DIY Chaeto reactor

[Charlie G]

Hi all,

Hoping someone can help.

am in the process of starting a DIY Chaeto reactor for my Biocube 32 and a 10 gallon tank I have. Both are with an Aquamaxx media reactor.

For my Biocube the reactor will be under the stand. I did put valves on each of the tubes close to the reactor. I am concerned about siphoning when I need to open the chamber as it is below the DT. My question is how do you change out or remove some of the Chaeto? Once I open the reactor will water flow out? Although the valves are somewhat close to the chamber there will be some water in the tubing. Any suggestions?

For the 10 gallon tank the Aquamaxx reactor will hang off the back. I don’t have any valves on the tubing but I don’t think I will have a siphon effect as the reactor will be above the tank. Wondering if there is something I need to do here when I unscrew the lid to remove Chaeto to avoid spilling water.

I will post pictures of both.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[reefsaver]

Run an independent pump to the chaeto reactor brother. Then when you want to change out the Chaeto or remove some, you simply unplug or flip the switch for the reactors pump. Then take what you want out. Impressive by the way looks very clean.
Honestly I’d of made something similar but I had this LED light on hand and decided to go a dirtier route and just added an algae refugium to my sump.

 

[Charlie G]

Thanks for responding. Thanks for the compliment. I watched a few videos and did what they did. I don’t have a sump so it goes in my second chamber of my AIO. I do have a separate pump on my reactor. My worry is that when I turn my reactor pump off and open up the lid will water flow out?

 

[reefsaver]

It might have a little splash but when you turn off the pump, the water level inside the reactor will backflow down the pump to the sumps water level. Is this so if you can save the compartment space and mount it outside the tank right? As long as the tubing is running down it should backfeed by gravity to the pump that drives the water through it so I'm 80% sure it won't be full to the top of the reactor when you turn the pump off, then open it.
I was thinking maybe if it's pressurized enough to hold the water in there you could probably add something like an air valve to let the gravity feed start before opening although I don't think you will need that I'm not entirely sure.

 

[Charlie G]

Not sure. The reactor is below the DT so if I turn off the pump the portion of the water running up to exit my tank may flow back but the water in the portion of the tubing running down into the chamber (below my DT) will have water in it. So will the exit tubing running up into my DT. I did put valves on both tubes (in and out flow) close to the reactor to stop a large portion of the backflow but there is still water in the reactor and some in the portion of the tube after the valves.

I will just have to test it. I will try after work today if I have the time.

 

[dmsc2fs]

When you open it you won't get a lot of water that overflows. You will get a ton of it the first time you don't think it through and you drop your big-ole arm into it to pull cheato out. If you can, run the hoses long enough to get it out of the sump and on the ground. After that, you can pull it from the sump and set it into a pail, bucket, container, etc. Spilled water is part of your water change after that.

Oh, and I did something similar but I didn't put a valve in the line until after it was deployed. That was "fun" trying to get a valve installed after line was charged. You are at least a step ahead.

 

[Charlie G]

Thanks. Lol. I guess I may be a little ahead of the game but that’s why I stared at my equipment for months before even trying.
And I’m sure I’m going to make a mess anyway. There always seems to be that ‘oh I didn’t think about that’ portion to some tasks in this hobby. But that’s how we learn.
Thanks.