My DIY Caclium Reactor & Questions

Jimbo · 01-10-2003, 09:42 PM

Ok below is attached a diagram of my proposed design of a DIY Ca Reactor. I have a very old skimmer that already has bottom input and top output all sealed aready, just need to make a lid. I was wondering how much flow do you usally have through the reactor and what a normal bubble count would be. I have a 40g and with probally 30g of water. It won't be ready for a couple more weeks. Need to pick up a guage for my CO2 tank and some needle valves. Will a Maxijet 1200 be powerful enough for this job? If the pressure is adjusted so that water goes back into the sump as the output, will the input automatically pull in water? or does it need to be under pressure? If two much CO2 gets into the reactor the maxjet will stop pumping, but this can be adjusted I guess, if the intake is under pressure then this would probally not be a problem, it would restart itself.

Thanks
~Jimbo

Jimbo · 01-10-2003, 10:02 PM

Can't spell Calcium today

I also wanted to know what type of needle valves I should use, where to buy them

Thanks
~Jimbo

Rick O · 01-10-2003, 10:09 PM

As far as I know you're going to need two pumps. One is a recirculating pump and one will feed the skimmer. I have a Mag 2 as the circulating pump and a Maxi-Jet 600 to feed the skimmer. It only needs to feed about 20ml per minute. I would start with a bubble count of 45 per minute and adjust up or down from there. As for a needle valve it should come with the regulator.

mojoreef · 01-10-2003, 10:10 PM

hey Jim I will through a couple thoughts at you. If it were me I would loose the filter material and the gutter screen. Go with a coarse sponge (I have tried a bunch of defferent types and the sponge works best) you can get one the size of the tube if you look in the fluval or canister sponge replacement sections. I think the pump mybe a little small, you want a pretty good flow, it will help atomize the co2. The standard bubble rate that most people end up with is around a bubble a second. But you really cant go with that you will have to dial it in slow based on the requirements of your tank.

hope it helps

mike

Jimbo · 01-10-2003, 10:15 PM

Rick won't the circulating pump create positive pressure as long as there are no leaks? It seems that the water will want to get out. so it can go out the needle valve. Just want to keep as simple as possible, but can feed the intake off the return pump in my sump, that should also create some positive pressure for the return, does not need to go up, just over to my skimmer intake. Mojoreef, I was thinking the same thing about the pump, thanks.

~Jimbo

Rick O · 01-10-2003, 10:25 PM

Yeah I think you're ok with that. Someone else is going to need to second that though. I don't see how it can do done with just one pump.

Jimbo · 01-11-2003, 12:44 AM

Ok I thought about what rick said and I don't believe I would get output the way I had the inputs and outputs. The bottom of the reactor will be under pressure and the top would be low pressure. So I reversed the inputs around. Also the CO2 will get stirred up by the impeller of the pump.

Jimbo · 01-11-2003, 10:48 AM

Hi all found this cool site, all kinds of control stuff PH,ORP,DOSERs CO2 stuff. Here's the guage/needle valve/bubble chamber I'm looking at getting for $110.
http://www.automatedaquariums.com/mw_ma957.htm

Jimbo · 01-12-2003, 06:31 PM

I have a couple more questions for the experts on Ca reactors.

1. Do you filter the water coming into the reactor? If so how do you keep a constant pressure, or do you just need to adjust it regularly and how often does it need this. I'm going to tee off my return pump to supply the pressure to the reactor. How often do you need to clean the sponge in the reactor. I see the pressure of the incoming water to the reactor as the most important parameter, this needs to remain pretty constant. How do you accomplish that?

2. I see no reason for a check valve for water coming into the reactor, if your reactor is at the same level or lower as your sump and the water intake is close to the top of the reactor. As a matter of fact all connections should be on what I call low pressure side. 2 if it's going to drain into the sump it will do it anyway via the return line.

3. If it's not really possible in 1 above to keep constant pressure in the reactor, then is a PH controller almost a necessity? This would solve the pressure problem above.

4. What size hose do you use for incoming water to the reactor. What size hose do you use going back to the tank (air line tubing). What kind of valve do you use for water returning to the tank.

5. What sort of fluid can you put in the bubble counter that won't evaporate? Or is water ok, just need to add some now and then.

In my last design I would move outgoing water to the very top, then co2 in, then water from the return pump in before the pump. The check valve for Co2 needs be after the bubble counter to keep a constant level of fluid in it. Outgoing water needs to be after the sponge filter to prevent clogging.

Thanks for your help
~Jimob