DIY Phosphate or Carbon Reactor

[justonemoretank]

Ok friends
My DI resin exhausted the other day at the end of my RODI filter so I replaced it with a larger unit from The Filter Guys ( http://www.thefilterguys.biz/"><span style="color: #800080;">www.thefilterguys.biz</span></a> ). I was playing around with the old housing unit trying to figure out what I could do/make with it...

How about a 2 Little Fishes style Phosphate Reactor ??? You can just as easily run Carbon or any other media/chemical in the reactor that you want as long as the media is large enough to not go thru the mesh screen.

Anyway here we go with the pictures:

First picture just shows the couple pieces that you will need:
The DI housing, scissors, some kind of mesh material, and the media that you are going to run. Sorry the picture is a little dark.
[IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3687.jpg alt="" />

Second and Third pictures show me carefully pulling the fine micron mesh off of the included internal discs. You do not want to run the reactor with the mesh so fine as it will quickly clog and the unit will not flow the tank water thru it like you need.

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[justonemoretank]

Here is what you should have now:

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Ok now one at a time, wrap the two "internal/insert discs" in enough of the mesh material to prevent any of the media from escaping thru but try not to use too much material or else the disc will not fit back into the housing.

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Once you think that you have it wrapped enough then you can insert it into the housing like so. I let it come a little undone and had to take it out and rewrap and replace. :doh:

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[justonemoretank]

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[justonemoretank]

I forgot one thing... Use a long wooden fireplace match or something similar to carefully/evenly press the mesh covered disc to the end of your reactor.

 

[justonemoretank]

This is the media that I added to the DIY Housing Reactor
SeaChem PhosGuard. I got it from Sammy at AquaBuys on Friday. Thanks Sammy! http://www.AquaBuys.com">www.AquaBuys.com</a>
[IMG]http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3695.jpg alt="" />

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[justonemoretank]

I placed a bit more mesh on this disc than my first attempt that was pictured up at the beginning. Then I pressed it down into the DIY Housing Reactor after the media was loaded into the reactor.

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This is my final product!

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OK.... Sorry that is all I have! You all have to now help me get this running! LOL

Here is the easy was that I can see: Use a small to medium power head like a MaxiJet and press the output hose from the powerhead into RODI tubing port/connection at either end of the housing.

I want to see where ARC can take this little DIY Project. Post your ideas and lets see what you make!


You could also T a line off of your return pump with the correct fittings, slow down the flow with a little John Guest Valve, and then return the water from the reactor into the sump. This should be a completely leak free unit if Teflon tape is used on the fittings.
You can get the housing for pretty cheap from TheFilterGuys.biz
http://www.thefilterguys.biz/housings.htm"><span style="color: #800080;">http://www.thefilterguys.biz/housings.htm</span></a>

Enjoy and Have Fun! :) :) :)

 

[kevin]

Thanks for the DIY. Lookin good

 

[FutureInterest]

+ rep! Nice post. Thanks for taking the time!

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Ya that deserves a rep point or two... here you go.. +1

 

[justonemoretank]

Thanks for the rep guys. I had fun making this ... now I just need to take it to Lowes and see about some fittings to get it running.

 

[james s_]

I guess if you have phosphates on the output of your Ro/di you could also use this as a last stage? I wonder if that would work? Do Ro/Di units normally filter out all phospates?Probably wouldnt be enough Gph to filter properly?

 

[xyzpdq0121]

Your RO/DI should take out PO4... You would be better off running it in tank instead off off a RO/DI...

 

[cameron]

If it isn't taking out phosphates it is time to change some filters or get the DI part of RO/DI installed.

+ Rep for a GREAT post.

 

[jetchris]

nice, Diy thanks for posting that.

 

[sammy33]

I think I may try this. I am pretty sure I have one of these DI housings laying around somewhere. What brand was your DI housing?

 

[jgoal55]

Ok, i may be really dumb for asking or just completely misunderstanding what the purpose of this is (which would be what makes me dumb i guess) but what exactly does this little toy accomplish?

I guess the question is, what's the difference between this and just filling up a media bag with the same stuff and dropping it in a high flow area of your sump? or is this way just much more effective?

Am I totally missing something? Sorry, I am really not trying to de-value the work you put into it, just trying to understand......

thanks....

 

[justonemoretank]

sammy33;50872 wrote: I think I may try this. I am pretty sure I have one of these DI housings laying around somewhere. What brand was your DI housing?

Not sure Sam. This was the first RODI that I bought a long while back off of Ebay. Filter Direct was the seller I believe. I am sure that any Refillable DI Chamber will work however. You could even make this out of some cheap PVC as well I am sure. I just had this laying around so I figured that I would see what I could do with it.

 

[justonemoretank]

Jgoal55;50880 wrote: Ok, i may be really dumb for asking or just completely misunderstanding what the purpose of this is (which would be what makes me dumb i guess) but what exactly does this little toy accomplish?

I guess the question is, what's the difference between this and just filling up a media bag with the same stuff and dropping it in a high flow area of your sump? or is this way just much more effective?

Am I totally missing something? Sorry, I am really not trying to de-value the work you put into it, just trying to understand......

thanks....

Hey no problem! The question is a valid one so no "de-value" or offense taken. I currently have a media bag in my sump right now in a high flow area. I can watch and see the water flowing around the media that is in the mesh bag. The water prefers to take the path of least resistance as was already said. The media inside the bag that is closest to the outside is actively working... however the media in the center of the bag is not getting good water flow to act on. With the design of the DI housing you can push the water thru the media and the water will pass over much more of the media before it leaves the canister/housing. You could also run Carbon or other media in here as well.

 

[justonemoretank]

Dawgdude, exactly. I think that you stated it much more simply than I did. Sorry for the repeat. In short: Media bags work however I think that this design is more efficient and better utilizes the chemical/media.

 

[jgoal55]

ok, very cool.....thats what i was thinking was the purpose but again, just making sure.......very cool design though and looks pretty simple so I think im going to try something like that.....

the other option for me is to hang an extra bio wheel filter that I have on the side of my sump.......do you think that would work as well?

thanks for the post......