DIY Calcium Reactor from Berlin Skimmers

[Jason McKenzie]

Love this DIY project. I had a local Reef Swap of frags and used hardware, last year. There where 9 used Berlin skimmers. After seeing this thread I really wish I picked a few up. I think I ended up selling mine for $30.00.

Did you ever cost out the different between using the old skimmers verses buying Acrylic tubes?

J

[dngspot]

The acrylic would have cost me about $60.00 the skimmers $20.00 for both.

[dngspot]

After coming home I found my CO2 bubble count went up. It is now at 57 bpm. Checking my Ph it is at 6.74 and my Alkalinity is at 27 dkh. I am dripping 20 ml which is about 2 drips a second. All of the figures are readings of my effluent. The tank Ph was at 8.2 which is .1 lower than yesterday. The Alkalinity in the tank is 10 dkh which is 1 dkh lower today. The Calcium is holding at 480.

I glued a small Glad Ware cup to the top of the effluent cup, so now the effluent will go into the small top cup then trickle into the larger cup. The reason I did this is so I could install a air stone. Hey folks it does work, in about 10 minutes the effluent Ph in the lower cup went from 6.74 to 7.5.
Here is a pic.

[dngspot]

My Magnesium is at 1250 ppm, ALK 10, PH 8.3 and Calcium is at 480. This is of last night. My ALK may be dropping because I am not dripping enough effluent. I am going to leave the reactor alone for a couple of days and see where the ALK ends up at.

[Matt Rogers]

I think you are on to it. It took me a while to dial mine in too.

[dngspot]

I have removed the vent line from the left chamber all together. I found myself leaving the valve closed all of the time. Those little black valves do not hold water very well. I have removed the one on the right chamber and installed a Gest valve.
Again the reason for not needing the left valve is any CO2 that develops at the top of the left chamber is blown through the top to the right side. Now only one line is needed. The right side works very well, when I started the units I forgot to turn the valve off to the venturi. It kept pulling air off of the top and sending it through the pump.
I would also like to add for those of you who have the smaller Berlin skimmers they could be used also. I started with two and felt that they where to small for my needs. My aim was not to refill the canisters any more than once every year if possible. With a 210g tank I think I would have been filling the smaller ones every six months. The general design would be the same.
These would be just as easy to build from raw materials too.

[Matt Rogers]

Guest valve is the way to go. I had one - accurate and easy to set.

[dngspot]

Current parameters. CO2 60 bpm, effluent 20 ml about 2 drips a second. Effluent Ph 6.7, Alk 30 dkh. The tank Ph 8.4, Alk 10 dkh, Calcium 480 ppm., and Mag 1250 ppm. I am going to leave it here and watch the Alk in the tank.
The corals are looking better than ever. Another week of this and they are going to be the happiest critters in the world.
2 things have made major changes in my tank, the first and best was the refigium, second Revive, I had a velvet problem that troubled me for a long time. Now right next to the refigium is the third, a calcium reactor. Way cool, I should have done this along time ago.

[dngspot]

The reactor is doing great. The coral growth is beyond my expectation. I am kicking myself for not doing this sooner.
I had a small problem that drained my CO2 tank. I was using what I thought was a better regulator. It came from a welder that is about 15 years old and has been out of service for at least 2 years. The diaphragm leaked and dumped the CO2 to atmosphere. I had another that came from my welder and was used a couple of times then replaced with a better flow meter. I installed it on the tank and it works way better. I can regulate to a lower pressure and the needle valve is not so sensitive. Go figure a name brand does not always do better than the off brand.
While the tank was down I painted it, could not stand the red.