new DIY downflow calcium reactor

Delphinus · #1 04-30-2008, 05:23 AM

Neat. Where's the probe holder? (Sorry if I'm just daft - but I don't see it?) What did you use for a probe holder?

How does the media chamber thing work? Is it basically some 5.5" tubing inside some 6" or something like that?

Chin_Lee · #2 04-30-2008, 05:44 AM

Mark
I bolted the lid onto a flange so the holes are all aligned. Then I used a heat gun to heat both sides until slightly soft and then pushed it down on a piece of 2 inch coupling through the flange.

Tony
The probe holder is sticking out through the side of the upflow tubing. I put it there so its out of the way where I won`t need access to the reactor. I used a half inch gland nut that had a male NPT which screwed into a FPT fitting.

The bottom of the media chamber is an acrylic doughnut that has a 2-3 inch hole in the middle and this ring is glued into place. I cut eggcrate to fit on top of the doughnut, then two layers of enkamat, and another doughnut to squish the enkamat down. When I want to remove the chamber, I drain water until its below the flange, unscrew the nylon bolts, and unscrew the top union.

fkshiu · #3 04-30-2008, 05:50 AM

Very nice, Chin. Very nice indeed.

kari · #4 04-30-2008, 12:15 PM

Cool domed top.
What kind of bit did you use to drill thru the tube side wall?

untamed · #5 04-30-2008, 12:48 PM

Nice work. Are you going to be able to pull that probe out easily for recalibration?

Doug · #6 04-30-2008, 01:08 PM

Great looking work Chin. I dont know how you guys do that.

Tom R · #7 04-30-2008, 03:19 PM

Now that is a Calcium Reactor.

Great job Chin.

As per the show Tool Time:

It is the Binford 8000 double capacity powered by a Sedra 5000.

Ar Ar Ar Ar

Tom R

Chin_Lee · #8 04-30-2008, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kari

Cool domed top.
What kind of bit did you use to drill thru the tube side wall?

Kari - i traced out the OD of the 3/4" pipe then drilled and dremel grind until the pipe can fit through snugly. I then grinded down the union and coupling fittings to contour of the OD and ID curve of the tubing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by untamed

Nice work. Are you going to be able to pull that probe out easily for recalibration?

I'll recalibrate every time I change the media and I'll just unscrew the gland nut with the probe as a whole and then screw it back in. I used gas teflon tape on the threads so its easy to remove.