300 gallon tank - the project begins!

[The Rat]

Too many goodies
Can't wait to see your reactor up and running.
The reefkeeper controller what a cool piece of kit that is I would love to have that controler but they do not make one in 240Volt.

Take it easy on that knee but keep us updated

thx
Rat

 

[NOLAGT]

Too many goodies
Can't wait to see your reactor up and running.
The reefkeeper controller what a cool piece of kit that is I would love to have that controler but they do not make one in 240Volt.

Take it easy on that knee but keep us updated

thx
Rat

You should go on there support forum and post that. They are the type of company that like to hear what the customer wants and actually maybe do it. There is a thread on there site for the customers to post future ideas they want on the RKE. Go on there and tell them to hook the 240v peeps up!

 

[LowCel]

Just finished up a 40% water change. While I was at it I decided to hook up the media reactor. I decided that I didn't really need a ball valve so I just did it the quick and easy way, I just used some half inch tubing so it only took a few minutes. The most time consuming part of the job was rinsing the carbon. I also took a picture so I can keep track of how the reactor works.

I'll be adding the UV sterilizer to the output of the reactor once I sell my old tank stand.

 

[ozpkchris]

so exactly does the media reator work, is water pumped through it from the sump?
how? gravity a pump, and you just fill it with more media? sorry if its stupid i just never heard of them before, and i see them popping up all over.
i dont want to miss a chance to waste my money on sumthing cool

 

[LowCel]

I have a pump in the sump providing water to the first chamber of the reactor. The water goes in through the top, down the pipe in (in middle of reactor) the reactor to the bottom of the reactor. The water then flows up through the media and is pushed out the top of the reactor. That water then flows over to the second chamber where it all happens again. Once it goes through both reactors it returns to the sump.

By the water flowing up through the media rather than down through it there is more even distribution through the media so it doesn't end up going the same route all the time and not taking advantage of all of the media.

I'm not sure if this is the best description in the world but it's a start.

 

[tcarswell]

Nice its on like donkey kong! How do you like it ? Water clarity should be top notch in 24 hours or less. Let me know how it works so I can get me a mini reactor

 

[LowCel]

So far I have noticed a small increase in clarity. I'm hoping that by this time tomorrow it will be much clearer. Only time will tell.

It was very easy to hook up after I decided to uncomplicate things by just going with the hose instead of pvc. The other bonus is I get to take back about $20 worth of pvc goodies. I am really looking forward to getting the UV sterilizer.

 

[ozpkchris]

what kind of flow/pump is it being pushed at,

i mean i want to under stand why people are willing to spend all that dough for something i think i do fairly cheep

my return line off my pump is split-the split water goes through a clear pvc tube witch contains media, then back to the sump
am i missing the point or are we talking a bout similar thinks here with the exception of different flow patterns in the reactor,
i see you used carbon why not just throw a ton of carbon in a media bag and put it in your sump opposed to all this
btw im not thring to knock you i think your setup is unreal, im just tryin to pick your brain

 

[LowCel]

what kind of flow/pump is it being pushed at,

i mean i want to under stand why people are willing to spend all that dough for something i think i do fairly cheep

my return line off my pump is split-the split water goes through a clear pvc tube witch contains media, then back to the sump
am i missing the point or are we talking a bout similar thinks here with the exception of different flow patterns in the reactor,
i see you used carbon why not just throw a ton of carbon in a media bag and put it in your sump opposed to all this
btw im not thring to knock you i think your setup is unreal, im just tryin to pick your brain

I am using a ViaAqua 1300 pump that is rated at around 300 gph including head height. Once accounting for the media I am guessing it is around 200 gph.

The way my sump is designed I would never be able to get this much media in it. In my final chamber the water level is only about 3". For the price of this reactor it is very hard to beat. I probably could have built a diy type but I doubt it would have been as easy to maintain or to view the media to see if it is time to recharge it.

On top of all that, I'm a gadget geek and I think this one looks really cool under my tank.

 

[NOLAGT]

So far I have noticed a small increase in clarity. I'm hoping that by this time tomorrow it will be much clearer. Only time will tell.

It was very easy to hook up after I decided to uncomplicate things by just going with the hose instead of pvc. The other bonus is I get to take back about $20 worth of pvc goodies. I am really looking forward to getting the UV sterilizer.

Thats how I tried to do mine...the easy way with no crazy ball valves and pvc all over.

That is a nice reactor but I dont really have room for one of those. The last of my floor space is going to be for 2 trash cans for top off water. So what I was going to use was a small Kent unit that was 60 bucks but it came in broke. And I found another one that looks to be the same as the kent unit but can be had for 35 bucks. For that price im going to buy 2 and fill one with phos stuff and one with carbon.
http://www.aquacave.com/phos-ban-media-reactor-brby-two-little-fishes-357.html#