New DIY Ca reactor

You have to CO2 Tank? I thought the CO2 was fed to the Reactor? or should that be From?

Thank you so much for your help too!!

Do some people do there pumps the other way? I think I have read to many of the DIY CA Reactor fourms
 
Sweet! Now I under stand completely..

you have the C02 input pipe upside down for a bubble counter correct?

Also the line going to the tank need to go down deeper into the chamber and not pulling right of the top correct?
 
Yes, the input for the CO2 is actually clear pvc that acts as a bubble counter. The line going back to the tank is just feeding from the top of the second chamber.
 
I have built GEBC's Kalk reactor a couple of years back and its been going strong. Now I'm building the Calcium reactor but I do have one question. Why do you need a valve in the recirculation CO2 line? Why would you not just let all the CO2 at the top of the chamber recirculate?
 
I've had mine for well over a year now and its still doing quite well. I had to replace the impeller on the Eheim 1250 about a month ago.
My Reactor
 
Last edited:
JBarnes, the valve in the loop regulates the excess C02's intake into the pumps inlet, without the valve big gas bubbles get chopped up in the pump and stir through the media clouding the output effluent.
 
Ok, I hear you. I spent two days trying to find this thread. I remember back in 03 when I built your Kalk reactor you were working on a Calcium reactor. Your Kalk reactor caused me to go out and buy the taps etc. just as well put them to use again. Getting tired of dosing. All of us that have built one of your inventions should be paying you a $10 design fee, that way you could quit your day job. Many thanks, Jerry.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6285468#post6285468 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by vmichael
I've had mine for well over a year now and its still doing quite well. I had to replace the impeller on the Eheim 1250 about a month ago.
My Reactor
Click to expand...

How you have your feeding one tube to the next tube from the 4" "T" at the top.

I was thinking of doing the 4" connector like that but it "Y"'s to a 2" pipe. instead of connecting the 2 tubes like yours. I was think of that being my refill location instead of buying the 10 (each) plugs for the top. Do you think that would work? This way I could seal the 4" and feed the Media through the 2" "Y"ed in.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6285936#post6285936 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Im Lon 2
How you have your feeding one tube to the next tube from the 4" "T" at the top.

I was thinking of doing the 4" connector like that but it "Y"'s to a 2" pipe. instead of connecting the 2 tubes like yours. I was think of that being my refill location instead of buying the 10 (each) plugs for the top. Do you think that would work? This way I could seal the 4" and feed the Media through the 2" "Y"ed in.
Click to expand...

Not sure if I undestand the question

"How you have your feeding one tube to the next tube from the 4" "T" at the top."

is this a question? if not then

Having the plugs are a real asset in cleaning and replacing the media. You can't make it much easier then that. If you were to place the 4"x 4" x Y 2" as you say; you would have to glue it on and cleaning and replacing the madia would become a chore.

Hope this helps!
 
No it was not a question, I was talking about that piece. You were right on with your answer, and that makes since.
 
Hey Greeneyed,

Could you post a picture with a side view of your reactor with a side view. The side that has the 1/2" pvc and clear pvc. Me and a few friends ar about to start building ours and I'm not real clear how you have the pluming on that side.

Thanks,
Brett
 
I hope this helps

18449Fishroom_1291.jpg
 
Well I was also wondering about the addition of the second pies of clear tube that you added later. what was the reason for adding it and do you think it is needed?

Thanks for posting the pic.

Brett
 
Brett, I am always changing things, no reason for the mod (just thought it looked better). H20, Thanks for the link, I posted it years ago and lost track of it. :) >>>>>>>>>>>>>GEBC
 
Hey GEBC and everyone,

Well, I completed my reactor based on this design, and think I put the pipes at the top of the first chamber in the incorrect spots. I put the 1/2" elbow that feeds down to the pump and the 1/2" OD poly line that flows to the bottom of the second chamber at the exact same level. I put the CO2 recirculating line about an inch higher.

My thinking was that the CO2 would go to the top, and it would get sucked back down in and re-fed to the pump. This seems to work, but I see bubbles of CO2 going in more and more, but never seee any CO2 bubbles get pushed to the 2nd chamber and pushed out of the reactor. I let it run for about 1 hour with about 60 bubbles per minute of CO2 going in. EPH was about 6.6 and the first chamber looked as if it was boiling.

Question: should I have put the output to the second chamber higher than the return to the pump, but lower than the CO2 recirc line, or higher than both of the others?

Thanks!
Jaim
 
jaimwolfe, the Co2 recirc line and the return to the second chamber should be higher than the pumps intake, you may also try putting a valve in the Co2 recirc line to limit the amount of gas getting sucked back into the pump>>>>>>>>>>GEBC
 
Thanks GEBC,

I went ahead and moved the output to the 2nd chamber up so it's higher than the pump intake, but still lower than the CO2 recirculation line. I plugged the old hole and will fire it up in the morining.

Thanks!
Jaim Wolfe
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Open source robot for testing and supplementation
Replies
10
Views
773
Benoit T
B
rostato
Dastaco C2 Calcium Reactor
Replies
0
Views
362
rostato
rostato
acesq
Clear Water Scrubber for sale
Replies
8
Views
679
acesq
acesq
T
120 Gallon Mixed Reef Tank for Sale
Replies
6
Views
549
vanbro1
vanbro1
D
Lots of reef tank items for sale (DaStaco, Radion, etc)
Replies
0
Views
373
deave
D
Back
Top