Well I decided to build my own recirculating bio pellet reactor. After looking at a few threads online, I realized it was pretty simple. A pump, a valve, and a couple Uniseals.
Parts list :
-Vertex 2.0 reactor (bought this brand new for my current tank, but realized it was too damm big) $100
-sicce syncra 2.0 $95
-2x 1/2" uniseals $4
-spears schedule 80 double union ball valve $30
-1/2" pvc and a few fittings.$10
Reed dynamics sells a similar sized reactor for $400, so I would say I'm doing pretty good. In all honestly, I bet it will take me an hour to drill the holes, measure and cut pvc, then glue everything together. Plus I think the vertex reactor looks way cooler then the reef dynamics reactor....we all know how important that is.![Wink ;) ;)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Here's the parts I've got so far
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2FDAA36B1C-7D93-4A80-A845-6A3490DAB051_zpsjzxpasze.jpg&hash=4c1d1a5f6a7d97fccb36eaf53d86b807)
Already had a step bit that I've used for previous projects, gunna use that to drill the reactor for the uniseals.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2FC5EEE40D-210C-4CE2-8DFD-A20710326B97_zps8odszsxv.jpg&hash=a6ab9ce6d3bd66ca1c0c96af04f29889)
Vertex reactor already has a nice valve for adjusting effluent
1/2" uniseals
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2F99AC3B44-783F-4570-AA71-84AC2E0000FB_zps8t61raus.jpg&hash=963041ca420e5a8ae70ba8fbf6bde2d3)
Spears is the best.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2FD7EC7F30-DDDF-47CF-9022-7457BD90E670_zpsg740vx8b.jpg&hash=cc4dad12402f83549283906d1a11cc98)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2FE016B220-83C2-4E5F-8CC9-3E115F677EF8_zpszxmjbuxx.jpg&hash=cb468d07701903172b2650cfa1bde4e8)
Sicce pumps are awesome, this model has 1/2" threads. Not as common as u would think
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2F624B4454-C2D7-40A9-B1C7-E471B7F364FF_zpshxpbc48s.jpg&hash=ecff857a62f1904a33f0b54104592595)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2F6F2E1E4A-FE9F-472F-A0AB-ABFE08514CB7_zps1bwoezom.jpg&hash=5fe0db1dacf56cee2d6660549acbd72d)
Thanks to the guys at coral gazers for hooking me up with all the parts. Makes it a lot easier to do builds like this when I can get everything I need at one shop!
Parts list :
-Vertex 2.0 reactor (bought this brand new for my current tank, but realized it was too damm big) $100
-sicce syncra 2.0 $95
-2x 1/2" uniseals $4
-spears schedule 80 double union ball valve $30
-1/2" pvc and a few fittings.$10
Reed dynamics sells a similar sized reactor for $400, so I would say I'm doing pretty good. In all honestly, I bet it will take me an hour to drill the holes, measure and cut pvc, then glue everything together. Plus I think the vertex reactor looks way cooler then the reef dynamics reactor....we all know how important that is.
Here's the parts I've got so far
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2FDAA36B1C-7D93-4A80-A845-6A3490DAB051_zpsjzxpasze.jpg&hash=4c1d1a5f6a7d97fccb36eaf53d86b807)
Already had a step bit that I've used for previous projects, gunna use that to drill the reactor for the uniseals.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2FC5EEE40D-210C-4CE2-8DFD-A20710326B97_zps8odszsxv.jpg&hash=a6ab9ce6d3bd66ca1c0c96af04f29889)
Vertex reactor already has a nice valve for adjusting effluent
1/2" uniseals
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2F99AC3B44-783F-4570-AA71-84AC2E0000FB_zps8t61raus.jpg&hash=963041ca420e5a8ae70ba8fbf6bde2d3)
Spears is the best.
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2FD7EC7F30-DDDF-47CF-9022-7457BD90E670_zpsg740vx8b.jpg&hash=cc4dad12402f83549283906d1a11cc98)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2FE016B220-83C2-4E5F-8CC9-3E115F677EF8_zpszxmjbuxx.jpg&hash=cb468d07701903172b2650cfa1bde4e8)
Sicce pumps are awesome, this model has 1/2" threads. Not as common as u would think
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2F624B4454-C2D7-40A9-B1C7-E471B7F364FF_zpshxpbc48s.jpg&hash=ecff857a62f1904a33f0b54104592595)
![](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fi1230.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fee497%2Fnickfrick66%2F6F2E1E4A-FE9F-472F-A0AB-ABFE08514CB7_zps1bwoezom.jpg&hash=5fe0db1dacf56cee2d6660549acbd72d)
Thanks to the guys at coral gazers for hooking me up with all the parts. Makes it a lot easier to do builds like this when I can get everything I need at one shop!