New DIY Ca reactor

[coralreefing]

Hello GEBC
I was going to build a reactor with slip unions for the top & base (left in pic) but your base is more compact(right in pic). I think the height would be even more compact if I leave out the bottom drain grate & flip over the drain cap(center in pic). I know I couldn't screw it down but I could glue it. Do you think it would hold pressure just the same?
Also do you think there would be any merit to adding a recirculation pump to the second chamber to help use up residual CO2 or would that be overkill?

Chris

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

Chris, nice job on the drawing, Iââ"šÂ¬Ã¢"žÂ¢m sure the modified base would hold pressure just fine, if you used sheet pvc for the base you would be able to glue the thin wall styrene cap to it without a problem, I have an in wall tank and the height was not a concern, but the more compact design would be great for tanks on stands, I do think a second recirculation pump would be overkill,.>>>>>>>>GEBC

 

[coralreefing]

THNX GEBC
I was just considering the second pump to get the PH up as much as possible because I don't have room for a kalk doser.
Chris

 

[tbhf]

tag

 

[ONAGI]

GEBC.
What size tap did you use for the 1/2" npt fittings? 3/4"? Thanks

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

Onagi, the tap size is 1/2"npt, the proper drill size would be 45/64

 

[ONAGI]

GEBC,
I have used the 1/2" npt with a 7/16" drill bit for fine threads and 27/64" drill bit for coarse threads. This will fit the 1/4" npt JG fittings perfectly. I just tried a 3/4" tap for the 1/2" 90* threaded street ell and the 1/2" threaded fitting on the pump and it's still too small. I was also thinking that a 45/64" bit = .703 and 1/2"= .50 typically the bit size is slightly smaller than the tap. What am I missing?

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

ONAGI, I think you are confusing standard sae taps with npt taps, a 1/2" npt tap is about 3/4" OD, npt taps are for pipe threads and have a larger OD than the stated size. I have posted a npt pipe tap chart in this thread.

 

[ONAGI]

GEBC,
You're correct. I did confuse the sae taps with the npt taps. Whew, that was frustrating for a minute. Thanks

 

[polymorphus]

These threads are fantastic! Your detailed plans make this actually seem doable! Kudos to you!

Now the bad part I have little or no realestate under my tank. Is thier anyway to make a shorter/smaller version of this? it would only be going on a 60 gallon tank I have about 6''x6'' at most to work with

thanks in advance...

 

[yellowtruck75]

How did you get the 4" PVC fittings over the 4.5" acrylic?

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

YT75, 4" pvc pipe has a OD of 4.5"

 

[tbhf]

will start building one as soon as i get my tubing from usp.
thanks for the great diy project info.
Terry

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

Terry, sounds great, let me know how it works out.>>>GEBC

 

[yellowtruck75]

I think I am gonna use either WEld-on 40 or Plastic Weld to connect the PVC to the acrylic

 

[boomhowers]

That is a great design..

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

Thanks for the complement Boomhowers

 

[boomhowers]

Hey Credit where credit Is Due.. That thing looks as profesional as DIY gets....

 

[Keith.B.Nimble]

Greeneyedblackcat

I am fairly new in the saltwater side of the hobby. My question is more general.

I assume you are trying to keep a high level of calcium hence the name calcium reactor. Now I understand how CO2 lowers the PH which in turn dissolves the media which increases the PH and you have dissolved calcium in the output of the reactor. So the rate in which you drip the output back to the tank should be regulated by calcium tests of the water in the tank??? Also instead of having a bubble counter cant you just have a PH controller that turns on the CO2 whenver the PH is raised above a preset level, say 7.5 or so?

Thanks and great design.

 

[greeneyedblackcat]

Keith, A CaCo3 reactor maintains the calcium levels in aquarium, I use a combination of two reactors, A kalkwasser reactor to maintain ph and freshwater water evaporation (it also provides calcium but can not keep up with a large bio load) and the CaCo3 reactor to maintain calcium levels (you should adjust your levels with chemicals to attain desired levels and then the reactors can maintain those levels). You are correct about testing the tank water for calcium levels, you can also test the CaCo3 reactors effluent output for ph levels, a bubble counter is just a cheap effective way to meter the Co2, you can use a controller to meter co2 if you prefer, I use a combination of a bubble counter and a peristaltic pump to precisely meter the effluent drip rate through the reactor. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>GEBC