DIY Ca reactor??

[eagle9252]

<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">Who here has made your own Ca reactor? Would you do it again? Did you do a write up of it? Was it worth it? </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"> </span></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">We’ll I’m trying to decide if I want to try and build one. I know I can and I know I don’t have the money to purchase a new one ATM. Plus I like to tinker building things. </span></span>

 

[falos]

there may be one on rc

 

[rdnelson]

I think to be sure you get it right, you need to build two. And since I don't want your storage area to get cluttered up, I will store it under my tank.

 

[eagle9252]

If you come and help i'm game.

 

[mockery]

Don't know if he's still using it though.

 

[rdnelson]

Might just do that Charles. Biggest thing for me would be getting the CO2 bottle and regulator. But, could still build the other essentials.

 

[sewer urchin]

I think that I could donate a CO2 tank ( It might be out of date however and be a 20 pounder with a lot of ugly stickers) if some knows of a solenoid laying around somewhere

 

[rdnelson]

Because I knew I was not able to purchase one at this time, I have not researched them much. Do you need a controller to control them of can you run them continuous and just dial the CO2 to a level that keeps things right? Guess this would be kind of like "Build it and they will come" except it would be "Build it and you will learn". LOL

 

[mockery]

At minimum you would want a monitor to see what the pH of the effluent is or else you risk dropping the pH too low and melting the media and damaging your tank.
A controller makes it easier cause you tell a solenoid valve when to open and closed based on effluent pH.

PS effluent, for anyone who doesn't know, is the water leaving the reactor.

 

[jhutto]

Mockery, What should the effluent ph remain at ?

 

[rdnelson]

Good info. Keep it coming. Guess I could always build one and have it on standby for the day I can finally get a controller. LOL

 

[sewer urchin]

Reactor Media should be 6.6 pH

Here is a good read

http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=56499&highlight=Calcium+reactor+fine+tuning">http://www.atlantareefclub.org/forums/showthread.php?t=56499&highlight=Calcium+reactor+fine+tuning</a>

I had this nice long response typed up.. hi the refresh button- gone!

It mostly said the old school way was to tie the solenoid to a fish light timer and manually test effluent... go slow. That's the way it used to be done before the price of controllers came down to where individuals could afford to put one on there home tank. Mockery pointed out there are risks. If reactor media becomes to acid dissolves the media to mush.

Buying a controller is safer and I saw a used on for sale here for about $50 a little while ago

 

[eagle9252]

just started LQQKing some today. so i dont know yet.

http://www.proteinskimmer.com/Articles/How%20do%20calcium%20reactors%20work.htm">http://www.proteinskimmer.com/Articles/How%20do%20calcium%20reactors%20work.htm</a>

[IMG]http://jjgeisler.com/reeftank/diy_calcium_reactor.htm">http://jjgeisler.com/reeftank/diy_calcium_reactor.htm</a>

[IMG]http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/past-issues/2009/october-2009/article/54-calcium-reactors-in-out-and-everything-in-between-part-2">http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/past-issues/2009/october-2009/article/54-calcium-reactors-in-out-and-everything-in-between-part-2</a>


[IMG]http://www.melevsreef.com/calcium_reactor.html">http://www.melevsreef.com/calcium_reactor.html</a>

[IMG]http://www.personal.psu.edu/sbj4/aquarium/articles/DIYCalciumReactor.htm">http://www.personal.psu.edu/sbj4/aquarium/articles/DIYCalciumReactor.htm</a>

[IMG]http://home.comcast.net/~76fxe/reactor.htm">http://home.comcast.net/~76fxe/reactor.htm</a>


[IMG]http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=Building+your+own+calcium+carbonate+reactor&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&ved=0CDYQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Febookbrowse.com%2Fbuilding-your-own-calcium-carbonate-reactor-aspx-pdf-d256456105&ei=sPtNUL3MMua42gXpyYC4CA&usg=AFQjCNGIeLHKJLU6lmsapP06oIBOjsxfFA">http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=Building+your+own+calcium+carbonate+reactor&source=web&cd=5&cad=rja&ved=0CDYQFjAE&url=http%3A%2F%2Febookbrowse.com%2Fbuilding-your-own-calcium-carbonate-reactor-aspx-pdf-d256456105&ei=sPtNUL3MMua42gXpyYC4CA&usg=AFQjCNGIeLHKJLU6lmsapP06oIBOjsxfFA</a>



[IMG]http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/">http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-05/sh/feature/</a>

[IMG]https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=b8f7d93298&view=att&th=139b0b7a4d1e0c9a&attid=0.7&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" alt="" />

[IMG]https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=b8f7d93298&view=att&th=139b0b7a4d1e0c9a&attid=0.8&disp=emb&zw&atsh=1" alt="" />

 

[mockery]

jhutto;796474 wrote: Mockery, What should the effluent ph remain at ?

Like sewer urchin said 6.6 is good. But it also depends on the media. I believe mine is set at 6.8 or 6.9 because I use the small arm. The larger stuff if I remember correctly is lower.

 

[schwaggs]

I built a modified DJ88 design CA reactor from Reef Central:

 

[sewer urchin]

I would strongly suggest starting with the pH controller. Makes the whole setup process easier.

From experience I agree wholeheartedly