diy ca reactor request

[Hystrix]

some people requested to have a step by step run down on the creation of my 1st ca reactor so ther it is :D
Parts and source
all pvc was purchased at lowels and home depot
2 - 4" pcv flange w/ knockouts intact
4 - 1/2" 90's
1 - 1/2" cross slip x slip x slip x slip
1 - 1/2" 90 male thread x slip
3 - 1/2"slip x 1/4"thread
2 - 1/2" ball valve
4 - 1/2" male thread x 1/2" slip
1 - 1/2" T slip x slip x slip
3 - 1/2" union
6 - 4" couplings
1 - 1/4" tube x 1/4" male thread (jaco fitting) Aquatic ecosystems
3 - 1/4" tube x 1/4" male thread elbow/ 90 (jaco) AQ eco.
?ft of 1/4" O.D. polyethylene tube aquatic eco.
2 - 4" Hand-tite expansion plugs Aq. eco.
2 - 1/4" john guest valves (savco plastics, columbus oh)
1 - 1/4" male thread x 1/4" speed fitting john guest ( savco)
1 - 4 oz. weld-on 16 purchased at a acrylic place in town
1 - 1/4" NPT tap (aq. eco.)
1 - 1/2" NPT tap (aq. eco.)
1 - 1/8" NPT tap (aq. eco.) not used in this project
1 - 23/32 drill bit MSC Industrial Supply Co.
1 - 7/16 drill bit Lowels
6ft - 4 1/2" x 4 1/4" x 1/8" extruded acrylic US Plastics
1 - roll of teflon tape
1 - cotainter of teflon paste
1 - needle valve Marine Depot
1 - mag 5 pump Ebay
1 - 5lb co2 cylinder Geer Gas Co.
?ft co2 tubing other misc tubing
1 - 3/8" x 1/4" adapter (for needle valve modification)
1 - 1/4" x 1/8" bushing (for needle valve)
Misc. plywood for base (laying around the house)
misc. black foam padding for base ( laying around the house)
1 bubble counter from Geo
approx 4'? of 4 inch pvc. (used for the fittings)
I believe this is everything? I did list the price for each items. lets just say for both chambers and plumbing cost around $100 and the tank, reg, needle valve about the same. You can get most of this stuff at a endless # of places but I got mine at the above places for different reasons, best price, there at the time, quick fix, wasn't thinking at the time. etc. Do your homework :D The final product has a few modifications that are not shown in the pics. I will explain if I remember. The lengths of the clear acrylic are about 26inches why they are that length I don't really know they can be however long you want them to be?
I fist drew out what I wanted to build (It changed severl times even as I was building it) I cut my pvc with pipe cutters and acrylic with a hack saw. All of the pieces are laid out in one of the following pics. I dry fitted my pieces to see how it would actually look put together (this is where I changed the design) I marked the pieces with a marker (hash mark) so when I glued them together the holes for the plumbing would match up right. IT is late so I will continue this post tomorrow. sorry for the abrupt ending. :mrgreen:

[1996 cobra]

i def look forward to reading the rest of this as i jus might have to build 1 for my self.

justin

[Hystrix]

Ok so I have the parts laid out. hash marked the position so the finished product would line up. (first pic posted)
the following is the process of making the chamber (both chambers)
bottom of chamber: I glued the 4" flange to the 4" coulping using 4"pvc pipe and pvc glue (I used pvc cleaner before I glued. I also made sure that the pvc pipe was the right length so that the flange and coupling would be flush with each other to give it a clean look :D )
Top of chamber: glued 2 4" pvc couplings together and piece of pipe inside the top of the coupling where the cap goes. (the pvc is there so the plug can be screwed tight with a few turns)
Center of chamber: I glued the acrylic to the top and bottom of the chamber with weld-on 16 before glueing the acrylic to the bottom section I inserted a 4" drainage cap (immediatly to the right of the chamber in the fist pic) I forgot to mention this part in the list. these are very important (gives you a chamber below your media/ hold your media off the bottom) I also put a fine mesh screen on top of the drainage cap (pre cut 4" sreens bought at Joanne Fabrics, found while waiting for my girlfriend) the screens can be put in later (removable)
I let everthing set for a couple of hrs. before I started drilling the holes for the plumbing. The holes are drilled into the sections w/ the pvc pipe. I personally didn't want to f...up my work by drilling into the acrylic and cracking it. If you are comfortable working with acrylic and have the right tool you can make modifications to the design and leave out any unnecessary portions (top section you can omit the top coupling section)
Anyways I already marked my plumbing layout so I drilled the holes with the 23/32 drill bit then tapped it with the 1/2" tap thread.
I also drilled the black cap with the 7/16 bit and then the 1/4" tap thread
I used teflon paste on the threads before I attached the pvc to the chambers (or you can use teflon tape) to get a leek free connection.
the rest of the plumbing was done with pvc cleaner and glue. I'm not going to list the step by step (look at the pics) you may want to plumb it differently. Some important thoughts I plumbed in unions for easy disassembly. I also plumbed in valves so I could change the pump if needed or do maint. on it w/o flooding the floor with sw. :idea: make sure you put in a check valve from your bubble counter to your regulator. :idea: zip tie or hose clamp your lines :idea: I have to wait to see how the ca levels go up because my zip tie didn't hold the line on the reg and it blew off and drained a newly filled tank :(
I also had to make a run to home depot to get brass adapter and bushing to connect my needle valve to the reg and bubble counter.
I used a foam padding under the unit to keep vibration noise at a minimum :idea:
I think thats everything?? Any ? or comments?
Please comment I always like to learn something new!

[Hystrix]

co2 and water intake

[Hystrix]

reg. and needle valve

[Hystrix]

plumbing

[Hystrix]

up and running

[1996 cobra]

looks awesome and great directions ill def look into building this if you plan to stay here awhile i might jus send you a few pm's in the future.

thanks for this great idea justin

[Hystrix]

thanks cobra, pm away. I like to help, and receive it as well :D

[Irisservice]

Nice Post...
Very detailed.....

[1996 cobra]

how much media will each chamber hold? and when you start using it let us know it it works.
thanks
justin

[Hystrix]

each chamber will hold a 8lb container of arm media. the right chamber though has less because my flow will blow media into the intake line of the pump. So it has about 4lbs.

[1996 cobra]

what size tank you have it put onto cause that would support a 400 gallon plus tank correct??

justin

[Hystrix]

It probably would support a 400gal? I have never done a calculation. It is overkill for my 75gal mix tank, but I had the pipe so i built 2. I still have more pipe I just need other parts. I can easily replumb and make it into 2 single chamber reactors w/ another pump of course.

[1996 cobra]

WOW great looking rock work. thats tonga branched correct. i like how the whole bottom of it is open for swimming thew the rock work and all the caves. then the corals are displayed at the top and sides. very nice looking tank. whats it look like now i noticed the pictures are labedled july. def a tank to enter in the tank of the month tho.

justin

[Hystrix]

thanks for the compliment. The current status though is not as pretty. I have had some issues. My green finger leather is no more and a few of my acros bleached. I also have dictyota problems. But now I have stopped slacking and getting the tank back into shape. I have to take some pictures soon and I will post. That is tonga and others unk.

[RobA]

Hystrix,
Maybe you should think about selling these. I would be very interested.