DIY Calcium Reactor for $125

[May&Bruce]

First i started with a simple kalk dripper but i got fed up with filling the bottle every day and constantly altering the drip rate, so I built a kalk reactor (see DIY kalk reactor in DIY forum about 9 months ago).

Now I am fed up with filling the kalk reactor with kalk and fresh water once a week, so I am now buidling a DIY calcium reactor. After researching the local market it looks like good quality calcium reactors (big enough for a 150 gal tank) start at about $300 and go up to $800 or more, before even buying the CO2 system. Too much for me!

The design is complete and I have bought all the parts. Total price of parts is $125!

I have also bought all the parts for the CO2 system (twin gauge regulator with solenoid valve; CO2 cylinder and needle valve for fine tuning the air flow) $200.

So, for less than $350, one complete calcium reactor including CO2 system.

I will post photos over the next week or so.

Next will be a pH controller to fully automate the process! woo hoo.....maintenance now getting less and less!

[c0ol]

Bro,u MIA for many mths already.

Do keep us updated

[yongwil]

Bro M&Y

Thk for yr DIY RI info the last time, I hv managed to DIY the RI with shootsimon a few week ago.

Now looking forward to yr DIY CR

Cheer

[May&Bruce]

Thanks guys...yeah, been busy with work n stuff Gotta be able to keep funding the hobby.

Will post some pics of the DIY calcium reactor soon

[May&Bruce]

So, it is nearing completion and I decided to post a few pics.

All done in acrylic from Dama Industries in Ubi. Pipe fittings are all normal PVC fittings.

[May&Bruce]

Overall pic

[May&Bruce]

Another pic

[May&Bruce]

Pump is a Rio 1100 - the one in the pic is an old one that I used just to get the positioning and pipe lengths all correct.

[May&Bruce]

CO2 input is shown here....CO2 enters via the gray speedfit fitting and through the bubble counter. Bubble counter was $12 from Aqua Star

[May&Bruce]

oops the above pic is wrong, here is the CO2 input and bubble counter....

[May&Bruce]

back to this pic....this shows the input side of the recirculation pump....the little blue input on the leftr is the CO2 input from the bubble counter. The little blue input on the right is tank water input.

[May&Bruce]

This is the recirculation pipe coming out of the top of the reactor and then down to the pump. The little blue fitting on top is the calcium-rich effluent (water) output to the tank.

[May&Bruce]

CO2 cylinder from Aqua Star ($50 filled with CO2). Dual gauge regulator with control solenoind valve also from Aqua Star ($120).

[May&Bruce]

closeup...

[May&Bruce]

Price summary

Mixing chamber S$71

Recirculation fittings & pump S$50

Water inlet/outlet fittings S$5

Total S$126

CO2 system (inc regulator and cylinder S$190

Rowalith C (12.5 kg) S$99

pH Controller (Milwaukee) S$215

Total price S$630

That is the all-up price including C media and pH controller system, CO2 cylinder and regulator!

Will post some more pics in a week or so, showing the completed system. Will also post more complete instructions about how to make it and where to get the bits.

[May&Bruce]

here is a diagram of the calcium reactor...

Calcium_Reactor.pdf

[Power]

Very impressive Pls continue to update us

[big_ben102000]

pretty nice stuff .. lolz pro

[shootsimon]

Hi Bruce! Another great DIY you have there. Just worry that the bubble counter brass parts might rust

[May&Bruce]

Hey Simon

Well, it shouldn't. It's only fresh water in the counter, thus should not rust. Anyway, if it does i will just make an all plastic one :-)

[ettin]

Bruce,

Way cool man.. Do let us know how well it work.

BTW where did you get the speedfit and clear tube from?

[May&Bruce]

ettin

Dazhou Trading

35, Jln Mas Puteh

Singapore 128635

(65) 67733383 / 67793353

They have a good selection of all sorts of speedfit type pipe fittings, plastic hose fittings, plastic hose, etc., etc. They do not stock the normal PVC pipe fittings though.

[ettin]

bruce,

Thanks man... Can't wait for your detail instructions on the CR construction.

[yoyo04]

hi,

thanks for sharing, it is very interesting. I wonder what did you use to seal the pvc pipe with the acrilic body.

thanks

[May&Bruce]

yoyo

Dama Enterprises (where I buy the acrylic) sell special glue for glueing acrylic to PVC.