ponyrandy

I was also curious has to how much it cost but never sat still long enough to figure it out. I will try to make that a project this weekend and will post the cost. One way to save a lot is to use plain old white PVC for the body, as the clear was rather expensive, but I think it was well worth it to be able to watch it work. Home depot and Lowes had most of the common stuff but I wound up buying a lot of stuff off of the internet from places that were recommended on this site. I will try and post that info too. I think that all of this stuff could definitely be substituted for plastic to save $, I just liked the durability of the brass.
Brian

j_m_lizard

I made this years ago when setting up my 37 gallon - found plans on The Krib. it works great, and it was cheap and easy to make! I paid a few extra bucks, and bought a 2" union fitting and installed it in the middle of the reactor body, so I can actually take mine apart and clean it if necessary. I have it on the intake side of my filter, since I've found it greatly decreases flow when put on the output side.

-Jared

gotcheaprice

Last time I went to home depot, there wasn't really any short PVC pipes. They were all long like 10-15 or something like that D:. I only saw a bunch of T's connectors etc. Was I looking in the wrong place? Also, they won't have clear pvc piping will they?

hoppycalif

Clear PVC is a product made primarily for the food industry, if I recall correctly, so hardware stores don't usually stock it. You can order short lengths of it on the internet. Regular PVC pipe is available in short lengths at smaller local hardware stores, in my experience, but not at building supply places like Home Depot.

ponyrandy

Okay, I finally found all of the receipts so here is a parts list, a supplier list, and a price list:



1. ( I originally bought a female hose barb fitting to go directly on the check valve but the barb was
too small, so it was replaced with a male hose barb fitting and a coupler)
1/4" brass coupler 1.93
1/4" MPT x 1/8" brass hose barb 2.36

2. 1/4" MPT x 1/4" MPT brass compact ball check valve 15.09

3. 1/4" MPT x 1/4" FPT x 1/4" FPT brass tee 2.74

4. 1/4" MPT x 1/4" FPT miniature brass ball valve 11.40

5. 1/2" MPT x 1/4" FPT brass reducer 2.46

6. 1/2" MPT x 1/2" hosebarb brass nipple 2.83

7. 1" x 1/2" FPT PVC reducer .73

8. 1" x 1" x 1/2" FPT PVC elbow 1.84

9. 1" x 2 1/4" long piece of PVC pipe (had to buy 10' piece) 3.11

10. 2" x 1" PVC reducer 1.12

11. 2" PVC coupler .92

12. 2" x 8" long clear PVC pipe (had to buy 12") 9.44

13. 1/2" MPT x 1/2" hosebarb brass nipple 2.83

14. 1/2" brass street elbow 5.58

15. 2" x 1/2" FPT PVC reducer 1.10

16. 2" x 2" x 2" PVC sanitary tee 1.44

17. 2" PVC clean out 1.68

PVC cement 1.94

Sales Tax 2.65

Shipping Charges 15.20
____________

GRAND TOTAL 88.69


The clear PVC pipe (12) was ordered through Aquatic Eco-Systems, Inc.
(www.aquaticeco.com)

The check valve (2), the brass tee (3), and the ball valve (4) were all ordered from McMaster-Carr.
(www.mcmaster.com)

Everything else was purchased locally from Lowe's.

Brian

hoppycalif

If I remember correctly my reactor price list was similar to yours. It always seems to be the smallest detail parts that jack the price up. In the simplest form this reactor is still very cheap - it is the little details that make it better that also raise the price.

ponyrandy

Yeah, I agree Hoppy. I could have saved $15 by not getting the fancy check valve, but I feel better with it. Using regular PVC instead of clear could have saved another $20 when you consider the $15 worth of shipping it took to get it. Using plastic 1/4" and 1/2" fittings would have saved at least another $15, but again I feel a lot better with the brass. When I built mine, I went for what I thought was the best, and I feel like it was a bargain for what I got, not to mention the fun I had designing and building it. Its funny though, someone will spend $200+ for a great cannister filter, another $200+ for a top notch co2 system, but when it comes to the reactor no one wants to spend over $25. But on the other hand, its ok to drop $50 on the latest ADA diffuser.
Brian

ponyrandy

Okay, so I just looked at the prices for ADA diffusers. My reactor really is a bargain!
Brian

gotcheaprice

Alrighty, my mom is finally letting me order the co2 regulator. I'm gonna be order the solenoid version from rex grigg(though I'm really really tempted to order the manual one, persuade me someone!), and gonna build my reactor soon.
I'm also gonna order this bubble counter from aq magic
http://cgi.ebay.com/Gamba-XII-Japane...QQcmdZViewItem
Also tempted to get a rhinox 5000 since I like the looks of a diffuser xD

Rex Grigg

ponyrandy.

That's a LOT of parts. I have a design with only 7 parts. And I can build several reactors for what you spent. And I have no brass parts.

Wow. Almost $90 for a DIY reactor. That's got to be a record.