Finished my "DJ88" DIY calcium reactor (1 Viewer)

[Scott]

pls do... maybe even a step by step??

I think this is the "Step-by-step" he used.

Link above no longer working. 3-4-11-T

 

[SnMan]

I think the nylon screws came from www.mcmaster.com. I bought the 1/4" (100/bag), 5/16" (50/bag), and the 3/8" (50/bag). I read both Marc's website and the one on RC (split a bunch of times...). I am about half way done with the second model. The previous pictures are from the one running on my frag tank. It is sitting on the floor so size wasn't an issue. I am now making one to fit in the standard 4' Oceanic stand which is holding my new 90g tech. The space under the stand is 15.5" from front to back and I am allocating no more than 12" wide. The first one needs 21" from front to back. It would be great for under a 120g or larger since the stand has an additional 6" from front to back.

 

[jdeveaux]

Any updates? Still working like a champ?

 

[SnMan]

I am actually running two on seperate tanks. I like'm.

 

[slyfox]

how much did it cost you for the full thing to make? i should imagine with the square shape it fits more media than a tube, i cant envisige any downsides to a square reactor other than increased joins, and with weld on thats not even a worry... any downsides to a square over a cyclinder?

 

[SnMan]

I bought so much acrylic and stuff that it is hard to say what the actual cost would be. The only downside that I have seen with the square or two chamber approach is that it is difficult to stick your hand in it to get things out. Since you can usually just turn it over and dump them it doesn't seem to be an issue. The one in the pictures above is the one that I am donating to Scott for the frag tank project. I just need to shut it down and get it over to him. Stdreb27 housed his live stock in this setup during Ike's power outage and they did fine.

 

[slyfox]

doesnt see toobig a downside to the option of having more media in the same footprint..

 

[SnMan]

Plus, fishcraze gave me the tip to use large media on one side and smaller grain on the other. This keeps the finer stuff from getting sucked into the pump.

 

[slyfox]

thats a good idea

 

[jdeveaux]

For the PH probe did you just use a MPT compression fitting? I'm thinking about adding a probe to my main reactor then plumbing it through a effluent chamber to raise the PH.

Thanks,

 

[SnMan]

Yup. I drilled it and tapped it for the 1/2" NPT then just screwed it in and used WeldOn #40 on it. You can buy the AquaMedic with threads but it is also twice the price.

 

[SnMan]

Quick update. I just finished my 3rd one. I am now running 2 and have given one to Scott. The 2nd one has been running 11 months and has not needed any updates except to refill the 5lb CO2 and add water to the bubble counter. I have only used 1/10th of the media. Well worth the effort if you don't have the CaRx already.

 

[julio]

reading marcs step by step down at the bottom he says his inlet/outlet lines kept getting plugged with algae and he used red heat shrink to fix the problem. i noticed your effluent line is red too. how would this help against plugging? thanks

 

[SnMan]

I bought colored tubes so that I would not have to wrap them with tape. The fact that they are not clear keeps the light (from the fuge) from allowing the algae to grow. I have not had any algae in the tubes. I hope that helps. I have made templates and jigs so that they can be built repeatedly if you are interested. PM me.

 

[julio]

^ thanks bill, that makes alot of sense.