Ca reactor
 

I was wondering where to find detailed diagrams of a Ca reactor.
Thanks Super7

Check here (and here for the drawings) by a Canreefer DJ88. He also had a huge thread believe on RC for a dual chamber square design with drawings. Probably also a link on Canreef.

But don't need drawings, just wing it, here's a picture of my first DIY acrylic project (6x19" upflow using a Mag3)



http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h316/das75/ca_f.jpg

Thanks Mark, so you pump the water up to the top and allow to flow though and out the bottom, what do you use to increase Ca, what's best.
Thanks Super7

The style is upflow. The pump discharges to the bottom of the cylinder and water flows upward. The idea is the media doesn't become compacted. Tank water enters the reactor in the red tube, exits in the blue. Clear line is for CO2, the bubble counter in the center, excess gas that may buildup is recovered through the fitting in the the center of the top flange and cycled back in.

To supply water, I tapped a 1/4" John Guest into the line after my main pump for my sump return. Flow (drip rate) is controlled by a valve between the tap point and the reactor. Had originally put the valve after the reactor but found I was getting weeping from the flange since I was pressurizing the unit. The weeping was probably more from the irregularities in depth of the groove I cut for the o-ring while trying to get fancy but since replaced the flanges with no grooves, but left the valve on the input.

Remember the reactor is to maintain Ca levels, not raise then. To get the values initially up, bought Ca and Mg from littlesilvermax . Something I've started to look into to maintain the Mg levels is adding ZeoMag, mixed with Ca reactor media at 10%.

Super7, here's a link to DJ88's dual chamber square design (and within the link to RC)

What is the purpose of adding CO2. Is it definately needed.
Thanks Super7
I am a newb concerning Ca reactors

CO2 lowers the pH of the water within the reactor chamber, thus slowly dissolving the media.

is there another way of lowering the pH of the water within the Chamber.
Thanks Super7

Not that I have heard of.

start reading http://216.187.96.54/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=22085