Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Assembling the Frame
Cut the 1-by-6 timber into eight pieces. You will need two 6-foot lengths, two 2-foot lengths, two 7-foot lengths and two 1-foot lengths. One end of each of the 6-foot and 1-foot planks should be cut to a uniform 15- to 30-degree angle for maximum light exposure.
Drill 12 semicircular notches down one side of each of the 7-foot planks using a drill equipped with a 3 3/4-inch hole saw. The notches should be spaced 1 inch apart. Leave 6 inches between the outer notches and the ends of the boards. It may be easier to clamp or screw the planks together and cut the notches through both boards at the same time.
Attach the two 6-foot planks to either end of one 7-foot plank using 2 1/2-inch drywall screws to make a U-shaped frame. Attach the second 7-foot plank between the 6-foot planks, 1 foot from the angled ends of the 6-foot planks. Attach a 1-foot plank to the center of the second 7-foot plank. The result will be a 7-by-5-foot square frame with three 1-foot legs on the bottom. The angled ends of the 6-foot and 1-foot planks should cause the frame to lean backward with the notched sides of the 7-foot planks facing upward.
Attach the positive and negative terminals of each air pump to the positive and negative terminals of a 12-volt power source using plastic-sheathed electrical wiring.
Assembling the Tubing
Cut 24 disks from a sheet of 1/2-inch acrylic using a drill equipped with a 3 3/4-inch hole saw. Tap the saw gently on the side of your workbench to release the discs, or push them out of the saw using a screwdriver.
Place an acrylic disk into either end of each tube and hammer them into place using a rubber mallet. The disks should be driven 1/2 inch into the end of each tube, leaving a gap between the disk and the end of the tube. Apply a thin bead of #3 acrylic cement around each disk to hold them in place. Allow the cement to cure fully before proceeding.
Drill a diagonal 1/8-inch hole through each disk, through the side of the tube and into the plank. Fill each hole with CA hobby glue. Drive a 2 1/2-inch drywall screw into each hole to secure the tubes to the frame.
Drill a 1/2-inch hole in the disk plugging the top of each acrylic tube. The holes should be drilled midway between the central hose connection and the outer edge of the disk. Place a 1/2-inch rubber stopper into each of these holes.
Pumps and Tubing
Glue 6 WISA air pumps to the top of the frame using a hot glue gun. Place one pump in between each pair of acrylic tubes. Glue an aquarium air valve to either end of the top of the frame.
Run a length of aquarium tubing from the outlet of the leftmost air pump to the hole in the bottom of the leftmost acrylic tube. Run a second length of tubing from the hole in the top of the leftmost acrylic tube to the bottom of the tube directly to the right. Run a third length of tubing from the top of the second acrylic tube to the inlet of the second air pump. Repeat until all acrylic tubes are connected in series.
Run a length of tubing from the leftmost air valve to the inlet of the leftmost air pump. Run a length of tubing from the top hole of the rightmost acrylic tube to the rightmost air valve. Connect the remaining two ports on the air valves together using a final length of tubing.
Glue the two 2-foot planks to the bottom edge of the frame and to each of the acrylic tubes using construction adhesive. The 2-foot planks should be placed upright on the frame to create an L-shaped support bracket for the acrylic tubes.
Fill the bottom end of each acrylic tube with silicone caulk. The 1/2-inch gap between each disc and the end of each acrylic tube should be completely filled with silicone to ensure a watertight seal.
Operating the Reactor
Place the reactor in a spot that gets plenty of direct sunlight. The reactor can be placed outside in warm weather, but should never be allowed to freeze.
Fill each acrylic tube with clean water through the 1/2-inch hole in the top of tube. Add aquarium dechlorinator and pond fertilizer to each tube according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Add 1 ounce of microalgae culture to each tube. Cap the 1/2-inch holes in the top of each tube using the 1/2-inch rubber stoppers.
Open the outlets on each air valve and switch on the pumps. Adjust the outlet valves until the air is escaping with an audible hiss. You want a moderate amount of pressure in the system, but closing the valves down too far could cause damage to some of the connections.