Lets see your DIY Calcium Reactors!!

[dngspot]

Here are a few that I have built.

 

[stugray]

Dont pay any attention to landy's work.
He cheats..... he is a pro with world class machinery to back him up ;-)

Just kidding, some of his work is truly inspirational ( he just better not try to post on the Ghetto Rig thread ;-)


reefrubble - very nicely done! I wont say whose CA reactor you were trying to replicate, but it looks very close if not better.

dngspot - Very nice.
I was going for square on mine. Somewhat cheaper & all parts from local.

For mine, I was going for:
1- ALL parts availabe at HD ( except the pump & pump fittings )
2 - KISS

Oh, and I didnt mention, the recirc pump is an ehim 1048.

Stu

 

[THE ROOK]

Stugray - Do you feel that the square design will work as well as a cylinder or at least close? Any drawbacks? I ask because I'm interested in building one in the near future. Square would be so much easier for me, as well.

 

[One Dumm Hikk]

Rook, it will as long as you get even flow through the reactor. Good bubble plate or a spray bar will help a lot with that.

 

[gooyferret]

Where do you buy your round acrylic from? And what is the best way to seal a pvc piping to acrylic when your pump is going in from the bottom side? Just curious I think a square one would be easier to make but the round ones just look more professional....?? Thanks Awesome looking reactors guys!

 

[gooyferret]

Also do you need a PH probe and Bubble counter for these otherwise how do you regulate the CO2 and Parameters inside the chamber?

 

[stugray]

One thing to think about:

If you go Square, then you can use regular bulkheads or what I did: I made bulkheads from unions, one short-pipe-nipple, a 90 deg, threaded fitting and an O-ring.

If you go with round, you have two options:

Uniseals or glue in the pipe.

Stu

 

[reefrubble]

Stugray , Thank you . The design uses C02 very efficiently , that's why I went with that one .

 

[91yota]

here's one that a local guru around here built for one of our club members... dual 8x30 chambers

 

[Joshsmit56001]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14943813#post14943813 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gooyferret
Where do you buy your round acrylic from? And what is the best way to seal a pvc piping to acrylic when your pump is going in from the bottom side? Just curious I think a square one would be easier to make but the round ones just look more professional....?? Thanks Awesome looking reactors guys!

Who cares what it looks like as long as it works! I think people end up spending too much money on building something that looks "professional" when you could get the same product built for a lot cheaper.

 

[gooyferret]

LOL your funny josh getting all worked up i was just asking a curious question......

 

[gooyferret]

LOL your funny josh getting all worked up i was just asking a curious question......

 

[sgolden]

this thing actually worked....but i cancelled my subscription....i didnt need anymore issues...and a kalk drip too...

 

[isshino]

here is mine

 

[arctictwist]

isshino do you have a build thread? i love seeing the "bonsai" tanks!

 

[dngspot]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14944039#post14944039 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by stugray
One thing to think about:

If you go Square, then you can use regular bulkheads or what I did: I made bulkheads from unions, one short-pipe-nipple, a 90 deg, threaded fitting and an O-ring.

If you go with round, you have two options:

Uniseals or glue in the pipe.

Stu

I build with round tubing to reduce the work, cutting and bonding flat panels takes time. I did consider building a square unit and this is still on the table if I need to build really big.
Each of the units that I have built has pipe fittings in them. They are not glued, I drilled and tapped them.

 

[Joshsmit56001]

Looks great guys. What is the most important thing to think about when building a reactor chamber?

Josh

 

[Rysam]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14944691#post14944691 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Joshsmit56001
Who cares what it looks like as long as it works! I think people end up spending too much money on building something that looks "professional" when you could get the same product built for a lot cheaper.

I got yer ghetto reactor right here!!! looks like hell but works very well and for about 1/10 the price of a pretty one. an old coralife skimmer, some abs,some pvc, epoxy and beer.
function over form.It doesnt need to be pretty or expensive to work well.

 

[CrazyCohiba]

These are all pretty neat. I would like to try one myself. But here is a question. How does the water flow? does it suck from the bottom and out to the top and circulates or visa versa? The CO2 is injected in the mainstream line of the pump? Now I have read that the pH should be about 6.2-6.4 entering the chamber. But at what pressure is the regulator set for the Co2 tank?

 

[dngspot]

I have built both, some push from the bottom and others push from the top.
CO2 should be pulled into the impellor to help defuse it into the water.
PH at 6.7 is best, anything lower than 6.6 will began to dissolve the media into a mush.
I keep my regulator at 15 psi.