Ok friends
My DI resin exhausted the other day at the end of my RODI filter so I replaced it with a larger unit from The Filter Guys ( www.thefilterguys.biz (http://www.thefilterguys.biz/) ). I was playing around with the old housing unit trying to figure out what I could do/make with it...

How about a 2 Little Fishes style Phosphate Reactor ??? You can just as easily run Carbon or any other media/chemical in the reactor that you want as long as the media is large enough to not go thru the mesh screen.

Anyway here we go with the pictures:

First picture just shows the couple pieces that you will need:
The DI housing, scissors, some kind of mesh material, and the media that you are going to run. Sorry the picture is a little dark.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3687.jpg

Second and Third pictures show me carefully pulling the fine micron mesh off of the included internal discs. You do not want to run the reactor with the mesh so fine as it will quickly clog and the unit will not flow the tank water thru it like you need.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3689.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3690.jpg

Here is what you should have now:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3691.jpg

Ok now one at a time, wrap the two "internal/insert discs" in enough of the mesh material to prevent any of the media from escaping thru but try not to use too much material or else the disc will not fit back into the housing.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3692.jpg

Once you think that you have it wrapped enough then you can insert it into the housing like so. I let it come a little undone and had to take it out and rewrap and replace. :doh:
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3693.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3694.jpg

I forgot one thing... Use a long wooden fireplace match or something similar to carefully/evenly press the mesh covered disc to the end of your reactor.

This is the media that I added to the DIY Housing Reactor
SeaChem PhosGuard. I got it from Sammy at AquaBuys on Friday. Thanks Sammy! www.AquaBuys.com (http://www.AquaBuys.com)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3695.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3696.jpg

I placed a bit more mesh on this disc than my first attempt that was pictured up at the beginning. Then I pressed it down into the DIY Housing Reactor after the media was loaded into the reactor.
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3698.jpg

This is my final product! :D :)
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3824.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y156/JustOneMoreTank/DIY%20PhosCarb%20Reactor/IMG_3825.jpg

OK.... Sorry that is all I have! You all have to now help me get this running! LOL

Here is the easy was that I can see: Use a small to medium power head like a MaxiJet and press the output hose from the powerhead into RODI tubing port/connection at either end of the housing.

I want to see where ARC can take this little DIY Project. Post your ideas and lets see what you make! :)


You could also T a line off of your return pump with the correct fittings, slow down the flow with a little John Guest Valve, and then return the water from the reactor into the sump. This should be a completely leak free unit if Teflon tape is used on the fittings.
You can get the housing for pretty cheap from TheFilterGuys.biz
http://www.thefilterguys.biz/housings.htm (http://www.thefilterguys.biz/housings.htm)

Enjoy and Have Fun! :) :) :)

Thanks for the DIY. Lookin good

+ rep! Nice post. Thanks for taking the time!

Ya that deserves a rep point or two... here you go.. +1

Thanks for the rep guys. I had fun making this ... now I just need to take it to Lowes and see about some fittings to get it running. :)

I guess if you have phosphates on the output of your Ro/di you could also use this as a last stage? I wonder if that would work? Do Ro/Di units normally filter out all phospates?Probably wouldnt be enough Gph to filter properly?

Your RO/DI should take out PO4... You would be better off running it in tank instead off off a RO/DI...

If it isn't taking out phosphates it is time to change some filters or get the DI part of RO/DI installed.

+ Rep for a GREAT post.

nice, Diy thanks for posting that.

I think I may try this. I am pretty sure I have one of these DI housings laying around somewhere. What brand was your DI housing?

Ok, i may be really dumb for asking or just completely misunderstanding what the purpose of this is (which would be what makes me dumb i guess) but what exactly does this little toy accomplish?

I guess the question is, what's the difference between this and just filling up a media bag with the same stuff and dropping it in a high flow area of your sump? or is this way just much more effective?

Am I totally missing something? Sorry, I am really not trying to de-value the work you put into it, just trying to understand......

thanks....

To me it seems as though you can control how much flow this gets and how long the water stays in the canister.If you want the water to flow slowely then you can use a smaller powerhead or more a larger one. Also with a filter bag only a small amount goes though because the water is gonna pick the path of least resistance. So this way it HAS to pass through the media and it seems to me that it would be much more efficient.

I think I may try this. I am pretty sure I have one of these DI housings laying around somewhere. What brand was your DI housing?

Not sure Sam. This was the first RODI that I bought a long while back off of Ebay. Filter Direct was the seller I believe. I am sure that any Refillable DI Chamber will work however. You could even make this out of some cheap PVC as well I am sure. I just had this laying around so I figured that I would see what I could do with it. :D :)

Ok, i may be really dumb for asking or just completely misunderstanding what the purpose of this is (which would be what makes me dumb i guess) but what exactly does this little toy accomplish?

I guess the question is, what's the difference between this and just filling up a media bag with the same stuff and dropping it in a high flow area of your sump? or is this way just much more effective?

Am I totally missing something? Sorry, I am really not trying to de-value the work you put into it, just trying to understand......

thanks....

Hey no problem! The question is a valid one so no "de-value" or offense taken. :) I currently have a media bag in my sump right now in a high flow area. I can watch and see the water flowing around the media that is in the mesh bag. The water prefers to take the path of least resistance as was already said. The media inside the bag that is closest to the outside is actively working... however the media in the center of the bag is not getting good water flow to act on. :(With the design of the DI housing you can push the water thru the media and the water will pass over much more of the media before it leaves the canister/housing. You could also run Carbon or other media in here as well. :)

Dawgdude, exactly. I think that you stated it much more simply than I did. Sorry for the repeat. :) In short: Media bags work however I think that this design is more efficient and better utilizes the chemical/media.

ok, very cool.....thats what i was thinking was the purpose but again, just making sure.......very cool design though and looks pretty simple so I think im going to try something like that.....

the other option for me is to hang an extra bio wheel filter that I have on the side of my sump.......do you think that would work as well?

thanks for the post......

obviously I wouldn't use the "bio-wheel"

ok...three posts in a row.....now i'm just being a thread hog...but I just thought of something else.....

ideally, you could connect three (or four or however much media you have) of these gadgets together and with a strong enough powerhead/pump you could push the water through them.......

the more I think about this the more I want to try it....it sounds so much asier to change the media in something like this than to change media in a filter bag....and less bulk in the sump because you can keep the housing outside the sump......

I'd have one with carbon, one with phosguard, and one with????? well, you get the idea....

I'm also thinking you can pull this little project of with PVC tubing, some screw on end caps, and some vinyl tubing....only drawback is that you wouldn't be able to see your media......

You could even use some Union connectors for easier access but they are a bit more exspensive then just the screw on endcaps.

Yep :thumbs: Perfect... keep it coming. I thought of the PVC as well. It would work great but like you already said you wont be able to see inside. I had this laying around extra not being used and it already had the little plastic discs of the correct size in there so it made it super easy to do. Multiple units in a row would work well. :)

Ok... I stopped by Lowes on the way home from work on Thursday and I found the fittings in about 2 minutes. It took an additional 2 minutes to wrap the teflon tape around the fittings and screw them into the ends.
What you are looking for are "Nylon Hose Barb to MIP Elbow" the size that I bought: 3/8" x 1/4" This will allow me to connect the DIY Reactor to standard hose to a small powerhead.
I will try and post some pictures and order a powerhead soon. :)

Here is my pitch on the idea. Spend $10-$20 and use an old canister filter. It has media baskets that you can load up, is completely sealed and is setup to run water throught the containter without clogging up. I just remove the impellor and don't plug it in. Plus when you are ready to change out the media you just shut the plumbing off, remove the lid and replace the media. Come back, put the lid on and start it back up again. No fuss and no mess.

Following the DIY instructions in this forum, I made 2 reactors. One running NP reducing biopellets and the other running phosguard. I notice that the green algae that was creeping onto the aquarium glass has more or less disappeared.

Initial nitrate level >80
Phosphate 2

Will be checking the levels today and then do a partial water change. Though this thread is more than 4 years old, the DIY method is very useful.