Algae reactor setup as canister filter (under stand of AIO tank) help/suggestions?

[josh515025]

Hi guys so I am setting up a nano for my home office, its the IM peninsula 20. I went for the Current USA led strip with mounting bracket. I absolutely love the look of the led on the tank its low to the water so there is no light spill at all and it just covers the entire tank. The only problem is the mounting bracket takes up the middle chamber so I cannot add a skimmer or reactor by IM in the middle chamber. I do plan on 2 clowns, a small goby and blenny and maybe one other small fish. So I'd have a relative high bioload, and though I do plan on a weekly 5g water change (I change 10g weekly on my 75 so I'd just add add 5g from the 75 to this build) I'd like to have a nutrient export system other than the media caddy.

I was watching videos on making a DIY algae reactor, but most seem to be close the water level of the system; either HOB or next to the sump. Would it be possible for me to place the media reactor inside the stand and have it recirculate all the way back up to the tank? How many pumps would I need if so?

 

[Reef Guy Ronnie]

Absolutely possibly. I ran a similar setup on several different tanks. I plumbed it directly from my manifold and used a small gate valve to adjust flow speed.
Easily though, this could be done with a pump the same way. If its possible, run a line from a pump (like you have pictured) placed preferably in the first chamber of the sump you have, into the canister underneath, and then place a return line in the return chamber of your sump. From the pictures, it looks as though you have a sump built into the back of the tank? If the pump doesn't fit inside the small compartments, then you have to run it from the DT. Ideally, this probably isn't the best option because your tank looks so clean! Why clutter it with a pump inside, right?
Another recommendation, when you wrap the canister with the LED light, wrap tin foil around it to keep the light inside the canister.

 

[garbled]

I dunno if I would use the RGB lights though, instead maybe just get red? I guess if I was going with RGB, I would go with RGBW (they have the whites), so you could run red+white? I feel like just red would give you more power in the red range, it's not like you are going to use the green at all, so that's a wasted diode on the strip, and you will lose out on max power.

 

[josh515025]

Absolutely possibly. I ran a similar setup on several different tanks. I plumbed it directly from my manifold and used a small gate valve to adjust flow speed.
Easily though, this could be done with a pump the same way. If its possible, run a line from a pump (like you have pictured) placed preferably in the first chamber of the sump you have, into the canister underneath, and then place a return line in the return chamber of your sump. From the pictures, it looks as though you have a sump built into the back of the tank? If the pump doesn't fit inside the small compartments, then you have to run it from the DT. Ideally, this probably isn't the best option because your tank looks so clean! Why clutter it with a pump inside, right?
Another recommendation, when you wrap the canister with the LED light, wrap tin foil around it to keep the light inside the canister.

So 1 pump in 2nd chamber is enough to push water 3ft down to reactor and back up to the 3rd chamber? I’m gonna have to get a more powerful pump I assume.

 

[Reef Guy Ronnie]

The pump you selected has a 5ft lift height. Hard to tell, but to be safe, perhaps a bigger one? That would be based on trial and error

 

[josh515025]

The pump you selected has a 5ft lift height. Hard to tell, but to be safe, perhaps a bigger one? That would be based on trial and error

Ok thanks my main concern was whether one pump could do the job. Time to test some out

 

[Gaspipe]

Any updates on this? Thanks!

 

[josh515025]

Any updates on this? Thanks!

Not yet, I have the LED/pump but still waiting on the Bashsea reactor, unfortunately it was shipped via USPS so it might take a extra week or two to arrive

 

[Gaspipe]

Please keep us posted.

 

[waverider]

The best DIY Chaeto reactor Ive seen yet is the Aquamax one with the LED strip lights. Lots of people doing that. And you can easily put it under your stand. Just a matter of the pump you choose for how much flow you need.

Check out Mad Hatter's DIY Cheato reactor video:

 

[Gaspipe]

Saw that thank you! I'm just wondering how will I pump clean water from the rear chamber back into the display. Wonder if a Sicce 1.0 Syncra Silent could pump water out of the rear chamber, passed two 90* elbows, into a reactor in a stand, then back UP to the return nozzle in the rear chamber.

 

[josh515025]

Ok just got the chaeto delivered. Took out 5 gallons from my display into a bucket added a heater and a pump going to the reactor. I did a quick FW dip on the chaeto and didn’t see much come out, saw maybe 2-3 dead worms.

I will quarantine it, don’t know for how long though. The display water has nutrients for the algae and I’ll turn the led on at nights. Maybe just replace 5 gallons during my weekly water change?

 

[josh515025]

Saw that thank you! I'm just wondering how will I pump clean water from the rear chamber back into the display. Wonder if a Sicce 1.0 Syncra Silent could pump water out of the rear chamber, passed two 90* elbows, into a reactor in a stand, then back UP to the return nozzle in the rear chamber.

I think you’d want to put pump in chamber two, then put output hose back into chamber three not return nozzle. At least that’s what I’m going to do

 

[Gaspipe]

OP please keep us posted, thank you very much!

 

[waverider]

Ive been running an Aquaclear 70 HOB mini refugium on my 65 gallon with an LED, crushed live rock and pods for about 2 weeks now and my Nitrates are stable below < 5ppm. In my opinion Cheato with lighting and flow is 90% of the battle. Good lighting and flow thru Chaeto will suck nitrates and phosphates out. While I think the Aquamax DIY Cheato reactor is great for larger tanks, I think its overkill for tanks 75G and under.

 

[josh515025]

Alright I installed it today, I dropped the pump in chamber 2 (very tight fit) ran tubing under then output right back to chamber 2. Pump is 320gph and provides excellent flow.

My only concern is how to deal with cleaning it. For one the output is just above the water level so it won’t siphon back, but if I turn the pump off and disconnect reactor I’m assuming I’ll get a siphon back down. So harvesting the algae might be tricky.

 

[vabben]

I have a similar setup. I installed ball valves and anti-drip push-lock couplings near my reactor. When it comes time to clean the reactor I turn the pump off, close the ball valves and disconnect the couplings and only have a couple drips of water come out.

Anti-drip push-lock couplings were from BRS (https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/barb-x-shutoff-push-lock-coupler.html). Ball valves were just from Lowes.

 

[Schumanistan]

I just picked up a RedSea Max E 170 and it has plumbing for a chiller. I was thinking of using this pre plumbed piping for a closed loop media reactor similar to what you have here. I have my eye on the Paxbellum N18. Hoping I can do the same thing you have!