MY DIY Ca Reactor Build Thread :) Lots of pics

[ckusnierek]

Thanx for the advice, but remember there's more than one way to skin a cat.
Everyone has their advice and opinions my plan is to take the best or most accepted of them and combine them into this reactor...

[ckusnierek]

This week my plan is to start buying materials and hopefully start construction...

[alpine]

Originally Posted by ckusnierek

Thanx for the advice, but remember there's more than one way to skin a cat.
Everyone has their advice and opinions my plan is to take the best or most accepted of them and combine them into this skimmer...

The things I mentioned are actually the preferred method of building Calcium reactors as they only help to increase performance.

Are you also building a skimmer? Just asking because you mentioned it in the quote above at the end.

[ckusnierek]

Originally Posted by alpine

The things I mentioned are actually the preferred method of building Calcium reactors as they only help to increase performance.

Are you also building a skimmer? Just asking because you mentioned it in the quote above at the end.

No skimmer just reactor. thanks I have correct it.

[ckusnierek]

Ya know most of the "main stream" reactors I modled this one after have a down flow 1st chamber and a up flow second....

[Tasher80]

Hey chris, you may want to add a spray bar in chamber 1 to help distribute the co2 better which will help dissolve the media easier. My My Reef Creations uses it and it seems to work well. I have mine plumbed with a blue line pump to circulate the water within the chamber 1.

[ckusnierek]

I have considered that. It would be a easy Mod down the road if the thing works

[ckusnierek]

Update:
Didn't get much done this week as far as ordering materials... real busy remodeling house....

I have changed a few things in the design:
First chamber down flow with a spray bar I will just add some 1/2' PVC in the center of the chamber and drill about 20 holes around the pipe.
I am also adding a 1/4" JG fitting to the top of the first chamber (on the media lid) then it will be plumbed to the recirc intake. this should recirculate and accumilated CO2 from the top of chamber one.

Also I was going to use some 5.75" dia tube for a base for the media pad. I think I'll ditch that as 5.75" is expensive and I only need 6". I think I just Weld On the the media riser....

Hopefully I can get going on the this week I just need to get the materials...

[ckusnierek]

Ok I'm thinking about making the Reactor Chamber Square!

The Round Cast acrylic is really expansive. And I figure I could save some space since a 5.25 square has the same volume as a 6" tube. Any thoughts? Concerns?
My main concern would be leaking sin I will be addin many more seams....

[grallster]

You may find that sealing such a small box might be hard (not to mention sloppy). I'm guessing you could probably get away with using extruded instead of cast, but I'm no expert.

[Cove Beach]

Here is a unit i put together 2 yrs ago. Has been running on a 75 reef. I had to dial it way back. It is intended for my 430 system.

[ckusnierek]

I never pulled the trigger on this build but have started a new build with a little smaller design.

Here is the link:
http://www.thereeftank.com/forums/f7...ml#post1377251