Phosban Reactor

[allan]

Ok, here we go. I had a large piece of cruddy acrylic sitting in my garage and several hours to kill... and I need a phosban reactor. This is what I made which I guess saved me about 24 dollars so definitely not the way to go if you are trying to save a dollar... plus, not even sure it'll work.

First I cut the sheet down into six inch sections which I used a hot air gun (used for shrink tubing in electronic wiring) to heat and slowly bend the shape of the baffles. Oh yeah, I didn't want to fool with the tube so I took an idea that I read somewhere about a year ago on how to make an overflow and I modified that to suit my nefarious designs.



I took pictures at each bend, but quickly grew bored with the whole mailing to yahoo and then downloading to the computer followed by uploading to photobucket so all you get is this one picture half way through.



Ok, here's the final bend and I'll attempt to walk you through this. To the left is the incoming section where the water will come in. I will be placing a baffle to the right of that section to prevent the phosban material from passively filtering. The bottom of the baffle will be vented to ensure water flows under rather than over the baffle forcing the water to go through the phosban stuff... Pictures of the baffles below;



Ok, below is the picture of the PR after I glued the sides on it. I used the aquarium safe silicone and mashed it over 24 hours with a ten pound... ahem, a fifty five pound dumbbell. Here's a lesson I'd like to pass on to you folks, don't rely on this. Use a vice clamp. I've got a few but never used them as I figured that the weight would be sufficient. This was not so, there were numerous sections in the important part where the seal was punctuated by a gaping hole. More sealant another 24 hours and I moved into the routing part.



Another lesson... unless you enjoy acrylic in your coffee don't put your cup next to your work while routing. Wow, thought I had a mocha cappuccino when I was through. I free handed the top side, but the bottom I had a ball bearing bit that allowed me to trim the excess.



Dry run above, put water into it to check flow and below is a picture with the material in place. The section has the phosban material, the bottom section with similar baffles has the activated charcoal. I placed both in a filter bag for easy removal although this wasn't my original intent.



I have an Aqua Lift pump that I planned on using to move water from the display to the reactor... but then discovered (or belatedly realized) that using a siphon through small tubing from the display to the fuge return section would be sufficient. And it works!

I haven't calculated how much flow I'm getting through the device, but I plan on checking that soon... maybe tomorrow after Avatar. I can slow the flow by cinching a knot that I placed in the line and increasing flow would be by adding another siphon line.

By the way, the picture below belongs up higher over the other one where I've routed the sides to size...

Will it work?

[hobogato]

interested to see how this works.... does the water flow from the bottom - up thru the media?

[Europhyllia]

apparently you like doing things after all! ;)

[txav8r]

I thought about calling you today to come check out your tank progress. Now I really wish I would have called. Would loved to have checked out the PR in person.

Instead I did a water change and flooded my living room.

[allan]

I thought about calling you today to come check out your tank progress. Now I really wish I would have called. Would loved to have checked out the PR in person.

Instead I did a water change and flooded my living room.

Ouch! I did lose a little water when my rodi overfilled my bucket but thanks to a near hysterical wife yelling at me I got it before the water puddle left the carpet.

Ace, looking at the picture where the PR is sitting on the table top, water comes into it on the far right. The baffle first baffle is vented at the bottom, so all of the water that spills over to the lower chamber (charcoal) must flow through and around the phosban material. There is a similar vented baffle in the lower chamber to ensure water traveling through and around the charcoal.

Originally I had planned on the material to sit in the chambers without the sock, but overestimated the grain size. To ensure none gets into the sump I used the filter.

Karin, don't get me wrong I really don't like doing stuff. But this kind of stuff is pretty cool, thus not really work. I was supposed to change the brakes on Gloria's truck, but never got around to it.

[joelb]

nice job allan! looks good.

[Europhyllia]

I was supposed to change the brakes on Gloria's truck, but never got around to it.

Eek. Had this image in my mind of Gloria racing down a mountain in a car without breaks. Priorities, Allan, PRIORITIES! (or at least an appointment at Midas or something...)