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DIY Calcium mixer

 

Are you tired of constantly mixing and adding calcium to you tank manually?

The DIY calcium mixer will fix this problem for you in no time at all. It is based on simple principles and the calcium is automatically added with the top-off water.

 What you need is.

 - Small circulation pump that can work outside water (ask your retailer).

- PVC coil (size is up to you, it all depends on the tank size, 22 to 24 inches should do fine).

- 2 PVC coil endings.

- Rubber tube (must fit the in and outlet of the pump).

- Silicone / PVC glue.

- Calcium.

- Electric timer.

- A small top-off pump if you do not have one already.

 

  

  1. You glue one ending on the coil so that it is sealed and have no leaks. This will become the bottom of the calcium reactor.
  2. Drill two holes in the coil. One just above the bottom of the reactor, and another one just bellow the middle of the coil. (the holes must fit the rubber tube for the mixer pump).
  3. Drill a small hole near the bottom of the reactor. This is where the water inlet from the top-off pump will be connected.
  4. Drill a small hole 2 or 3 inches from the top of the reactor, this is where the outlet to the sump will be.
  5. Now connect the rubber tube to the mixer pump. The intake goes at the hole just bellow the middle of the reactor and the outlet goes in the hole near the bottom of the reactor.
  6. Connect the top-off pump to the reactor. (Connect to the hole near the bottom).
  7. Connect the reactor outlet to the sump.
  8. Make sure that all the connections are sealed tight with PVC glue and Silicone.
  9. Remember to let it sit for a day or to before use.

 

Now you have a calcium mixer for your tank. The calcium will be added with the top-off water, so it is already automated. In order to automate the mixing of water and calcium you will have to connect the mixer pump to a timer.

Set the mixer pump to mix for 15 minutes every 3 hours.

 

You can also set your top-off pump on a timer. This way you could set the top-off to 1 hour every 2 or 3 hours. Then you set the mixerpump to 15 minutes of mixing 45 minutes before the top-off pump switches on. This way you can avoid blurry water from entering the tank as the calcium has time to settle before the top-off system switches on.

 

Good luck with your project.

 

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