DIY 2" PVC reactor with my own airline barb design

[MrMuggles]

I built a pretty standard chamber with 2" white pvc.




The interesting part is the air line connection for CO2, where I didn't like any of the existing options (and on a budget) so I designed and printed my own.




The beauty of this is the filament choice - ASA is like ABS in almost every way except that it is easier to print (ABS being notoriously hard to work with).

But other important stuff that matters is exactly like ABS - like strength plus solubility in plumbing cement. Second pic above is a picture of a test print that I welded to scrap PVC.

Airline barb STL file for download: aquatic_prints/Airline PVC Barb 0_25in v1.stl at main · readysetawesome/aquatic_prints

 

[GreggZ]

I built a pretty standard chamber with 2" white pvc.

View attachment 1716


The interesting part is the air line connection for CO2, where I didn't like any of the existing options (and on a budget) so I designed and printed my own.

View attachment 1715


The beauty of this is the filament choice - ASA is like ABS in almost every way except that it is easier to print (ABS being notoriously hard to work with).

But other important stuff that matters is exactly like ABS - like strength plus solubility in plumbing cement. Second pic above is a picture of a test print that I welded to scrap PVC.

Airline barb STL file for download: aquatic_prints/Airline PVC Barb 0_25in v1.stl at main · readysetawesome/aquatic_prints

Keep and eye on this. ABS/ASA prints in general are porous and not water tight. They can even be used in vacuum form molding because of the porosity. You might consider trying to seal it with something. Then again in the way this will be used there might not be much risk. I look forward to seeing how it works out.

 

[MrMuggles]

Keep and eye on this. ABS/ASA prints in general are porous and not water tight. They can even be used in vacuum form molding because of the porosity. You might consider trying to seal it with something. Then again in the way this will be used there might not be much risk. I look forward to seeing how it works out.

indeed! in the past I have used an acetone wash step to properly seal ASA/ABS prints, which also puts a gorgeous mirror shine on the object. Initially there was a tiny leak between the hose and barb tip partly because I used thick layers for extra print strength and this creates deeper ridges. That was resolved by wrapping the tip in ptfe tape, but this 100% would be resolved more elegantly by an acetone wash.

In general with this filament I use extra thick walls/100% infill to deal with watertightness, that seems to work for simple shapes. But yeah, virtually nothing is exposed when it's all fitted together, pretty forgiving in this application.

 

[MrMuggles]

It seems to work! Holding pH steady and there's only a few little bubbles at the returns. I have some tuning to do, have not ruled out a bypass. but I'm hoping after I add spraybars next week, I get it tuned to work bubble-free without a bypass.

 

[MrMuggles]

Thank you @GreggZ for recommending everyone do this in the thread about best/worst aquarium purchases.


What an easy project and a great result... No more snowglobe!

I have a degassed sample from early AM, I compared with pH after lights on today and it looks perfect.

Consumption is now 7-8bps, down from 10-11bps

 

[anewbie]

Only indirectly related but I have questions; i'm currently building a reactor out of a 2 foot water filter - but i'm a bit confused how it will work. I have already made the piece for injecting the co2 but why does sending co2 into what is basically a jar with a tube that goes to the bottom diffuse the co2 better than a diffuser. It occurred to me that i could put a diffuser in the jar if that would help (no clue if it would) - i'll take pictures monday or tuesday to show you. I think the whole thing cost around $60 with the bulk being $50 for the 'jar' as i call it. I gotta say it is large like 2 feet tall but still pretty expensive for a jar.

 

[GreggZ]

Only indirectly related but I have questions; i'm currently building a reactor out of a 2 foot water filter - but i'm a bit confused how it will work. I have already made the piece for injecting the co2 but why does sending co2 into what is basically a jar with a tube that goes to the bottom diffuse the co2 better than a diffuser. It occurred to me that i could put a diffuser in the jar if that would help (no clue if it would) - i'll take pictures monday or tuesday to show you. I think the whole thing cost around $60 with the bulk being $50 for the 'jar' as i call it. I gotta say it is large like 2 feet tall but still pretty expensive for a jar.

I assume you are making a Cerges reactor. If so here is how it works. The CO2 bubbles are trying to rise against the downward flow. This causes them to dissolve. Once they are dissolved they go up the main tube in the middle and exit. As to how well they work it depends the amount of flow and pressure inside the reactor in relation to the amount of CO2 being introduced. So sizing is important. In a larger tank with more CO2 you need a bigger reactor to get everything fully dissolved. In my 120G I use a 20" water filter housing and I never see a single CO2 bubble ever.

I hope that helps.

 

[MrMuggles]

I, too, thought surely I would need a diffuser in the reactor tube. But then I read Rex G's pages on rotalabutterly and he asserted what was stated above here. I was amazed at how big chonky bubbles just disappear in there with pressure and flow.

 

[Immortal1]

Only indirectly related but I have questions; i'm currently building a reactor out of a 2 foot water filter - but i'm a bit confused how it will work. I have already made the piece for injecting the co2 but why does sending co2 into what is basically a jar with a tube that goes to the bottom diffuse the co2 better than a diffuser. It occurred to me that i could put a diffuser in the jar if that would help (no clue if it would) - i'll take pictures monday or tuesday to show you. I think the whole thing cost around $60 with the bulk being $50 for the 'jar' as i call it. I gotta say it is large like 2 feet tall but still pretty expensive for a jar.

Above is an older video of my Cerges reactor. Kinda gives a video version of what @GreggZ is talking about.
Water from your canister filter/pump, along with CO2 gas enters the reactor. The CO2 gas stays at the top of the reactor until the incoming water dissolves it. Water exits the reactor at the bottom, end then up the center tube, out to the aquarium.

 

[anewbie]

I assume you are making a Cerges reactor. If so here is how it works. The CO2 bubbles are trying to rise against the downward flow. This causes them to dissolve. Once they are dissolved they go up the main tube in the middle and exit. As to how well they work it depends the amount of flow and pressure inside the reactor in relation to the amount of CO2 being introduced. So sizing is important. In a larger tank with more CO2 you need a bigger reactor to get everything fully dissolved. In my 120G I use a 20" water filter housing and I never see a single CO2 bubble ever.

I hope that helps.

View attachment 1744

Thanks - the tank is a 550 and the pump will range between 300 and 800 gph (i mean it can be set in that range). If you prefer that i make my own thread let me know else i will post the pictures here later this week - i've been testing it with air and pails in the bath-tub for leaks.