DMBillies
Active member
I am trying to build a kalk reactor as I am having trouble keeping my pH up without one. Now that I have my ACjr up and running with the pH probe, I fully understand the extent of the problem (taking my measurements at night, I always knew my pH was a little low, but I never realized how much it really dropped during the night).
I have an old phosban reactor I wanted to commit to the project. The first problem is that the old O-ring got stretched out, so I need to find a new one. It is not a name-brand two little fishies design, but it may be the same size (if it is, finding one may be easier). Anyway, the o-ring is 4 inches in diameter and the groove for it is 3/16". Anyone know where I might find something that fits that bill?
My next issue is whether I really need a mixing pump. Since I evaporate a pretty good amount of water in a day and my pump area is relatively small, my osmolator pump runs every few minutes (every 15 probably at the most). I was thinking if I drilled a few little holes at the bottom if the tube that goes down through the reactor, the pump would have a place to shoot little jets of water into the kalk. I could then use the output that comes out at the top to go to the sump. In other words, I would not need to drill and seal any holes in the reactor body except maybe a place to put a union on top for quicker filling. Obviously this is easier to build, requires one less pump (which I'd have to buy because I don't have anything small enough), and makes it possible for me to easily revert the kalk reactor back to phosban or carbon. Any really obvious flaws in this plan? Won't be enough mixing? Give it a try and if it doesn't do what I need it to, add the pump later?
I have an old phosban reactor I wanted to commit to the project. The first problem is that the old O-ring got stretched out, so I need to find a new one. It is not a name-brand two little fishies design, but it may be the same size (if it is, finding one may be easier). Anyway, the o-ring is 4 inches in diameter and the groove for it is 3/16". Anyone know where I might find something that fits that bill?
My next issue is whether I really need a mixing pump. Since I evaporate a pretty good amount of water in a day and my pump area is relatively small, my osmolator pump runs every few minutes (every 15 probably at the most). I was thinking if I drilled a few little holes at the bottom if the tube that goes down through the reactor, the pump would have a place to shoot little jets of water into the kalk. I could then use the output that comes out at the top to go to the sump. In other words, I would not need to drill and seal any holes in the reactor body except maybe a place to put a union on top for quicker filling. Obviously this is easier to build, requires one less pump (which I'd have to buy because I don't have anything small enough), and makes it possible for me to easily revert the kalk reactor back to phosban or carbon. Any really obvious flaws in this plan? Won't be enough mixing? Give it a try and if it doesn't do what I need it to, add the pump later?
