DIY Magnesium and Phosphate reactor for the calcium reactor
 

My problems with calcium reactor:
1) media releasing phosphates
2) I want to increase Mg but don't want small Magnesium granules clogging up my calcium reactor which is filled with large coarse calcium reactor media
3) effluent decreasing pH

Here is my solution for the above: a dual chambered Two Little Fishy Phosban reactors each on a closed loop. Chamber 1 accepts the effluent, Chamber 1 is connected to Chamber 2 with JG fittings, Chamber 2 ejects the effluent into tank.
Theory behind this setup is when effluent enters Chamber 1, phosphate is removed. When effluent enters Chamber 2, the low pH acidic effluent will dissolve the Mg granules and use up the excess CO2.

The results so far:
the immediate effluent pH out of Calcium reactor was set at 6.5 +/- 0.1
the effluent exiting the dual chamber set up now is 7.8 +/- 0.1

Overall image
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...ture131Mod.jpg

Pic of the top of the two chambers
http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o...Picture133.jpg

The trickiest part of this set up is knowing where the air bubbles will travel - air bubbles are inevitable so you need to manage them accordingly. You do not want them to be recirculated in the closed loop so you need to insert a hose on the hole for the pump input so the intake is lower than the air bubbles. In Chamber 1, you need to divert the air into the second chamber by cutting a slit or hole on the JG fitting just below the cap.
In Chamber 2, you need to divert the air into the tank so you can also do this by cutting a slit or hole on the JG fitting just below the cap.
You also need to install some valves (the ones from the mini irrigation systems work well) that will let air out of the closed loop hoses.

Hope this gives some people some idea on what they can do to improve their calcium reactor effluents.

Sweet setup. A lot of thought. In the past I have used the ZEOVit Mag suppliment for your CA Reactor. the garanual sizes are huge and work well with large CA media. You might want to check that out.

Wow, cool rig. :) Thanks for sharing! Especially impressive is the results, the theory behind it is one thing, but seeing effluent change from 6.5 to 7.8 is .. well .. it really says it all, doesn't it? :)

Smart setup! What are you using for Mg?

ultralith mag

Very nice! Thank you for sharing.

Nice work, I added an effuent chamber from an old Red Sea Merlin fluidized bed but it's a real PITA to refill, your recirc mod looks way better. Are you using ARM for your CA media?

with the recent sale at HR, i bought and switched to the coarse ARM reactor media. The sizes of this media makes the flow through the reactor very easily. I had used the Caribsea crushed coral substate with good results but the ARM media is a lot bigger than the crushed coral.

I was thinking about trying the coarser Arm as well. Do you think it dissolves slower than regular ARM?
I've got this K2R cranked up and it goes through media pretty quick.
I guess I could always mix them and see.