DIY CA REACTOR QUESTIONS

[Guest Edwardj]

Hi all. I am building a CA reactor. I have two questions. This will be a rectangular, 3 chambered vessel. The third will be for a kalk reactor/ato tank. The first two are for the CA reactor. First question -as I understand it, the second chamber is used to allow the lower PH water in the first to lose it's CO2 as it passes through the second, thus raising the PH a bit. If I will be running a return back to the sump with 1/4 line, is it sufficient to run a 1/4 (pressurized from the pump) line to the second chamber? Essentially, I will circulate the first with a MAG 5, run a 1/4" line to the second chamber, and another 1/4 line back to the main chamber, as well as a 1/4" out to the tank. Any thoughts or comments? I will attempting to re-circ any unused CO2, and my pump will be inside the reactor, at the top, pushing down and drawing water in from the bottom (using a pipe that opens at the bottom). So again - as for the second chamber - 1/4" line enough?

 

Second question. The shop that cut my acrylic screwed up (and a wonderful screwup it was) and instead of giving me 3/8" acrylic, they gave me 1/2". I of course couldn't say no to this - especially at the same price they quoted for the 3/8". My question is fittings and power cords. Any suggestions? The dilemma is that 1/2" is, well, 1/2" thick. Should I use a tap and screw in john guest fittings from both sides? Is there a Jaco or other fitting that will pass all the way through 1/2" acrylic? I am sure there is, I just haven't come across it yet. Again, I need to pass some 1/4" lines in and out of the acrylic, and I will also need to pass some power cords (one from a MAG5 and one from a MAG2). I Was thinking of just using silicone around the power cords and drilling a perfectly sized hole. Any sturdier suggestions?

 

 

Ooops - one more question - any thought on Media type for the reactor?

 

Thanks for any comments.

 

 

EdwardJ

[flowerseller]

1/4" is fine.

Recirculate the main chamber and then bleed off to tank through the second chamber.

Do not return water from second chamber to first.

Drill and tap for the JG fittings.

liquid-tight cord grips. McMaster-Carr

I use A.R.M. media and like it.

[scott711]

I would like to see your plans or the finished product. I know a bunch of us (including myself) are interested in building one.

 

Thanks,

 

Scott

[Guest Edwardj]

Thanks Chip. I have actually changed the plans signicantly after reading a post on reef-central. I am going to use the second chamber originally planned for the ca reactor to make a sulfur reactor. From what i have read, by using sulfur balls and a slow drip rate, anaerobic bacteria will populate the chamber, and will feed on nitrate and sulfur. Apparently this will significantly reduce nitrates. I am about to add a frag tank in which i plan to frag BTA's - so I'm thinking I'd like to feed these guys alot, and I have yet to get my nitrate levels low enough. The culprit now is my DIY food - I think I blended/pureed some of the shellfish too much, so when it thaws out it's so fine it can't be eaten by the fish, and thus pollutes the tank - etc.

 

Here is the link to the thread on the sulfur reactor:

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...25&pagenumber=2

 

Most of the discussion in on page two of the (now) three page thread.

 

Also, a vendor for the sulfur is here:

 

 

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseac...d/4912/cid/1387

 

I'll take some pictures and post again when I am a little further along. I'm really hopeful about the sulfur. To save a bit of time, here is some more info I have gleaned. The process in the sulfor reactor creates some sulfates and CO2 gas. To neutralize this, you mix in some crushed coral. The benefit then is a little extra boost of calcium. I plan to have a Mag 5 right in the chamber in both the CA and S reactors. In the Kalk reactor, I'll put a Mag2 on the bottom and have it cycle on twice a day for 15 minutes (thanks again to Chip for some of these ideas).

 

Oh - anyone know where to buy Weldon 3 or 4 locally?

 

Edwardj

[HowardofNOVA]

In all my years, I've never heard that sulfur was a huge enough requirement, that you needed a reactor for it?

[Guest Edwardj]

Did you see the post on reef central? Kind of a new thing. I'll report back in a week or so.

[HowardofNOVA]

Yeah, I'm just starting to read it, excellent DIY job for sure!

[ErikS]

Best sulpher thread I've come across -

 

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=626360

 

Easy DIY CA reator -

 

[scott711]

Erik,

 

Do you have plans for that?

[ErikS]

no drawn plans.....but I do have a parts list. The most difficult part is the flanges (DUH!)