DIY Macro Reactor

[xclusive252]

I would also like to know how you got the case for all of this

 

[reefs4life]

I would just take the rod to a welder and have him weld a play to the top of the rod and add a CPU heat sink there small and very easy to get and if you wanted to could add the fan and max the cooling of it.

What's a play? I could probably weld it myself. I appreciate the suggestion btw, and I'm glad I finally got a useful and on topic reply lol so thank you

I would also like to know how you got the case for all of this

By the case you mean the reactor that I have in the picture?

 

[Nottick]

I don't think it needs a heat sink because they're designed to be used without one. The water inside the tube regardless will pickup some residual heat. I'm also pretty sure they're on a 3m tape backing which would make thermal paste useless unless you unsolder the chip and mount it directly to the heat sink since the board they're mounted on doesn't provide a lot of thermal conductivity to transfer heat into the heatsink. My opinion

 

[reefs4life]

I don't think it needs a heat sink because they're designed to be used without one. The water inside the tube regardless will pickup some residual heat. I'm also pretty sure they're on a 3m tape backing which would make thermal paste useless unless you unsolder the chip and mount it directly to the heat sink since the board they're mounted on doesn't provide a lot of thermal conductivity to transfer heat into the heatsink. My opinion

I appreciate your input and understand your point. However, I am going off of what Pax has already built and it seems like that's probably working for them so I figured it would be a good way of doing it.

Additionally, the thermal paste wouldn't be for the LEDs to the heatsink. I want to just wedge the aluminum rod into the cooling head but I was going to use thermal paste between the two if that would allow better heat transfer

 

[Nottick]

Can't hurt either way so go for it! Haha

 

[reefs4life]

Yeah I guess I'll just experiment and see how it goes with the LEDs. Luckily I have 16 feet of LEDs so I have 7-8 tries lol

All materials come in on Thursday and I have plenty of time to build it all that day. Let see how it goes.

Anyone know of a hobby shop in the area where I can go see these cooling heads in person? Looking for one around 3-4" in diameter

 

[xclusive252]

Can you take pics and tell how you made it and location to the parts. I'm interested in trying it out.

 

[reefs4life]

Can you take pics and tell how you made it and location to the parts. I'm interested in trying it out.

Sure can, that was the idea behind this thread. I wanted suggestions on making it as efficient as possible. Most of the stuff I got is either from eBay, Amazon or The Home Depot. I'll get into details once I get everything just to make sure it looks good lol

 

[xclusive252]

What do you think the total cost would be

 

[Dan_P]

Technically it is patent infringement. However I'm not going to sue over DIY guys trying to make there own ARID like system. If someone did start selling them that's another story. Common courtesy is to ask permission if you can use someone's intellectual property for your own use.

I would be interested in reading the patents. Are they published? Thanks.

 

[xclusive252]

And to be honest I dont see how someone trying to save a few $ in making an item at home is harm if anything it does show how some ppl do like the item but the cost is alittle to high to grow chaeto. In my opinion (which aint worth alot lol) let him build and maybe he comes up with an idea you like and can hire him or maybe lower the cost of the reactors. I know of someone in this hobby that alrdy has one of those chaeto reactors long before it was published but he doesnt use chemicals or additives just light and flow. I like the idea of the reactor and I am not hating on either side but DIY is something no company can stop look on Youtube there is millions of DIY projects for this hobby and other hobbies. Good luck to the company and Even more luck the the DIYers out there

 

[Greagzter]

Technically it is patent infringement. However I'm not going to sue over DIY guys trying to make there own ARID like system. If someone did start selling them that's another story. Common courtesy is to ask permission if you can use someone's intellectual property for your own use.

First of you might be very ill-informed about the judicial process, the time and expenses it bares, not to mention the negative effect it will have on the reputation of a freshly introduced company such as yours.
You also have mention something about patent and the process, design and alterations. Well guess what you are using one of the most common designs for a reactor base with the addition of LEDS! I wonder if you had the "common courtesy" to obtain any permission to do that? Probably didnt need to.
Honestly any self-respecting company would not even comment on a post in DIY section of this or any other forum. I will stop here, since its taking too much time writing this in the civil manner.

 

[ravi197699]

I have made my reactor out of my large skimmate collector and in stead of adding light on the inside I bought 3 meter water proof SMD red led flexible tape and wrapped around reactor from the outside, Adding light on the inside will not have much light but outside will have more smd bulbs, I will post pictures soon...

 

[reefs4life]

I have made my reactor out of my large skimmate collector and in stead of adding light on the inside I bought 3 meter water proof SMD red led flexible tape and wrapped around reactor from the outside, Adding light on the inside will not have much light but outside will have more smd bulbs, I will post pictures soon...

I was thinking of doing that to mine but turned away from it because there's no way of cooling the LEDs. They really do get hot. I did a test run yesterday with a partially completed reactor and the top of the aluminum rod really gets hot within 5 minutes, just waiting for the heat sink to come in now. I have to find someone with a drill press to drill me a straight 1/2" hole to stick the rod in.

Would love to see a pic of yours though, any input is appreciated. Thank you

First of you might be very ill-informed about the judicial process, the time and expenses it bares, not to mention the negative effect it will have on the reputation of a freshly introduced company such as yours.
You also have mention something about patent and the process, design and alterations. Well guess what you are using one of the most common designs for a reactor base with the addition of LEDS! I wonder if you had the "common courtesy" to obtain any permission to do that? Probably didnt need to.
Honestly any self-respecting company would not even comment on a post in DIY section of this or any other forum. I will stop here, since its taking too much time writing this in the civil manner.

Thank you! I really appreciate your support

 

[vio]

I am confuse, try to make a Reactor , just for grow more Chaeto ?! What the point ?! add. more Detritus inside the reactor, add more chemicals or additives than u need ?! Come one, i can make a heat sink more sophisticate, than nuclear reactor, lol CNC, Plasma Machine, etc. NOT necessary to use light from inside out. I will save that $ for a GOOD Protein Skimmer or 400 W MH bulb , LED controller , nice SPS colony etc. Upss , i said the wrong way , why to pay $ 750 , if u make it w/$ 50 make sense.

 

[ravi197699]

I was thinking of doing that to mine but turned away from it because there's no way of cooling the LEDs. They really do get hot. I did a test run yesterday with a partially completed reactor and the top of the aluminum rod really gets hot within 5 minutes, just waiting for the heat sink to come in now. I have to find someone with a drill press to drill me a straight 1/2" hole to stick the rod in.

Would love to see a pic of yours though, any input is appreciated. Thank you





Thank you! I really appreciate your support

I like to see what type of led's you are using because mine don't get hot at all and wrapping around the reactor will have more led that means more light and more light is better growth but the way you are going it gets more complicated, fewer led's, less light and if water even get in that tube due to seal failure the results wont be good. But this is just my way of looking at it, I am sure you have though through this...


Thanks,


Rav

 

[lnevo]

Something to keep in mind...I could be wrong, but i dont think you need super strong depth penetrating par when your only going a couple inches in a reactor type scenario. I would concur that more lower wattage led on the outside could be a more efficient way to go.

I'm following...

 

[vio]

yes, no need high PARs, the main point is to use warm white light 3.500 K or less, i am sure, if u use the light from outside is even better. I don't use reactor to grow chaeto, i run Korallia Mag 7 in my sump ( 90 gal.) she love free space and flow , i run fluorescent light bulb 2700 K , grow well and nice green color ,i keep it on 5 Gal. paint strainer sock to avoid clog Protein Skimmer , Biopeletts reactor, Active Carbon pumps etc. no chemicals or additives just light and flow.

 

[reefer4eva]

Tagging along on this one..I have a few reactors laying around...any pics of the progress?

 

[reefs4life]

Tagging along on this one..I have a few reactors laying around...any pics of the progress?

Yeah it's done, just some tweeks for asthetic purposes but I can post a pic of the completed reactor later on today when I get home.

I ended up wrapping it in aluminum foil so there isn't a ton of light wasted so there's only a small strip that shows the inside of the reactor