New DIY Ca reactor

I just hooked mine up tonight. Haven't got my ph monitor yet. I have no idea of eph yet, it is flowing quite well, so far it's all done on gravity, but I think I'm going to fine a more reliable way to feed the reactor. Also, since it's fed off of my overflow, it collects air as it flows into the reactor. grrrr. I didn't have access to clear PVC any time in the near future, so I skipped the bubble counter. I'll find another way to work one it. Any suggestions on that?

Anyway, it does seem to be all sealed up. Good for at least a few psi. I have no idea how to go about measuring it, but the caps will pop off and I'm not seeing any leaks.

My PH monitor should be along soon. Hopefully I can get better results from that. BTW, how many psi are you feeding CO2 into your reactors with?
 
DrMilhouse said:
I I didn't have access to clear PVC any time in the near future, so I skipped the bubble counter. I'll find another way to work one it. Any suggestions on that?
Click to expand...

My Milwakee CO2 Controller valve came with a bubble counter as part of the assembly with a solenoid valve as well so I didn't bother with an additional bubble counter.

I did read an interesting article today. I'm going to attach it here for your review. Let me know what you think?

According to AQUAMEDIC

Calcium Reactors, in our opinion, are the best piece of aquarium equipment since the protein skimmer.

Most obviously, a calcium reactor helps elevate and maintain calcium levels in the aquarium. But more importantly, it maintains your kH level.

One common misconception is that a calcium reactor will help maintain calcium levels at or above 550ppm. This is simply not true. At increased levels, calcium will begin to precipitate from the water. However, with calcium levels at or about 380 with a properly maintained kH, you will have reached the perfect level of calcium saturation.

Another side benefit of calcium reaction comes from the carbon dioxide. CO2 is combined with aragonite or calcium carbonate to lower the pH just enough to allow it to dissolve. Once this occurs, the calcium saturated water is returned to the tank with trace amounts of CO2. This CO2 helps promote photosynthesis when your tank is in daytime mode.

Calcium reactors and the necessary CO2 equipment may be a hefty investment, but it is one of the most inexpensive, least troublesome pieces of equipment available. They rarely need to be refilled. When they do, they can be filled with aragonite, which is usually around $1 per pound. And, CO2 is usually only $10-15 per refill. The process costs an average of $50 per year.
 
GEBC,
Any difference in the pondmaster 250 pump you are using and a regular mag 2? I need to pick one up today. I was wondering about corrosion.
Thanks,
Chris
 
The pondmaster and the mag 2 are the same pump, the pondmaster has stainless screws and the mag2 has epoxy coated stainless screws, the inlet on the pondmaster has a barb fitting instead of the 1/2" threaded fitting and a much longer power cord, for an external app the pondmaster is perfect and they are a bit cheaper than the mag#2. I got it at petsmart for $34.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GEBC
 
Thanks.
In the store its $50, online its $35. They will honor the price if you bring in a printout from the site.
Yuck on the barbed fitting, but it will work.
Thanks GEBC.
Chris
 
H20ENG said:
Thanks.
In the store its $50, online its $35. They will honor the price if you bring in a printout from the site.
Yuck on the barbed fitting, but it will work.
Thanks GEBC.
Chris
Click to expand...

Why is that?

A bit off topic but it seems that everything inside the stores is more expensive then online.
Why is that? Then you have to pay shipping.

The is the 1st I've heard that you can take an adverised online price and they will honor it.
 
I went yesterday, and the mgr said they will honor it but I needed to show them a printout of the webpage. They said they could not access the website in the store. Frustrating, but I dont want to pay $15 more or wait for shipping, so I'm there again today.
 
I paid 34 but had to talk to the manager to get them to honor the online price. It is easier if you take in the printed ad off the website. January they were 40 in the store and Feb went to 50.
 
Just wasted a SECOND trip to Petsmart! :mad:
Yesterday they wouldnt honor the price, but said to come back with the webpage and they would.
Today the main manager WOULD NOT honor the price at all because "with shipping, you are paying the same price, its our policy, and they were wrong.". I told him that was complete BS and to teach his F ing employees not to spread bad information.
I asked if the shipping was profit to them. HUH? And told him they were selling it for $35 and only getting $35 (shipping is $5). Idiot. I wont ever give them a cent. Now how much did they profit from me????
Man I'm Pi$$ed. People....
Sorry for the rant, but this was ridiculous
 
Try another store if you have one close to you. You would think the stores and the website would have the same prices on stock items.
 
Asuuming that the warehouse is centrally located in the USA in say Kansas.
WHY STORES CHARGE MORE.

This is a theory.

They need to ship to these stores for retail sale.

The cost of shipping is absorbed by the customer. The cost of the store lease is also absorbed by the customer.

IF YOU BUY ONLINE . 9 times out of 10 you are buying from the warehouse so all you have to pay for is the product and the shipping cost.
 
Do you have any pictures of the reactor with the parts labeled as in the water line for the tanka nd the CO2 lines? I am about to start mine and I need stuff clarified I have never done a DIY calcium reactor before or had in one.
 
ONAGI said:
Try another store if you have one close to you. You would think the stores and the website would have the same prices on stock items.
Click to expand...

No offense and this is just an observation, but to me that would still be supporting the same beast, maybe a different store, but the same beast altogether. The stores around here are pretty good, but then again I generally have pretty good luck when I am personable (and not demanding) about things. I picked up my stand for $100 bucks (from petsmart), my hood for something like $125 if I remember right. My tank (125 all glass) was $200 from petsmart (a floor person quoted me the wrong price, I came in and they - with out bickering - gave me that price. I've also spent a lot more on things at the LFS I could have have bought cheaper online. You win some - you loose some. I don't know how people can make it in this business arguing over $5 for part of a major piece of equipment in your system. It's expensive to be in this obsession. I've learned to accept that as a fact of life.

It's just an observation and JIMHO, take it with a 200 gallon bucket of IO (or reef crystals or your other preferred brand).

So there's a nice way to stir things up. :D

BTW, I did build one of this DIY jobs for the calc reactor. My spare that I spent making this and trying to patch leaks because the parts didn't seal together right - ill informed error on my part - several hours of my spare time is now wasted and can't be gotten back. With the time I blew on this and having to buy one anyway, I could have just bought one. I'm trying to skim by on one at ebay and see how that goes.

Mike
 
BTW, nothing bad about the design or designer of this DIY reactor, actually, it's a great design, wish mine had worked.
 
DIY. is not for everyone. DIY is just that. You take pride in it because you did it yourself and you control the outcome.

There are many times that I have purchased others work and was disappointed in its shortcomings.

DIY is not necessarily cheaper either. It should be better because you control what goes into it.
 
Cutting Board!!

Cutting Board!!

Can someone find this cutting board for me? The only one I have been able to find has a handle cut into it. I would like the one with out it. If noone can find on then I will just use what I can find..

I have checked 2 walmarts and a target.. Also there was a guy in Minnesota that was nice enough to look and he could not find one..

Maybe someone lives in a small town that still would have them.

I would really appreciate it.

Eric
 
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