My DIY CaCO3 reactor

[barracuda]

First

 

[barracuda]

Second

 

[richard rendos]

WOW! That is very professional looking. Awesome job. How did the leak test go?

 

[barracuda]

well, i kinda busy lately to finish all the tests. Possibly next week i will run the leak test and i still need to purchase CO2 equipment.
Anyways, i heard that you actually don't have to buy expensive media like KNOP's kolallith or Aquamedic's stuff. You can use common crushed corals stuff. Is this true???
Cheers!!!

 

[demosthenes]

Wow, that looks really professional! If you weren't so far away I'd offer to pay you to make another, but being halfway across the world would make shipping a pain. Anyway, it looks really nice. Good luck during the leak test.
PS Yes, I have been told that you can simply use CC, but am none to sure about the veracity of that claim.

 

[richard rendos]

I have heard people say that some media contains a lot of phosphates or other unwanteds. I use CaribSea A.R.M. and have had good luck with it, but have heard others that had problems. I guess it is like the salt selection. Some people prefer one kind to another...not that one is any better than the other; just personal preference.

 

[barracuda]

Demosthenes, thanks!!!
I can say one thing for sure. This unit is pretty simple to build. This is my first time working with acrilic.
Being the one who likes extreme in his tank i will start my reactor with CC . I will let you know the results.

 

[texasstone5]

Very nice. I am starting to biuld a reactor as well, and was wondering why your reactor has two chambers? Would you mind explaining the process flow in your unit? I would appreciate it greatly.
Also, I have found that paint ball CO2 tanks are an inexpensive source of carbon dioxide (provided you can rig up a regulator, I happen to have one).

 

[broncofish]

Originally posted by DvSKiN
LoL But seriously, that is your first time with acrylic?? That is a great project, and very professional looking, keep it up man!!
DVS
Have you seen how clean his house is, or the fact that he works in a sterile environment in a bunny suit. I am going to say that Barracuda has the one thing the emphasize over and over and over again in Air Force basic training. "Attention to Detail". Looks great barracuda, absolutely awesome.

 

[broncofish]

Originally posted by DvSKiN
yea, I guess I'm lacking in that department, huh?? Forgot a very important detail in my first acrylic project, strait cuts!! LoL
Yeah but you made up for it with ingenuity, and weirdness

 

[rane]

Barracuda
i must agree you look like you have a kick a$$ house would love to see more pics the speakers you have for the suround sound looks great again if your willing to take some pics I am sure more than enough of us here would like to see. specialy if you can post some pics of the filtration setup

 

[conundrum]

It is worth it to buy media. Make sure your regulator second guage tops out at about 25, not 150 like welding rigs do, this will keep you from adjusting it alot. Also, I see the tubes are not connected at top, after filling with media they will tend to flex when moved, after leak test, fill in place to reduce the risk of something popping, it gets real heavy when full. Looks like a good quality unit, bravo

 

[mini-reefer]

Great job Barracuda. I hope my first acrylic job looks that good. It looks almost exactly like my MyReefCreations dual chamber reactor.
As far as the media I have read what Richard mentioned above. CC tends to have higher levels of phosphate and some other unwanted stuff. I settled on Carib-Sea's ARM because the price is pretty decent in relation to the regular CC, depending on where you get it.