slowest is fastest
Member
I just finished cutting and gluing my new calcium reactor. It should be good for a tank up to 300 gallons but it is going on a 125 gallon SPS calcium hog. Anyway a few pics.
DIY Calcium Reactor
- Thread starter slowest is fastest
- Start date
slowest is fastest
Member
# 2
bigmac
Member
very nice, my only comment would be to add a second chamber (if needed) Now all you need to do is get the expensive stuff 
BTW, where's the pump intake at inside the chamber? Whats the reason for the tube down the middle? I thought at first it was a reverse flow reactor but looking at the pump intake and output its not.
BTW, where's the pump intake at inside the chamber? Whats the reason for the tube down the middle? I thought at first it was a reverse flow reactor but looking at the pump intake and output its not.
D
daniel411
Guest
Awesome job!
tony detroit
Active Member
Very nice.
slowest is fastest
Member
Thanks for all the kind words I had a lot of fun making it(and a few nervous moments)
bigmac
The cardboard box it where the pump will go. The output for the pump is connected to the tube that runs through the middle of the media chamber. It stops just short of the top and it has a tee on the end. Water is is pulled down through the reactor media to the inlet on the pump. Co2 comes in through the bottom of the bubble counter and is mixed with tank water at the top of the bubble counter (where the john guest tee is) then is fed through the inlet via the another tee just before the pump. Water effluent is returned to the tank through the fitting in the top of the lid. Hope that makes sense(kinda confusing without it plumbed in)
As for the expensive stuff here is a bad pic from about 4 months ago.
SiF
bigmac
The cardboard box it where the pump will go. The output for the pump is connected to the tube that runs through the middle of the media chamber. It stops just short of the top and it has a tee on the end. Water is is pulled down through the reactor media to the inlet on the pump. Co2 comes in through the bottom of the bubble counter and is mixed with tank water at the top of the bubble counter (where the john guest tee is) then is fed through the inlet via the another tee just before the pump. Water effluent is returned to the tank through the fitting in the top of the lid. Hope that makes sense(kinda confusing without it plumbed in)
As for the expensive stuff here is a bad pic from about 4 months ago.
SiF
bigmac
Member
Fast,
I've setup a few reactors in my time so I kind a know how they work. I just wondered why you ran that pipe down the inside middle. You could have just gone outside the reactor and save that room for more media, not to mention it would be easier. You don't show any screen at the bottom, what's going to keep the media from getting sucked in to the pump?
As for the expensive stuff, I wasn't talking about corals, those are free for me. I was talking about the regulator, solenoid, CO2 tank, PH controllermeter, circulating pump, feed pump and media.
I've setup a few reactors in my time so I kind a know how they work. I just wondered why you ran that pipe down the inside middle. You could have just gone outside the reactor and save that room for more media, not to mention it would be easier. You don't show any screen at the bottom, what's going to keep the media from getting sucked in to the pump?
As for the expensive stuff, I wasn't talking about corals, those are free for me. I was talking about the regulator, solenoid, CO2 tank, PH controllermeter, circulating pump, feed pump and media.
slowest is fastest
Member
bigmac,
The design is a copy of a reactor by Brian Fergusen(fergy). I liked the fact that the pipe ran through the reactor instead of outside mainly because it looked cleaner and I have enough external pipe/tubing running to other things...personal preference.
Running it through the center did take a little more work but since I was building it for myself I didn't mind the extra time and really it wasn't all that harder. Any media space that is lost is more than made up for by the 6"x18"tall tube.
I am using a replacement filter pad for a fluval canister filter cut in half(so it is thinner) to hold the media.
I guess we have opposite resources...for you the coral is free...for me all the co2 accessories are free including the flow meter I will use in place of a needle valve only setup. I have several pH meters and controllers. I will have to purchase a circulating pump(probably an ehiem or LG2) and extra media the next time I buy, but for now I have enough left over from filling my lifejunk(oops I mean reef) reactor. The feed will come from a 1/4" tee off the main tank recirculating pump. This may change if I have trouble regulating the infeed pressure to the reactor.
SiF
PS Several second chambers,a kalk reactor and a skimmer is also planned for the near future. I guess I got the acrylic bug.
The design is a copy of a reactor by Brian Fergusen(fergy). I liked the fact that the pipe ran through the reactor instead of outside mainly because it looked cleaner and I have enough external pipe/tubing running to other things...personal preference.
Running it through the center did take a little more work but since I was building it for myself I didn't mind the extra time and really it wasn't all that harder. Any media space that is lost is more than made up for by the 6"x18"tall tube.
I am using a replacement filter pad for a fluval canister filter cut in half(so it is thinner) to hold the media.
I guess we have opposite resources...for you the coral is free...for me all the co2 accessories are free including the flow meter I will use in place of a needle valve only setup. I have several pH meters and controllers. I will have to purchase a circulating pump(probably an ehiem or LG2) and extra media the next time I buy, but for now I have enough left over from filling my lifejunk(oops I mean reef) reactor. The feed will come from a 1/4" tee off the main tank recirculating pump. This may change if I have trouble regulating the infeed pressure to the reactor.
SiF
PS Several second chambers,a kalk reactor and a skimmer is also planned for the near future. I guess I got the acrylic bug.
trigger digger
Member
My question is,
How did you fabricate the top & base? Did you cut the acrylic to it's current shape & size, and did you buy the acrylic tubes and cut them to size as well? If so, GREAT work! The fabrication process intrigues me more than the way it actually works.
How did you fabricate the top & base? Did you cut the acrylic to it's current shape & size, and did you buy the acrylic tubes and cut them to size as well? If so, GREAT work! The fabrication process intrigues me more than the way it actually works.
slowest is fastest
Member
Thanks Bigmac, I had a lot of fun building it
Trigger Digger
The large tube is 6" cell cast acrylic and the smaller 2" tube is extruded. Both came rough cut to size and had to have the ends sanded smooth and level (lap sanded)
All the black pieces are 1/4" and came as flat pieces that had to be cut and glued to make the box and for the circles and oviod (the top flange that the bubble counter sets in) I used a MDF template and a router with a flush trim bit to cut the keyholes and shape the top, lid, bubble counterand flush trim the box once it was glued. The edges were also rounded over using the router and an 1/8" roundover bit. A special 1/4" acrylic bit was used to drill the starter holes for the router and for the holes in the lid for the nylon bolts. A Tetra airline check valve was glued to a PVC fitting to produce the bubbles in the counter.
I used Weldon #4 for all the seams and Weldon #40 (two part) to attach all the PVC fitting to the acrylic.
SiF
Trigger Digger
The large tube is 6" cell cast acrylic and the smaller 2" tube is extruded. Both came rough cut to size and had to have the ends sanded smooth and level (lap sanded)
All the black pieces are 1/4" and came as flat pieces that had to be cut and glued to make the box and for the circles and oviod (the top flange that the bubble counter sets in) I used a MDF template and a router with a flush trim bit to cut the keyholes and shape the top, lid, bubble counterand flush trim the box once it was glued. The edges were also rounded over using the router and an 1/8" roundover bit. A special 1/4" acrylic bit was used to drill the starter holes for the router and for the holes in the lid for the nylon bolts. A Tetra airline check valve was glued to a PVC fitting to produce the bubbles in the counter.
I used Weldon #4 for all the seams and Weldon #40 (two part) to attach all the PVC fitting to the acrylic.
SiF
trigger digger
Member
All I can say is great job! I'll bet you can make one heck of a skimmer to boot. Did you build your own aquarium, sump, overflow, etc?
I love to design & fabricate eveything I can as well, anything from from cabinets to waterfalls. As a matter of fact, the current aquarium cabinet I'm working on will have a built in waterfall. If interested, take a look at www.
cfalls.com.
I love to design & fabricate eveything I can as well, anything from from cabinets to waterfalls. As a matter of fact, the current aquarium cabinet I'm working on will have a built in waterfall. If interested, take a look at www.
cfalls.com.
slowest is fastest
Member
I haven't made a tank yet but maybe someday a will get up enough guts to to it. Short of adding baffles and overflows to glass tanks I haven't made a sump either. Overflows that can be siloconed in are definately in the plans for the near future as I think they will be fairly easy to make.
I really like those waterfalls/walls. I think it would be difficult to do one on/for a saltwater tank because of salt creep. I suppose if you cleaned it regularly it might work out though(unless the plan is to use freash water ). It would certainly be a cool addition to the tank.
SiF
I really like those waterfalls/walls. I think it would be difficult to do one on/for a saltwater tank because of salt creep. I suppose if you cleaned it regularly it might work out though(unless the plan is to use freash water
). It would certainly be a cool addition to the tank.SiF
trigger digger
Member
Oh no, I wouldn't dare use salt water for the waterfall. It will be used next to tank (incorporated into the cabinet) with fresh water. I wouldn't want my entire house to rust.
slowest is fastest
Member
try living in Ohio...on a quiet night I can hear everything rust.
SiF
PS be sure to post pics of the cabinet when finished.
trigger digger
Member
try living in Ohio...on a quiet night I can hear everything rust.
I'm from Michigan, I remember:yes:
And I will post pic's when I get there, you do the same.
I'm from Michigan, I remember:yes:
And I will post pic's when I get there, you do the same.