Calcium Reactor - Would you go with Aquarium Plants Regulator or would you go with PH Controller and lesser brand reg and not bubble count

[mnml]

It's funny, I wrote it that way first, then I was like that can't be right lol, but it was.

So I would need any pump to feed the reactor then use the Para Pump to pull the water out of the reactor back into the tank.. do you all suggest a small pump to feed with something in the 300-400 gph range?

You won't need a feed pump. The peristaltic pump will create pressure enough to pull water from the sump/tank into the reactor.

 

[ScottW]

You won't need a feed pump. The peristaltic pump will create pressure enough to pull water from the sump/tank into the reactor.

Even better!! I just ordered the Kamoer

 

[mnml]

Side note, you can use one of these fittings to allow the use of RO tubing for the effluent line off the Kamoer.

 

[ScottW]

Side note, you can use one of these fittings to allow the use of RO tubing for the effluent line off the Kamoer.

Do you have a wide angle photo of your setup? I will order that fitting too, b/c I love having more of the hard line.

 

[mnml]

Do you have a wide angle photo of your setup? I will order that fitting too, b/c I love having more of the hard line.

I will take a few photos tonight.

 

[ScottW]

I will take a few photos tonight.

Thank you again!!!

 

[mnml]

Thank you again!!!

Here is my setup.

5lb CO2 tank. Be sure to use co2 rated tubing and put a check valve.

Aquamaxx Reactor

Kamoer FX-STP. I put check valves on both ends. The Blue tube is the inlet which is coming from the sump and into the reactor. The white tube is the effluent output going out. The Kamoer pulls water from the sump (skimmer chamber > reactor > Kamoer > sump (return chamber).
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[ScottW]

Here is my setup.

5lb CO2 tank. Be sure to use co2 rated tubing and put a check valve.

Aquamaxx Reactor

Kamoer FX-STP. I put check valves on both ends. The Blue tube is the inlet which is coming from the sump and into the reactor. The white tube is the effluent output going out. The Kamoer pulls water from the sump (skimmer chamber > reactor > Kamoer > sump (return chamber).
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Beautiful bro!!

where did you mount the line you are pulling the water from?

 

[bubblemytip]

Here is my setup.

5lb CO2 tank. Be sure to use co2 rated tubing and put a check valve.

Aquamaxx Reactor

Kamoer FX-STP. I put check valves on both ends. The Blue tube is the inlet which is coming from the sump and into the reactor. The white tube is the effluent output going out. The Kamoer pulls water from the sump (skimmer chamber > reactor > Kamoer > sump (return chamber).
Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Side note: I would worry about the Kamoer tubing splitting and then dripping water over the electricals. Maybe put a drip tray in place or move it?

 

[ScottW]

I am having this built and shipped Monday!! Thank you guys for helping me with this decision! I am beyond excited for it to come!! I’ll have everything else mid week, the reactor tomorrow. So by the weekend I’ll be done with this crappy 2 part dosing!!

 

[X-37B]

Heres my 10lb cylinder and dual stage.
Plan on running it 24/7 and use the solinoid to turn it off if power goes out or ph drops to low in the sump. Will be running a tunze 3171 once the need is there
Dosing 2 part now and its going up every week.

 

[Bpb]

My alanle built Concoa 312

 

[Water Dog]

Keep ‘em coming fellas... absolutely love the Alanle / DIY regulator shots!

 

[Will Wohlers]

On these 2 stage regs like the ones built by Alanle, that I have been looking at purchasing, I notice they don't come with bubble counters. If my reactor doesn't have a built in bc then where does one put the bubble counter at on the regulator assuming I purchased one.

 

[Water Dog]

Alan recommends this simple Fluval bubble counter. Here’s an instructional video with him using it...

 

[Water Dog]

Also, I wound not recommend using one of those bubble counters that attach to the regulator. They have notoriously cheap check valves that are prone to failure. On a cheap regulator with a cheap metering valve, I wouldnt care. But on these Alanle style regulators, we use very high quality, lab grade Swagelok, Hoke or Ideal low flow metering valves. I would hate to damage it with water intrusion due to a cheap check valve on a bubble counter. Thus, Alan recommends the above.

 

[mtfish]

My understanding that the carbondoser regulator is a single stage, while the others in this thread are dual stage regulators. The big difference is when the CO2 bottle is getting low on pressure, the single stage can not be as accurate and can dump the remainder of the bottle. This is not a problem with the dual stage.

 

[mnml]

Beautiful bro!!

where did you mount the line you are pulling the water from?

I have it in the middle chamber by the skimmer.

 

[mnml]

Side note: I would worry about the Kamoer tubing splitting and then dripping water over the electricals. Maybe put a drip tray in place or move it?

Good Call. I plan to tidy-up that area to make it more safe.

 

[Breadman03]

I'm happy with my CarbonDoser, but AlanLe is the way to go.

Here is my full stainless steel regulator that I built myself from reading the big Alanle custom DIY regulator build thread over on RC. I PM’d Alan a number of times when I had questions and he was very quick to respond.

I really respect him for building them for profit, yet doing everything he can to give others the info on how to do it.