The Reactor Projects (graphic Intensive)

TAMU, I usnderstand the purpose of the union, great idea. My question was that if you were planning to use the union to add the kalk, then why not omit the top flange. Instead, just use one acrylic circle with the union in it and avoid the problem you are having right now with it leaking.

I am trying to figure out which is the best way to desing the top. Right now I have a threaded male end, and a threaded female cap, but I might be inticed to try the acrylic disc if you end up getting a good seal. Where did you get the neoprene from?
 
RichT,
Where did you get the softer Neoprene?

Mangas8282,
Yes that it is what it is for, to add dry powder kalk to the top of the reactor. But for now I can't get it to seal and need to find a softer neoprene is my theory.....

TAMU Reef
 
TAMU,
not to be persistent, but I must not be clear with what I am describing. Here is my last try ;) Ok, so right now you have 2 acrylic discs, one with a hole cut in it fused to the acrylic tube, and the other disc, with the union and tubing, fastened to the first disc with nylon wing nuts. The problem you are have in with the seal between the two discs. What I was questioning was why not just use one disc (the one with the union and the tubing) and adhere that straight to the top of the acrylic tube? The union would still allow you access to the chamber, and you would eliminate the nead for a neoprene seal completely? Do you follow.........
 
Regarding your neoprene gasket, I was reading another thread a while back and someone had the suggestion to make a seal out of silicone. They put a bead of silicone on one half of the flange, put a piece of plastic (Siran Wrap) on top and lightly tightened the thumbscrews to squish it to a uniform thickness (about 1/8 inch).

They let the suff cure for a day or two and removed the plastic. The result was a custom, relatively soft, gasket.
 
Mangas8282,
You are correct, I could glue the top flange together and eliminate the neoprene gasket altogether. However, I would no longer be able to stick my hand in the reactor to clean it out or fix a hose connection because my hand will not fit in the hole of the PVC union. So that is the reason I would like to have access to the 6" OD acrylic tube.

TroyPierce,
Good suggestion, I might try that silicone gasket if cooking the neoprene does not work.

Thanks Again,
TAMU Reef
 
Well I baked my neoprene for five minutes today and tightened my screws by hand. It really helped a lot. I turned on the outside hose to the unit and it did not leak. However, I did turn up the pressure by opening up the water flow to the unit with the outside faucet and it still leaked a little. I think I am applying too much pressure from the outside hose and if I hook it up to the aqualifter that the pressure inside the reactor won't be as bad. What do you guys think?

Thanks,
TAMU Reef
 
I alsot think on my next design that I am going to eliminate the keyholes for pulling the flange off through the knurled head nylon screws. That way I can ensure that it is more flush with the flange, especially for a CO2 Reactor....

TAMU Reef
 
TAMU,
I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions for me. I am starting on a reactor project myself and need a few answers. What is the wall thickness of the 6" tube? Is it cast or extruded acrylic? What did you use to drill the holes on the sides of the tubing. Finally what did you use to glue the pvc fittings to the acrylic? A lot of questions but I hope you can help me out.
 
did you use 3/8 acrylic for yor flanges or1/4? if its 1/4 it will never seal up. i would net even recomend 3/8 for high presure. what i would do is make a small box that will hang on the back of the tank. it only needs to hold a gallon of water. install a float valve in the small tank and then gravity feed your reactor. it might seal up tight enough then. you will never be able to hook it directly to a ro/di unit. and if your tube is 1/8" cast it might not be strong enough for an extended piroid of time. it will stretch and fail at some point.
good luck.

TAMU Reef said:
Well I baked my neoprene for five minutes today and tightened my screws by hand. It really helped a lot. I turned on the outside hose to the unit and it did not leak. However, I did turn up the pressure by opening up the water flow to the unit with the outside faucet and it still leaked a little. I think I am applying too much pressure from the outside hose and if I hook it up to the aqualifter that the pressure inside the reactor won't be as bad. What do you guys think?

Thanks,
TAMU Reef
Click to expand...
 
allways use cast. extruded is not very strong. you can glue pvc to acrylic using weldon 16. and 1/8" cast acrylic tube is thick enough to make a reactor out of. just dont try to put alot of presure the the reactor. it can leak or fail.




vl12345 said:
TAMU,
I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions for me. I am starting on a reactor project myself and need a few answers. What is the wall thickness of the 6" tube? Is it cast or extruded acrylic? What did you use to drill the holes on the sides of the tubing. Finally what did you use to glue the pvc fittings to the acrylic? A lot of questions but I hope you can help me out.
Click to expand...
 
vl12345 said:
TAMU,
I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering a few questions for me. I am starting on a reactor project myself and need a few answers. What is the wall thickness of the 6" tube? Is it cast or extruded acrylic? What did you use to drill the holes on the sides of the tubing. Finally what did you use to glue the pvc fittings to the acrylic? A lot of questions but I hope you can help me out.
Click to expand...

Ok here it is,

I am unsure of the thicnkess to be exact, but it is about 0.025" which is about the standard thickness I used for the flat pieces as well. I think it is a cast acrylic piece I bought from usplastics. To drill the holes in the side, I used a standard cutter (the one that has a drill in the middle and a circle with saw blades on the end of the tube) from home depot that fit the od of the PVC union. The PVC was glued using acrylic cement (weldon #16). It was very easy to work with and I applied a couple of coats to build up along the edge of the union. Blow on it a bit to make it harden faster as you apply.

TAMU Reef
 
Thanks for the replies. A hole saw was what I planned on using but I was a little unsure due to the curve of the tube , but I guess it works fine.
It sound to me like you meant .25 which would be quarter inch.
Thanks again for the help and I will let you know how mine turns out. I will hopefully drill and glue tommorrow.

Vince
 
that is way too thin to put any kind of presure to. it will leak for sure. the next reactor you build you should use 3/8 thick cast so you can put some presure to it.
 
My bad I checked again and I bought 0.125". It should be enough to hold the pressure regime the reactor will be exposed to. There should be no real pressure it is exposed to since I will be feeding it with aqualifter pump.

TAMU Reef
 
The reactor is inline with an auto-top off system that is not hooked up to the RO/DI. I chose not to do that because I did not want to flood my house. I agree it might have problems with that kind of pressure. But as long as you do not apply any back pressure to the reactor it should be ok.

TAMU Reef
 
I too am using .125 wall. I got mine from Tap plastics. They have a store local in Sacramento. DIY heaven. I am using 3/8 flanges, though, and will use additional screws also.
Based on people I have talked to the tube itself should be OK. I will feed from my RO/DI and use a selenoid and a float to shut off my supply when not making up. I also have a mechanical float (Kent) that I will use. It should be pretty failsafe....I will do a few tests before I walk away and "forget" about it though.
 
Well I ordered the aqua lifter pump for my auto-top off system and will be plumbing everything up when I receive it in the mail. I also went ahead and ordered a Ehiem pumpfor the Calcium reactor that I will build next..... More to come......

TAMU Reef
 
OK guys, EVERYTHING is hooked up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hooked up the 12v dual float switch, aqua lifter pump, RO water container, and the Kalk Reactor. NO DRIPS AFTER ALL!!!!!!!!!!! It held tight and works great. Mixing kalk right now.

53300DSC00726.JPG


Mixing away........... WHEW......

Now the Calcium Reactor ..................
I went ahead and bought an Eheim pump for a circulation pump and will need to purchase more acrylic to start this project. Yet another trip to the Depot. Hopefully I have all the equipment needed to make this one. We'll see.

Later,
TAMU Reef
 
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