Diy chaeto reactor?

[Tathamet]

So what did you use for the return hose that goes back into the sump/tank to secure it? Or did you just shove it in the sump and it’s stayed?

Trying to figure Out a way to secure the reactor return line into the back of my AIO tank.

My led strip lights arrive tomorrow

My reactor is right next to my tank so I have maybe a 6-8ish inch piece of 1/2” ID hose that just hangs into the back using the curve that the hose had from being rolled up. It shouldn’t come out at all unless maybe if I knock the reactor over hard. even if I knock it I think the hoses are rigid enough to keep it from falling.

My AIO compartments are pretty tiny too so the hoses don’t have much room to move with the other equipment I have back there. I actually had to pull out my diy water bottle skimmer just to fit the pump in for the reactor lol.

I would take a picture for you but I’m out of town for 2 weeks. In the meantime I’ve changed the reactors photoperiod to 1 hour a day. Hopefully nothing bad happens while I’m away!

one thing that may work for you (depending on where your reactor is located) is a piece of rigid candy cane shaped hose that usually comes with canister filters (can’t remember what they’re called). You can hang those right over the back.

 

[Amstar]

Nice - so is it working out? Why down to 1 hour a day? Just while your on vacation? Any issue with heat from the led lights?

 

[Tathamet]

Nice - so is it working out? Why down to 1 hour a day? Just while your on vacation? Any issue with heat from the led lights?

Yep it was working way faster than expected and I haven’t had the chance to tune it so it doesn’t strip the tank. Basically I’m trying to keep the light off while I’m away but turning it on for an hour so the algae doesn’t die and spike my tank.

I checked nitrates and phosphates I think on day 8 or 9. nitrates were undetectable and phosphates were down to 0.04 already from 0.12 (day one with reactor). I did a 10% water change on day 7.

Before the reactor, I was fighting 0.16 and rising phosphates with 50% water changes/week. Sometimes twice a week.

as for heat no I don’t have much of a problem with heat on the lowest setting. But I do still have a heating and cooling thermostat controller on my tank. Never tested the light without it.