DIY Calcium Reactor

Laura and Jim will be hosting the May meeting this Saturday the 12th and it will be the usual of food, drinks, raffle and fun.
 
Doors will be open at 6:00 pm for social talk and the meeting will start at 7:00.  Parking gets a little tight and the city says you can't park on 4th but there is a parking lot a block away.   Meeting is usually held in the backyard so feel free to bring your favorite lawn chair, weather permitting of course.

If you need address/directions, contact a club member.

Best if you park at Mini Mall (where the spaghetti establishment use to be)
 
You will get to see his new frag tank set up in the making.
 
Hope to see you there!

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[Yellotang]

Well, the calcium reactor is up and running. Works great except the tube fittings that I have on it are leaking. Waiting for Todd so that I can replace them with the right ones.

Heres the picture.

[Mike@Work]

So does this mean you will be making them for anyone in the club that wants one.  

[Yellotang]

Actually I think I can as long as the members don't mind it not being perfect. I can get it nice and functional at around $100. Not including the Co2 or circulation pump. I just need to make sure that I use different fittings instead of the cheapie ones. Also I can build them to suit. In other words if someone needed it a lot larger then I can do that as well as smaller.

If any one is seriously interested in having one built, let me know and I can help you out with it.

[Mike@Work]

Yes..  That is cool.  I am very interested in setting one up.

So I need about $100 for the actual unit

Then what kind of pump do I need or do you suggest

And what size CO2 tank and reg, and do you have a good place to buy them at??

How do you decide how large of a unit you need.  I have a 125 with 40gal sump and soon to have a 20gal refuge

Thanks

[Yellotang]

It depends on how much calcium use your are expecting. If you have lots of sps and want lots of good growth then a size about what I have would be great.

As far as the pumps, eheim makes a pump (Eheim 1046) that is actually better suited for a calcium reactor then this mag 2.5 is. The Mag 2.5 works though so don't get me wrong.

The Co2 tank and regulator and flow control can be purchased from http://www.customaquatics.com/customaquatic/index.asp

[mikeydog]

So if I got some money together would you have time to whip me up one of these??

I think I would probably want one about the size of yours..  How tall is it?

[Yellotang]

So if I got some money together would you have time to whip me up one of these??

I think I would probably want one about the size of yours..  How tall is it?

Yes.

It stands at 32 inches.

[mikeydog]

Great count me in..  did you get your leak problem fixed??

Also that link for the CO2 seems to be down.  Do you have another place that is good..

How long do you think it would take you to build it.  We can get together anytime this week if you like.  We still needed to talk about the Web site..

How much is media for this thing.?

[Yellotang]

I would like at least one week to build it.

Yes I got my leak fixed. It was because of the way I tore it apart and not cleaning the tubing before reattaching the new flanges.

As far as getting together you bet. This week sometime just let me know. Saturday and Sundays are bad for me.

This reactor takes one of the 8lb ARM  media containers. I purchased two. One to fill it and the other for later.

[Yellotang]

I must apologize, but my measurements were off. I thought it was 32 but it's not. The measurements are

25" tall
main chamber 4" tubing is 18"
secondary chamber 3" tubing would also be 18"
Base foot size is 12" X 8.5"

I can also build it to where the pipe for the circulation pump comes up through the base instead of up the front. Just need to know what pump you would use.

Let me know and I can also build it to suit.

[mikeydog]

I am going to use a Eheim 1046.  The more compact or smaller the footprint the better, but whatever you have to do is fine by me..


Where did you want to get together??  I can do it anytime tomorrow or thursday..

[mikeydog]

Hey how much ARM stuff do I need to fill the reactor, and what do you think is the best place to buy it.

[Yellotang]

You will need one container to fill it. I think the best place is Marine depot at $14.99 for 8lb's.

[mikeydog]

So how goes Construction.  I hope well.  I can't wait to get it and stop dripping Kalk..  You should, if you think about it or want to, post some pictures of the actual construction, that way if anyone else is interested in your design they would have a better Idea of the time and design in mind.

Hey I wanted to go poorman on the CO2 for the time being, could I use a little 20oz paintball CO2 bottle for the Calcium reactor.  I plan on buying a 5lbs bottle but need to slow down on the spending a little and wait a month or so.  I have quite a few 20oz bottles and was wondering if those may work for the time being.

Thanks again.

Mike

[Yellotang]

I fired off an email to you to let you know how its going.
As far as the CO2 tanks, if they will fit on the regulator then yes they will work but won't last long at all.