craby November 20, 2004 Share November 20, 2004 One thing to keep in mind is that the recirc loop pulls any unused CO2 back through and if you use the baffle, how do you keep unused CO2 from building up in the top of the reactor? Do we use 1 fitting on each side of the baffle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctreptow November 20, 2004 Author Share November 20, 2004 Good Question... We will need one before the baffle for sure. I don't know if the Co2 would get pushed undissolved into the second chamber. Does anyone that has a reactor does the Co2 last undissolved that long? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctreptow November 21, 2004 Author Share November 21, 2004 Ok Guys It's time to vote on which design we would like to build. Design 1 Dual tube Design 2 Square Design 3 Square with baffle Let me know and I will start working on the parts list... Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GaryL November 22, 2004 Share November 22, 2004 ill go for design 2. it looks like in that guys post is the undissolved Co2 is recirculated back to the main Co2 line so acting as a venturi to pull it in, almost like an EGR valve on a car. as far as how easy it is..... it could be constructed by gluing one side first...hmmm marybe we could get longer needles for the weld-on? just some thoughts .G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby November 22, 2004 Share November 22, 2004 I just sent a post on RC to see if any of them have experienced a problem w/ the ARM packing down on the 2nd side. My vote is for design #2 unless I see them post back that this is a problem they're experiencing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Armson November 22, 2004 Share November 22, 2004 I vote on the design 1 Not that I have a probelm with 2 and 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby November 24, 2004 Share November 24, 2004 Do we have someone in the group that can laser cut the acrylic sheets & prep for the recirculation pipe holes, & screw holes in the lid, gasket, & flange? If this is possible we'de end up with a mucho sweet finished project. I just finished a Kalk reactor at Chip's where we cut the lid & flange in circles w/ a router to go over a tube, but with a square box, cutting the lid to fit square & tight around all 4 sides of the box on a table or band saw might be tricky. Chris, How are we coming with the parts list? I've been reading the reactor #2 post (man is it a long post! 40+ pages) and would like to be the order man for all of the fittings, pipe, tubing, weldon glue, gasket, & acrylic if this position has not been filled. I'm not too familiar with where to get the CO2 tanks, valves, pumps, & ARM but can be the front man for this as well once we find out more about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ruh Roh November 24, 2004 Share November 24, 2004 I can cut smaller pieces of acrylic on a laser table, black for sure, clear probably just fine but would want to test. They can't be bigger then 2x3' or something like that though. But cutting with bandsaw and sanding would work very well for the edges too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctreptow November 24, 2004 Author Share November 24, 2004 Ok Guys Sorry for the delay I've been way busy this week getting things caught up at work. It looks like design 2 wins but since its so close to 3 I would say if you want 2 or 3 that would be fine. I am going to work on the parts list this weekend and a cut list. Is the size that RC talks about ok for everyone or do we want to go with a different size? As for the Co2 stuff I will start a new discussion to get feedback. I know Reek Geek has what looks like a nice setup with a 10Lb tank for $219. I think we can find it cheaper. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby November 25, 2004 Share November 25, 2004 Chris, I think the only impact people will have with chosing reactor # 2 or 3 is the quantity of material we would need to group order from each supplier. So we would need a parts list for the reactor as designed in each option. I'm not having a biased opinion when I say this. I just feel that there is a whole lot more thinking envolved with coordinating the construction of (2) designs at the same time. Somebody is bound to end up with a hole drilled in the wrong place or not enough height on the dividers to turn it into a baffle. I also made up a preliminary parts list from what I've read on the RC post to see what we could buy locally at HD ILO buying online. On this post Darren said he tapped the base acrylic panel to receive a 1/2" threaded PVC fitting on both the supply & the return line. In doing so he involved alot of threaded PVC pipe fittings that are not commonly sold in the plumbing industry, and particular at Home Depot. This requires more online (accurate quantity) orders. One thing I've done on a DIY bulk head is to take a PVC 90 degree elbow slip fitting on the air side of a connection, use PVC cement to glue a piece of PVC pipe (approx. 1.5") to it, and glue the outer 3rd section of a slip coupling (sawed down to slide over pipe) down onto the pvc pipe exposed on the inside of the tank. I want to check with Darren to see if the threaded fittings were neccessary to make a firmer fitting connection. If this is the case, I'd rather hunt these fittings down on-line rather that have a leak. I'll post what I find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctreptow November 25, 2004 Author Share November 25, 2004 Hey Luke... I do agree lets keep it simple, and go with design 2. I like the bulkhead idea. If we get 1/2 bulkheads the PVC will glue to the outside section connected to the pump and the inside can be held in by compression and the media. On the feed side. The return line a bulkhead would be fine. Great Idea Luke... clp]] Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller November 25, 2004 Share November 25, 2004 Cast or extruded glass? Go cast if you can. If you can tap it, I would and then tape it up when you install the fittings. As far as getting the top to seal, consider a full sheet gasket and cut it out for fittings. You can even glue a tab or 2 in the center to drill & tap for a nylon screw to help seal it. When you build them, are you starting at one end and working to the other? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctreptow November 28, 2004 Author Share November 28, 2004 Ok Guys Here is the parts list that I put together for this project. I want to get this order in as soon as possible so look it over to see if I missed anything. Parts List Acrylic Item Qty W H Type Front 1 17.25 6.75 Clear Back 1 17.25 6.75 Clear Center 1 16.25 6.75 Clear Bottom 1 7.25 7.25 Clear Top 2 8.5 8.5 Black Legs 3 2.75 7.25 Clear Stand 1 7.25 10 Black Strainer 1 3 6.75 Clear Plumbing 1/2 90 threaded 2 PVC 1/2 T 3 PVC 1/2 Caps 4 PVC JG Quick Connect 2 Rigid Airline 17" Venturi Injector 1/2" Mpt Bard 2 3/4 Union Threaded 2 1/4 JG Fitting 1 Misc Weldon 3 Weldon 16 Long Needle Applicator Pump Regulator Co2 Tank 1/4 Tube Nylon Wing nuts and screws gasket Each reactor uses 566 square inches of clear acrylic. I've added in 30% for waste. A 4x8 sheet of acrylic is 4608 square inches so one sheet of acrylic should be enough to make 8 reactors. One sheet of black will be enough for the base and tops. I agree with Chip we should look for cast. I would also like to make an extra one for WAMAS. Thanks Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby November 29, 2004 Share November 29, 2004 Chris, I saw on Darren's post, somewhere around page 42, where somebody posted picks of a reactor that had the side panels extend full lenght down to the base in one piece. I think this would be a more sturdy frame than using the 2.75" tall legs. What do y'all think of that idea? Would it be more sturdy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller November 29, 2004 Share November 29, 2004 I looked at several pages of the "big box" design. Why can't you just make a big box and divide it in two and then run 1 external tube to the bottom of the second chamber like the first. Since it's flat, it's not going to be hard to seal and you'll get the best of both worlds. Cheap and easy to make with both sections now up-flow. Geofloors posted long ago about it not really mattering in it's upflow since he doubts it would pack, or pack much. After getting really far on my tube reactor and thinking a lot about it this weekend, I kind of agree now that it may not be much of an issue with packing. Both my tubes are up flow though. I found a link that shows a reactor like our kalk but left the link in OH. I'll teach my parents in-law how to send it to me and post it for you guys to see. It would have been the way I would have goine had I not been as far as I was already with the 2 tubes. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctreptow November 29, 2004 Author Share November 29, 2004 Hey Guys Yes I would add the extra support for the legs. I will add it to the parts list. Chip that's a great Idea and should be simpler to make. So I understand we make a big box with a lid. divide that box in 2 and run a pipe from the upper part of box 1 to the lower part of box 2. That would make life much easier in both design and plumbing. What do you say guys... Design 3? Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller November 30, 2004 Share November 30, 2004 Have fun and think carefully about it. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby November 30, 2004 Share November 30, 2004 Chip, I like the simplicity of design #4. I think I'm missing something here though. What makes this any different than a single chamber CA reactor. Is it the recirulation feature. I here people rave over the duel chamber reactors. Do you want duel chamber only to recirculate any undisolved CO2? And is this option commonly not available in a standard single chamber reactor? If this is the case it appears that we have the best of both worlds with this design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco November 30, 2004 Share November 30, 2004 The first chamber is the main chamber used for recirculating the CO2 saturated water to disolve the media. This circulated with a "powerhead" sized pump, where the effluent (water inside) is in the 6.6-6.8 ph range to disolve the media. A second pump is used to push water from sump, into main reactor of circulation, trickles through to the second chamber, where excess CO2 can be offgassed and ph is stabilized into the 7-7.2 ph range, and back into the sump. You will use the media in the first chamber typically twice as fast as the second. The second chamber really just helps out with ph stabilization. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller November 30, 2004 Share November 30, 2004 The thing that I like so much about D4 is the 90 sucking from the top. No more unused CO2. Heck, I'd be inclined to not even use a pad or screen but simply dump in the media in on top of our custom spray bar mounted to the bottom and plug it in. We've proven we can seal the plug with the kalk reactor. Everything else is drill, tap and tape it up. I'm assuming this would still be a box instead of a tube. You guys want to see D5? Now you know where WD40 came to be. tng Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUsnakebyte November 30, 2004 Share November 30, 2004 As I'm extremely late in posting, I understand if there is no more room. But, if there is, I'd like to join the party. It's getting real old mixing up that Kalk drip every day.... :p Just let me know. Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craby November 30, 2004 Share November 30, 2004 Chip, Which would be easier to build, the box or the tube? Which would be cheaper? My inclination is that the tube would be easier to build, more evenly dissolve the media (no dead corners), but slightly more expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller November 30, 2004 Share November 30, 2004 Price out tube that's 8-9" and see. I think with the right spray bar it's fine. Snakebite, this is a Calcium reactor not a kalk reactor. But you can still join in as far as I know. Chip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUsnakebyte November 30, 2004 Share November 30, 2004 Oh yeah, sorry for the confusion. I have a Kalk reactor that I have yet to hook up. But, I would like to have both - Kalk and Calcium reactor. I would love the chance to build a Calcium reactor. Cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbartco November 30, 2004 Share November 30, 2004 us plastics has the 8" diam, 1/8th wall thickness for $32 per foot. 1/4 wall thickness is $34. Tap plastics does not carry 8". Not sure if cheaper somewhere else. Which is why I am tagging along , as I would try to sneak in some 8" tubing in the order if you go tube instead of square. acrylic tube Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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