My DIY CaCO3 reactor

[barracuda]

Hey all, after some time i did it and now it's "up and running". My dual chamber calcium reactor. Looking back and thinking about what's done i can definitely say: do it yourself, guys. It's pretty much easy especially in the US. You have all the materials cheap and easy to buy. I had few problems getting some parts here in Israel, but it was still possible.
Here's the picture and few features.
1. Water flows upwards and not downwards like in older models.
2. CO2 injects prior to recirculation pump. Bubbles are crushed by pump's impeller.
3. Unit can be fully disassembled for maintenance and trouble shooting. Every chamber and pump connected to the base with plastic screws.
4. Unit capacity - 15 pounds of aragonic media.
5. EHEIM 1048 recirculation pump - very reliable and extremely silent.

 

[chris l]

So what was the total cost?

 

[barracuda]

Sorry friend, it won't help you much as all parts were found in Israel. But... just to impress you i would try to convert:
Single chamber unit can cost you about 2000-2500 NIS which is 400 - 500 bucks. I invested about $100 in different parts and that's it.

 

[chris l]

Wow, that's great!! I just don't have the patience for something like that.

 

[barracuda]

Well, i think i'm like you. I have never had patience. But this time i had. It took me a month for some research over the web, the about two weeks for planning and drowing the schematics. @ weeks for getting all the parts and couple of weeks for building. Unit passed only on third leak test, but it was my fault. And now i know all the weak points.

 

[chris l]

good job, what kind of regulator are you using?

 

[barracuda]

Well, my regulator is CO2 welding regulator. But it's pretty much the same principle.

 

[barracuda]

tangsfornuttin,
i don't have schematics of all the building process, only few. All are in metric system. Let me know what particular you need and i'll try to draw it for you.

 

[lurch694u]

Draw it out and I'll convert it to standard...

 

[barracuda]

Originally posted by tangsfornuttin
I'm guessing that $100 doesn't cover the tank and regulator?
Oh no. it doesn't.

 

[jhead]

Regulator = $100
Full Co2 tank = $80
ph controller = $90 , if you use one, makes things a little easier
DIY reactor = $80 or a little less
recirc pump = $35
Media for reactor = $20
Total = ~$400+/-
Extra parts that you didn't need, or needed and forgot the first time you ordered or went to HD or where ever = $50

 

[cyslyde]

Wow man that is beautiful, much better than most of my DIY stuff turns out maybe you could let us know where you got your information from, or go ahead and give us the schematics, somebody could pump it through a cad prog and have it convert automatically.
btw seeing your name have you ever heard the stories of the opelu mama (great baracuda) in hawaii