Okay sweet. I want to diy my next ones to save some money and fit to my needs better.
Welcome to ScapeCrunch
We are ScapeCrunch, the place where planted aquarium hobbyists come to build relationships and support each other. When you're tired of doom scrolling, you've found your home here.
Journal 40B MTS Nature Aquarium
- Thread starter Mr.Shenanagins
- Start date
- Featured
- Tagged users None
- Thread starter
- #322
I needed to accommodate space so that’s why my pipe diameter is much larger, but overall length is shorter. Granted, this build actually was closer to $90 because of the end caps. $18 each I was pissed. I tried looking for a canister I could work with online for a decent price but to no avail. And price also reflects that I didn’t have anything to start with, to include the glue, silicone, tubing etc.
- Thread starter
- #324
Holy crap!?!?!?! Why were they so much. I just looked them up for me and they are $8/ea for 4"
- Thread starter
- #326
So I did find cheaper caps in the sewer pipe section outside, BUT, they weren’t slip fit. They were the same ID as the friggen 4” pipe.
Maybe that's why.
I've had good success with a combination of a couple of wraps of Teflon tape followed by a light coat of Rectorseal no. 5. One nice thing about the Rectorseal is that it can be placed into service immediately.
Id keep an eye on that. PVC solvent melts the two pieces of PVC together. I know silicon doesn't bond well to acrylic, not sure about pvc.
The 3/4" MPT to 5/8" barbed PVC fitting i had to order was $10 for two. All other fittings i was able to get at Lowes for cheap at least.
I was thinking is that 4" pvc or are those baby hands! Haha
The 3/4" MPT to 5/8" barbed PVC fitting i had to order was $10 for two. All other fittings i was able to get at Lowes for cheap at least.
I was thinking is that 4" pvc or are those baby hands! Haha
techman81
Valuable Member
You can still get these older vertical reactors on AliExpress for under $30. I purchased one before I knew about the newer versions on ARC and so never used it. I thought about modifying it but already have parts to do a full build.
I'm sure you already saw it, but in case you didn't or anyone else viewing this thread) I turned these into a horizontal reactor:
Easy and Cheap DIY Horizontal reactor (Yugang Reactor) from an existing vertical reactor
Also, I currently use a $90 USD Netlea Prefilter (with only one modification, a 1/4" tubing bulkhead) as a horizontal reactor in my 90S build:
Lots of cheap options out there! All you need is a water/airtight container with a hose in and out, and a way to inject CO2. I've been really interested in the idea of some large airtight storage containers for this purpose...
- Thread starter
- #333
I did! Enjoyed it thoroughly, but I was going for a specific size per Yugangs recommendations from the math. The premade sizes you’ll either be over sized for your setup or undersized I guess isn’t gripe with that, unless I’m off base?
I was sharing more for @techman81 but I'm glad you saw it too
I totally get aiming for a specific size. Undersizing is the only real issue you can face; if using an off-center "exit", on a larger reactor, then you will always be able to rotate it to adjust the power as needed, so as long as your reactor has an off-center exit there's no such thing as too "oversized" unless going to an extreme size haha.
In your case, if you built the exit to be in the center of the reactor, then yeah you will have to size it appropriately and also run the reactor in overflow mode only, but that's how most people are probably using these reactors. Hope this makes sense
Future reference if it's just the flat 4 inch end cap , - Thread starter
- #336
Well this is the problem, there were flat end caps at Lowe’s. The problem was the ID difference. The flat caps wouldn’t fit the Charlotte pvc pipe.
- Thread starter
- #337
Don’t mind my janky way of mounting this puppy lol, but I just started experimenting with it. It’s running silently as expected. I was gonna paint it but my sump area is so discombobulated I didn’t bother wasting time on the aesthetics, maybe I’ll paint it when I upgrade in the future to a low iron rimless.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #339
If your questioning my upgrade comment, I plan to acquire a Landen 90p and that will also be drilled and sumped.
