My DIY Calcium Reactor
Printed From: Utah Reefs
Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: DIY
Forum Description: Do it Yourself
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=28511
Printed Date: August 23 2025 at 5:45am
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Topic: My DIY Calcium Reactor
Posted By: Sculpin
Subject: My DIY Calcium Reactor
Date Posted: October 06 2008 at 1:37am
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You may remember my last DIY project, the Kalk Doser... Well it didn't go so well and I am NOT happy with my overall results... well that and an added worry about the integrity of my $15 dosing pump thanks to Mark. So here I go with another DIY, and as unlikely as it is I hopefully won't embarrass myself this time.
I take no credit for this, I got the idea from Reef Central but since the original pics disappeared from the thread I flew solo on some things. I'd like to add that I have not hooked this up yet but I have no reason to think it wont work. Here you go- Micah's DIY Calcium Reactor: Parts list: Large Whirlpool water filter @ Lowes $60.00 Small Whirlpool water filter @ Lowes $30.00 Quite One 1200 pump $30.00 (I ended up replacing the one shown a little later) 1 1/4 Sink pipe 12" long (I just searched around the sink parts till I found something that would fit inside of the Canister top) $3.50 6X Quick Disconnect Fittings $20.00 (aprox.) Ball Valve Quick Disconnect Fitting $6.50 Various Other fittings $20.00 (aprox.) Ball Valve Threaded Union $6.00 4' 3/4 hose $6.00 6' 1/4 hose $1.00 Reactor Media $26.00 Co2 tank w/ reg (already had one) Total $179.00 Here is most of it but I did have to make some added trips to Lowes to get the rest of what I needed. 
I started with fitting the 1 1/4 Sink pipe adapting it with the Chamber. 
I threw it on the mill to cut some slots into it but drilling a bunch of holes instead would be much the same result, I just like working on the mill when I can. Also I had to grind down the threads to almost a point to fit into the bottom of the canister and had to shorten the whole thing about 2" to get a net fit. 
After I finally got it all to fit, I used some 2 part epoxy and sealed the pipe into the bottom of the chamber. 
I then begun working on the top of the chamber. With a 7/16 Drill bit, I drilled into two of the 4 top holes. I don't know why they are there but sure were handy and I didn't have to drill a pilot hole  . With a 1/4 NPT tap, I tapped out both holes and installed 2 quick disconnect fittings.
From there I adapted my pump to fit the 3/4 hose. I wont get into detail about that because my pump is a one of a kind but here is something you'll need to know- Somewhere on the intake side of the pump you'll need to drill and tap a hole for your C02 to be injected. What I did was just two PVC threaded adapters with a small piece of pipe in between. This is a part that I've had some trouble with and will have to make another. I'll just add, allow plenty of time to dry before you tap it... I'm on my third try now  .
After you get the main canister all sorted out it's time to start on the second. It's much the same as the first apart from the pump. For the pipe that drops down the center of the canister, I used 1" PVC (I'll have to double check on that) and cut slots in the bottom with.. you guessed it, my mill. This does not require as much flow as the main canister so a few holes should do the trick. After that it just needs a few bushings adapt to the 1/4 Quick Disconnect fittings. After gluing the pipe into the bottom of the canister and letting it set it was time for its pressure test. I adapted a garden hose to fit the 1/4 line and after filling it with water, letting the bubbles out, and taking it up to whatever pressure my pipes are, it passed with flying colors and was ready for it's media and final assembly. 
Note- I shoved some sponges down each pipe so the media wouldn't fall through the slots I cut. I don't know if this will have any ill effect but I'm sure I'll find out if it does. Note- I used some brass adapters on the pump but I just read the negative effects brass can have on a reef tank so I'll be replacing those tomorrow. It's just what Lowes had to offer. Does anyone know if Stainless is any good? And now I have an almost ready to instal Ca Reactor. I'll make sure I take photos of the installation and post it so beginners can get the full concept (I'm not really sure I even do yet  )
Let me know what you think and I hope this helps people out. Sculpin |
Replies:
Posted By: KludgeGuru
Date Posted: October 06 2008 at 8:24am
 I've been thinking of doing this with water filter canisters but I just didn't quite know...well what I was doing. Great pictures, you'll need to post how well it works. -Rocks |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: October 06 2008 at 7:31pm
| Any news on how it works? |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: October 06 2008 at 8:13pm
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I'm ordering some plastic parts tonight to replace my brass ones. Apparently they aren't available locally so it will be a few days before I get it running. Sorry to get you hopes up and I'll keep you posted.
Sculpin |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: October 10 2008 at 2:05am
I got it all set up tonight. Here it is-
Everything looks like it's working well but it has a very minor leak and I read on my pump that it requires to be submersed  so I'll be looking into a good Ehiem or something along those lines soon. I have it shut off for now though just in case. It didn't seem like it was getting too hot but better safe then sorry.
Let me know what you guys think. Sculpin |
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: October 10 2008 at 8:55pm
looks like a great set up you made there. Maybe when I get to the point where I need one I will have to get with you on making one now that you got all the bugs worked out of it  .
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Posted By: MrViper
Date Posted: October 24 2008 at 4:01pm
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That looks pretty good. I wish I had the equipment to build one. I agree with Fishkeeper. Maybe I can get some help with building one. ------------- Vipers look cool at a distant, but be careful of the bite..its a killer! Still to many cool stuff not enough money |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: October 24 2008 at 4:12pm
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I would be happy to help. It's working great right now though I haven't checked my Ca levels recently. I probably will tomorrow. Sculpin
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Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: November 02 2008 at 9:32pm
| Any updates on this? |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: November 03 2008 at 2:04am
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Everything appears to be working well except the needle valve on the regulator. I'll need to take it apart and check it out. It slows down after a while so I have to readjust it every 2-3 days. I don't know what my ca is at right now, I'm more worried about my ORP at the moment. I'll update you as soon as I can on the overall results.
Sculpin |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: January 14 2009 at 7:57pm
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Heres and update- I ended up replacing the old pump with a "Quiet One 1200" I bought at petsmart. Let me tell ya, it was not very quiet at first. After a while though the noise settled down and now it holds up to it's name. I had mentioned earlier that the needle valve was having problems, well I took it apart and in the process ruined it and had to get another from Milwaukee Testers and now it works great. If you run into this same problem all you have to do is use a 1/16" drill and clean out the hole. About a couple of weeks ago the alk rose to 15 DKH and so I shut off the Ca reactor and it dropped back down to 10 dkh over the next few weeks or so. I've got the ca reactor up and running again. I guess I need to continue to fine tune it to where it doses just as much as the aquarium uses. Overall this sure beats the worry I had over my Kalk doser and all in all has been a worthwhile project. Let me know if you have any other questions about it. Sculpin
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Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: December 08 2009 at 2:06pm
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Update Well since I started using it I've had to change the media once. I ended up going for a larger media and I'm very happy with it. I think the smaller stuff dissolves much faster. It took about 10 months to burn through what I had shown. I've ran into some problems with my regulator, particularly the bubble counter. I found that when the solenoid shuts off (I have it linked with my return pump so it shuts down once a day to feed), water goes back into the on/off solenoid and over time build up and causes flow problems. I ended up just draining the bubble counter and letting it run dry and now have a second bubble counter made from a small soda bottle doing it's job. So far, no problems. I've also learned that if you are going to shut off your reactor for long periods of time, make sure you just shut off the Co2 and continue to let the water flow through it. If you shut it down completely, after a couple of weeks the water goes black. I've herd this called an "anaerobic reaction" but I'm not sure. It's not good though. The water ends up smelling like rotten eggs and you'll have to take the whole thing apart and clean it before you can use it again. So far it's been running smooth apart from some minor hiccups (normaly caused by operator error ). So if you have any questions about this project let me know, I'm happy to help.Micah
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Posted By: CapnMorgan
Date Posted: December 08 2009 at 8:02pm
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Awesome DIY, I'll probably be hitting you up soon. ------------- Steve http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=40637&PID=356246" rel="nofollow - My Old 180G Mixed Reef Currently: 120G Wavefront Mixed 29G Seahorse & Softies Running ReefAngel Plus x2 435-8 |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: December 18 2012 at 11:00am
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Ok so I wanted to pop in and give an update to this project. I've recently ripped the whole thing out and rebuilt it. The reason is because it leaked, it rusted around the fittings (they had metal threads), the pump sucked (don't buy QuiteOne pumps for Ca reactors), and it was too big. I rebuilt the reactor from the ground up and did it for cheaper. I bought 2x 10" RO canisters, some canister hanging brackets from BRS and an Ehime Hobby pump. After plumbing it all I mounted it to my tank frame and it's now suspended in the back and is now working awesome. I'll post a few pics when I get to it. Overall though this rebuild was a smatter way to go. Even though I have a smaller main RO unit I think it still works great. ------------- 225 Reef (not really mine but i act like it is) 29 Biocube http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=45353" rel="nofollow - My Whole House System Build |
Posted By: jdskidawg
Date Posted: December 18 2012 at 11:29am
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Awesome job! Just a couple questions How are you controlling/monitoring the PH inside the reactor? And What is turning your Co2 solenoid off and on?
------------- 150 in the works 8g Biocube,minijet 606,par38 led and Intank media tower,koralia nano |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: December 18 2012 at 12:33pm
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I don't use anything to regulate the ph in the reactor other then eyeballing the bubble counter. I just adjust the Co2 a little higher if I'm getting a reduction in calcium/alk in my system and then wait a week and see. It takes a little playing around but you still have to do that even with a PH monitor on the reactor. The whole goal is to balance the reactor with the supplements the coral eat up, right? ------------- 225 Reef (not really mine but i act like it is) 29 Biocube http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=45353" rel="nofollow - My Whole House System Build |
Posted By: jdskidawg
Date Posted: December 18 2012 at 1:12pm
Very true! So no need for a controller good to know :) Do you control the tank water flowing though the reactor or just run it wide open?
sorry for all the questions ------------- 150 in the works 8g Biocube,minijet 606,par38 led and Intank media tower,koralia nano |
Sculpin wrote:Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: December 18 2012 at 2:21pm
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No problem with the Q's man. Happy to help. Yes I do regulate the water flowing into the reactor. I use a pinch valve and just squish the plastic line. I've found that any sort of ball or gate valve that reduces the flow usually get caught up with junk and are less reliable than the pinch valve I use. I do have a controller on the tank that will shut down the Co2 when the main pump is shut off. That way I don't over do the Co2 in the reactor if I shut off to feed. ------------- 225 Reef (not really mine but i act like it is) 29 Biocube http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=45353" rel="nofollow - My Whole House System Build |
Posted By: jdskidawg
Date Posted: December 18 2012 at 2:27pm
where did you get the Pinch Valve? ------------- 150 in the works 8g Biocube,minijet 606,par38 led and Intank media tower,koralia nano |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: December 18 2012 at 3:00pm
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This is what I'm talking about- http://www.mcmaster.com/#clamp-on-valves/=knfjn3" rel="nofollow - http://www.mcmaster.com/#clamp-on-valves/=knfjn3 I use F but some of the other ones look better than what I've got.
------------- 225 Reef (not really mine but i act like it is) 29 Biocube http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=45353" rel="nofollow - My Whole House System Build |
Posted By: laynframe
Date Posted: December 21 2012 at 10:42pm
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Awesome build but I have a few issues with some things. If you don't control the ph in the reactor with a controller, you are going to have some problems. 1 is your going to go through a lot of media do to too much carbondioxcide inside the reactor which will brake down the media too fast and turn it to mush. 2. Your effluent will be ultra low causing low ph in the tank and spike your alk levels. You should maintain 6.5 to 6.3 ph inside the reactor to brake down the media at a slower rate and maintain a constant discharge alk and ph level. This will allow you to adjust your drip and bubble rate to match the demand of the tank. With out the controller there is no way to determine the ph level In the reactor therefore causing possible high effluent alk levels and low ph levels. Calcium reactors can either be a blessing or a complete pain its all how you run them. I think this is a great build, but I would strongly recommend a controller to dial her in. I've ran a few calc reactors and can answer any questions you might have lmk. ------------- The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!! |
Posted By: DLindquist
Date Posted: December 22 2012 at 7:04am
While I agree with this previous statement, I ran my reactor for almost 15 years without a PH monitor inside the chamber. When I first set it up, no one told me about the need for one. I did have a PH probe inside my sump and I would test the PH of the effluent from time to time. During this time, I had my media turn to mush twice. I realize the main reason for this was way too much carbon dioxide, I also believe the extremely fine/small media I was using also played a roll. It will require much more work getting things dialed in, but he should be able to maintain an effective effluent level depending on the needs of the tank, and correlating the Co2 with the outflow of the effluent. ------------- A government strong enough to give you everything you want, is powerful enough to take everything you have. |
Posted By: laynframe
Date Posted: December 22 2012 at 8:33am
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I agree! but i think it will take a lot longer to dial it in with unstable effluent, and i think it will lead to needing to constantly adjust, and use excess co2 and media. I think either way is fine im just trying to save the fustrations of running a calc reactor. ------------- The time we enjoy wasting isn't wasted time!!!! |
Posted By: Sculpin
Date Posted: December 31 2012 at 11:59am
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I certainly don't disagree with your point lynframe and I do have plans to run Co2 in my Ca reactor in the future. The cost of the probe and AC Apex add-on I'd need to buy makes it a bit costly at this point but I will eventually do it. ------------- 225 Reef (not really mine but i act like it is) 29 Biocube http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=45353" rel="nofollow - My Whole House System Build |