intake
16 Reactor Gas Vent 3/16 Ridged Airline
17 Reactor Effluent Exhaust 3/16 Ridged Airline
18 pH Probe pH Probe
Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
GoSlugsGo
Unfortunately, the AC Jr. only comes with one pH probe. Unlike it's big brother (AC III) which can have two if you eliminate the ORP probe or add the expansion unit.
Incase you don't know, having a pH probe in the calcium reactor attached to a tank tells you almost nothing about the pH of the tank.
So, you have to decide if you are willing to sacrafice displaying the tank pH on your AC Jr. so you can control the pH of your reactor.
An alternative is to fix the CO2 bubble rate into the reactor and adjust the calcium reactor effluent drip rate into the tank to control alkalinity. Unfortunately, even the best CO2 needle valves are extremely unreliable. In other words, it is darn near impossible to get a steady CO2 bubble rate so you have to fiddle with it a lot.
FWIW - I have an AC standard. I opted to sacrafice the tank pH display so I could control the strength of the calcium reactor effluent. This, in turn, allowed me to control the alkalinity of the tank.
The other nice thing about this approach is that your AC Jr. can be programmed to sound an alarm if the pH in the reactor drops below the programmed min or climbs above the programmed max. This will happen when the C02 cylinder is empty. It also happens if the C02 valve sticks shut. Or, if the CO2 valve sticks open.
Unfortunately, the AC Jr. only comes with one pH probe. Unlike it's big brother (AC III) which can have two if you eliminate the ORP probe or add the expansion unit.
Incase you don't know, having a pH probe in the calcium reactor attached to a tank tells you almost nothing about the pH of the tank.
So, you have to decide if you are willing to sacrafice displaying the tank pH on your AC Jr. so you can control the pH of your reactor.
An alternative is to fix the CO2 bubble rate into the reactor and adjust the calcium reactor effluent drip rate into the tank to control alkalinity. Unfortunately, even the best CO2 needle valves are extremely unreliable. In other words, it is darn near impossible to get a steady CO2 bubble rate so you have to fiddle with it a lot.
FWIW - I have an AC standard. I opted to sacrafice the tank pH display so I could control the strength of the calcium reactor effluent. This, in turn, allowed me to control the alkalinity of the tank.
The other nice thing about this approach is that your AC Jr. can be programmed to sound an alarm if the pH in the reactor drops below the programmed min or climbs above the programmed max. This will happen when the C02 cylinder is empty. It also happens if the C02 valve sticks shut. Or, if the CO2 valve sticks open.
Fragmented
New member
You scared my for a second there. I just ordered the AC Jr in the BAR group buy. Glad to hear that it will work. I already have a Pinpoint Ph monitor.
Are we going to order the parts we need as a group?
Are we going to order the parts we need as a group?
Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
GoSlugsGo
I hate fiddling too. Especially when I'm not here and it needs doing. My goal is to be able to leave on vacation for at least a week without a tank sitter.
Without a pH controller I was adjusting about once a week. With a pH controller I adjust about once a month.
With a controller calibrating is pretty simple. Add buffer until the alkalinity is where you want it (~10 dKh). Fix the calcium reactor drip rate into the tank. A 1/2 gph drip nozzle for a drip irregation system works best. Set the pH in the reactor at 6.8 and begin monitoring (daily testing) the tank alkalinity. If it drops decrease the pH in the reactor to make the effluent stronger. If the tank alkalinity rises increase the pH in the reactor to make the effluent weaker. Once you get a stable alkalinity decrease the alkalinity testing to once a week.
A word of warning, if it takes a lot of buffer to get to 10 dKh and it won't hold on its own you have a buffering problem. You should solve that before you attempt to calibrate your calcium reactor.
I hate fiddling too. Especially when I'm not here and it needs doing. My goal is to be able to leave on vacation for at least a week without a tank sitter.
Without a pH controller I was adjusting about once a week. With a pH controller I adjust about once a month.
With a controller calibrating is pretty simple. Add buffer until the alkalinity is where you want it (~10 dKh). Fix the calcium reactor drip rate into the tank. A 1/2 gph drip nozzle for a drip irregation system works best. Set the pH in the reactor at 6.8 and begin monitoring (daily testing) the tank alkalinity. If it drops decrease the pH in the reactor to make the effluent stronger. If the tank alkalinity rises increase the pH in the reactor to make the effluent weaker. Once you get a stable alkalinity decrease the alkalinity testing to once a week.
A word of warning, if it takes a lot of buffer to get to 10 dKh and it won't hold on its own you have a buffering problem. You should solve that before you attempt to calibrate your calcium reactor.
Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
FYI - the critical part of this design is ensuring the aspirating venturi intake (#15) is higher than the effluent exhaust (#17). The water line will sit just above the top of the aspirating venturi. When CO2 is injected into the reaction chamber it pushes the water line down to the venturi intake and allows the venturi to suck the CO2 into the pump. It is important to throttle the venturi intake down so the CO2 doesn't choke the pump. Fortunately, this is exactly what these power heads were designed to do. They all include a limiter.
Fragmented
New member
AquaController Jr is an aquarium monitoring and control system.
Here is a link http://www.neptunesys.com/aquaControllerJr.htm
Here is a link http://www.neptunesys.com/aquaControllerJr.htm
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