Any DIY calcium reactors out there?

[wattsupdoc]

I am just about killing myself trying to keep up with the alkalinity demand of my 135. The growth has just taken off and my kalkwasser is just not keeping up. I cant afford 4-500 bucks on a reactor and have many of the things I might need laying around here.My PH is usually around 7.8 - 8.0 so it should be OK to do the reactor. I'm just wondering if any of you have any home cooked reactors I can take a peek at, as well as maybe help with the material list/design of mine. Keeping the cost low is important, but proper function is vital.
I know I need a reaction chamber and have an old skimmer that's just asking to be chopped up. I also know I need to be able to inject co2 and need a bubble counter, but have no idea how to properly make a counter. Also, do the gauges need to be of a special kind? Or will a gauge I have for an argon gas welder be able to be used? Also, the Co2 tanks, where is the best place to get them, have them refilled etc? I believe I can get these from our welding gas distributor in Springfield, just not sure if there's another source so I can keep from having to purchase a bottle. OR does anyone know if one of my steel scuba tanks would be able to be outfitted to it?
I have aluminum ones also if that's any better. I don't know, but any help is appreciated.
I don't want to build something and it only half a%$ed works...been there done that.

So I ask first.

 

[wattsupdoc]

OK, my regulator I have states on the supply side Argon/ Carbon dioxide, the gauges are on the tank side, max 3000psi, which is what my tanks are rated for. The supply side is 35 CFH. Is CFH cubic feet per hour? I can connect an airline right to the supply side of the regulator to feed the bubble counter. Does this seem to be a regulator that will work for this? I think I can control it to the 1 CFH range.

 

[wattsupdoc]

The plan.....

 

[wattsupdoc]

The victom.... Anybody?

 

[hurt]

Most regulators have a bubble counter on them, mine does(JBJ). What is the R/O supply for? To me the fittings are the toughest part of doing a DIY Ca Reactor. If you can find the right ones it should work. Is your water going down through the reactor or up through it?

 

[wattsupdoc]

I have noticed the regulators usually have bubble counters on them. However, this is one I already have, and really don't have any other use for it at this time. It was given to me with a welding gun I cant currently use. So for the price, I'll make a nice LIL counter out of the 1/2 acrylic that was in the skimmer. It will be flowing up through the media, or at least that's what I was planning. Better to go the other way?
The RO supply would be to feed it supply water,

but since you asked what it's for....

I must be missing something. I guess it would make more sense to feed it tank water, as this would allow for more into the column. But I wasn't sure if it worked that way or not.

Should I be feeding this tank water?

Also, Can I use an aqualifter to feed it? I like those pretty well, and they're pretty Cheap too.
What kind of connection does your CO2 tank have on it? What pressure do you run your CO2 at? Does CFH mean cubic feet per hour?
I am really pretty stupid about these as I have allways used kalkwasser before. So all help is much appreciated.

 

[herzlos]

Removed link as it did go against the rules. Sorry

 

[wattsupdoc]

Nah, you cant post that here, but thanks. I remembder seeing that a long time ago, just forgot it was there.

 

[hurt]

Yes, you want the water to flow up. I was just looking at your pump and that had me confused, usually the top of the pump is the outlet, and the side the inlet. I guess I was just reading into it too much.
Don't feed a Ca reactor with R/O water, use your tank water. I use a aqualifter pump to feed my reactor.
I'm not sure about the connection, I'm guessing it is standard for connecting to all CO2 tanks, and my regulator came factory adjusted. All I did was connect it to my 10lb CO2 tank, then adjust the bubble counter. I did not have to set the pressure at all. It has 2 gauges on it. One is the pressure the other is the amount of CO2 left in my tank. The left gauge reads 900 lb/in2 or about 62 kg/cm2. I believe this is the pressure gauge but I'm not certain. The right gauge reads at 45 lb/in2 or 3.1 kg/cm2. I'm pretty certain this is how much CO2 is left in the tank. Also do you have a solenoid valve to put after the regulator?
Is the chamber burp at the top an effluent outlet to your tank?
I would put your effluent to your DT above the CO2 inlet. Otherwise you will be putting more CO2 into your DT than is necessary and your reactor won't be as efficient.
How much money do you plan on putting into this if you don't mind me asking?
HTH

 

[wattsupdoc]

Gotcha, thanks!

Except the gauges surely are showing you have 900 lbs. left in the tank, and are putting out 45 lbs of pressure to the reactor. I'm sure it's this way, unless you had a typo.

I do know that the gauge closest to your tank's valve is the tank pressure, and you couldn't have more out it than you have in it.

Great, I have an aqualifter I can use I believe.....I had planned on pulling the return back to the DT from the output on the pump. I'm not sure where the better spot to pull from would be though. My original thought was the pressure from the pump would aid moving the water through it. As well as chopping the Co2 bubbles up prior to making it to the DT. The drain was intended solely to bleed off any accumulated gasses etc. Would it be better to pull from here?
I am going to use uni seals on the reactor body, unless there's some reason why I shouldn't.
I'm hoping for under 200 to be set up and running.

I believe I'm going to just use a 4in female adaptor and a threaded plug on the top of the reactor, with a JQ 1/4 in fitting in the top as opposed to all the other conglomeration.
Planning on using needle valves and a check valve to control flow and CO2.
I dont currently have a SV, for it, but plan to add it later. It shouldnt be a big deal, any 120v SV will work. I'm pretty sure I have a source for them around the 20-25 dollar mark. I plan on automating some other things also, so later on I'll order a couple.

 

[wattsupdoc]

How big is your co2 tank, and how often do you have to refill it?
I just ordered the mag 2 for the recirculating pump as well as the uni seals, and the A.R.M. with an aqualifter...Hopefully it'll be here by Saturday, usually when I order from the cave it's here lickety split.
I'm pretty sure the regulator will work, I might just need to change out the tank valve fitting to fit. I've got a cylinder for my gas welder, I think I'll trade it in for the CO2 tank, this will save me some cash out of pocket right now.

 

[acrylic51]

Did you check --....they have a good thread on DIY reactors and they bumped it up to a dual chamber calcium reactor made from parts from Lowes or HD.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Hey Acrylic, yes I did check that out. It helped with the initial design of mine. I'll gather up pvc parts today, going by airgas also to see what I come up with there.

 

[hurt]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
http:///forum/post/2737565
I do know that the gauge closest to your tank's valve is the tank pressure.
Which one would that be, they are both the same distance from my CO2 tanks valve. I'm pretty certain the left gauge has not budged since I installed the tank and that was last December, but I could be wrong.

 

[hurt]

Originally Posted by wattsupdoc
http:///forum/post/2737565
I had planned on pulling the return back to the DT from the output on the pump. I'm not sure where the better spot to pull from would be though.
.
I would not do that if you plan on having the water flow up through the reactor-as it should. I would have the output back to your DT farthest away from your CO2 inlet. Otherwise, some of the CO2 that you just injected into your reactor won't even reach the media. Instead it will go straight into your DT, lowering pH even more. Of course this will just make your reactor less efficient. Have the output after the CO2 goes through the media in the reactor. Personally I would have the output at the top of your reactor where you have the chamber burb. Excess CO2 will accumulate at the top of the reactor, if too much CO2 builds up it will stop the reactor all together. My reactor has two outputs, and I use the top outlet almost exclusively because I was having some problems with excess CO2, which will stop the reactor from circulating.

 

[hurt]

You definitely want a check valve after your regulator before the reactor. I wouldn't skimp on a cheap CV either. SW can destroy a regulator. Solenoid is also very important, otherwise when the power goes out your media will turn to mush from the build up of CO2 which can't escape. I'm guessing you already know this...
To answer your question I have a 10lb CO2 tank, and it has been running now for about 9 months and I have yet to refill it. I'm thinking it will last at least a year. Only cost $8 to refill it. To me a Ca reactor will pay for itself fairly quickly if you have a high demand sps tank. I was going through 2 gallons of B-Ionic every 2 months in addition to dosing saturated Kalkwasser 24/7. So on the B-Ionic I was spending $40 every two months-so about $240 a year on Ca supplements not counting Kalkwasser. After realizing this, I looked into a Ca reactor. It is truly the best piece of equipment I have invested in my tank. Makes my life much easier...
If you think you can do it for $200 I'd go for it. If you think you will approach $300 I'd look into buying a used one. Plenty of them in the classifieds on --. I paid $330 for mine and that included everything-Korallin 1502 reactor with Eheim pump, check valve, solenoid valve, regulator, 10lb CO2 tank, 2 bubble counters, and a pH monitor.
HTH

 

[wattsupdoc]

OK, I've been shopping

I picked up some stuff from Lowe's first off. I got a 4" Clean out with a cap, the inside diam. of the slip is exactly 4", which is what the outside diam. of my acrylic is, So it should be a perfect fit. Also, I picked up a 3" slip drain guard thingy. The outside diam. of the lip on it is just about 3/16th I'd guess smaller than the I.D. of my acrylic. This will be my screen. Also, I got a roll of fiberglass screen. I payed like 6 bucks for the whole thing, and will only use a very small part of it. The rest will be used for light acclimating etc.Then I also have all my needed T's, 2 BV's, barb fittings, a 1/4in NPT tap, a 8x10 piece of acrylic, and a JQ B.V. Total for that trip was 56$, but the screen and the tap were about 15 dollars of that. Plus I got a 10% for my next trip. So does it count?

Then off to Airgas. I took a 40 lb. oxygen bottle in and traded it straight across for a 10lb. CO2 bottle. He probably ripped me there, but oh well, I didn't have to pay for the bottle. Then I got the necessary

[hr]
to connect my regulator to it. I walked out of there 25$ish poorer than when I came. Then over to poly-fab, the plastics place. I got a tube of weld on #16, a syringe, and some extra needles. 15$ poorer there....So like 96$ all together, with the 10$ coupon I got from Lowe's, if you count that, and deduct the screen and tap, then about 70$.
Pics...

I'll order the check valve and the needle valves. I was thinking that if I turned the line up and then brought it back down to the regulator. Water couldnt back up into it could it? As long as it arched up high enough? I'm not trying to cheap out, theres just so much I can spend on this right now. The plastic retailer wants $10.00 to ship $20.00 worth of tiny little plastic parts.....
With the uniseals, the mag 2 and the aqualifter, theres another 110$. But I order an extra uniseal I wont be needing.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Progress today.....
This is the materials for the screen. The drain has been cut leaving only three legs to act as feet for it. The hose is there to seal up the gap left remaining around the drain. Then the screen .

I know it ain't pretty, but it will work just fine.

And here it is in the reactor.

Then the regulator assembled and on the tank.

Here's the start of the bubble counter.

And the cap is on the reaction chamber, the JQ valve in the lid(this will feed the DT). The reaction chamber had a few cracks from my attempt at getting the top off the skimmer or else, as well as a hole to seal up from where the feed to it when it was a skimmer. So it's drying right now.

 

[wattsupdoc]

Originally Posted by Hurt
http:///forum/post/2738040
Which one would that be, they are both the same distance from my CO2 tanks valve. I'm pretty certain the left gauge has not budged since I installed the tank and that was last December, but I could be wrong.

HA! I guess I meant the one that is closest to the output is the pressure to the tank.

My bad. The left one is the pressure in the tank, you have 900lbs. left in it, delivering 45 lbs. of pressure out. You cant have more pressure out than you have in the tank. Really though to me the 45 lbs seems like a lot. More than it would need, seems like just a few lbs. of pressure would be plenty. Where is your check valve at on yours? I don't see it anywhere, and it doesn't look like it has one built in....

 

[hurt]

Thanks for clearing that up. Makes sense to me now.

All Korallin reactors come with an industrial grade brass check valve that sits right next to the bubble counter on the reactor itself. My regulator also has a bubble counter as you can see in the picture, so I have two in my system.
My digital camera is currently locked up(lens) for some reason, or I'd take a pic to show you. If you go to the depot of marine, click on Ca reactor's, then look at the Korallin you will see what I mean.