Pacific Sun Algae Reactor

chefjpaul · Mar 1, 2018

Lets start off by saying, I am not going to be comparing this to any similar products on the market, I've seen and felt the competition in action, this is solely on this product.

I just received this monster yesterday night. Shipping from Poland.

The construction is pretty solid, but the issues upon receiving something early to the US market, maybe my fault at lack of questions and research.

The power supply is EU, not a biggie to get a converter, but still haven't fired it up. Only other issue is the metric plumbing / unions. (Apparently they now make without the union and have a barb).
Ill go find everything this weekend after work to get her going.

Periodically post the progression, weight, growth of chaeto vs the nutrients and the slight instability the tank at the moment.

I'm not running a fuge per say, or nutrient reducing media, only a skimmer. Fuge is a cryptic zone. The tank went through devastation since introduction, Velvet, all fish lost, nutrient drop, dino's, cyano etc..
I dosed po4 & no3 to grow algae, and tank is now almost free of most.

Ludders · Mar 2, 2018

It looks similar in design principal to my ALR1, which I get good chaeto growth from and seemingly a positive impact to the generaly health of my reef.

Good luck with it.

Montireef · Mar 3, 2018

Watching this thread! un a few days I will install my own ;-=

chefjpaul · Mar 3, 2018

Montireef said:
Watching this thread! un a few days I will install my own ;-=

Did you already buy it?

2una · Mar 3, 2018

Thanks for posting about these I'm keen to see how much light they throw outside the unit as i would be interested in 1 but for external use.
I got told by Pac Sun

In reactors S and M white tubes are completely not transparent - it’s white pvc.
In large reactors it’s milk acrylic tube which about 15% transparency

I take it thats a S or M you have there huh?
That connection end for an out of sump fitting doing ****l/h - Gal/h would make me VERY nervous.

(Apparently they now make without the union and have a barb)

I'd like to see that if Pac Sun/Przemek ends up in this thread

chefjpaul · Mar 3, 2018

2una said:
Thanks for posting about these I'm keen to see how much light they throw outside the unit as i would be interested in 1 but for external use.
I got told by Pac Sun

I take it thats a S or M you have there huh?
That connection end for an out of sump fitting doing ****l/h - Gal/h would make me VERY nervous.

I'd like to see that if Pac Sun/Przemek ends up in this thread

The light spill is only from the top.
I have it outside the tank, behind my electronics cabinet, which will have a removable top, so I personally won't have issues.
Im more curious as to the life of the light bar and the growth.

It is the M size. The plumbing is fine, now that I got EU to US adaptors.

One major issue so far, and I am waiting on Pacific Sun to reply before I post it.
I took it off line already, approximately 10 minutes in.

chefjpaul · Mar 3, 2018

Light spill

2una · Mar 3, 2018

chefjpaul said:
Light spill

Thanks!
That's much better than i thought it looked to be on their website pics.
Those ones to me looked like it would be like a vertical fluorescent tube in the living room.
Like so(maybe its the L this one) other pics are of M tho)

chefjpaul · Mar 4, 2018

I ended up just fixing a small manufacturing issue to get it going.

Ill post parameters in a few.

inktomi · Mar 5, 2018

Mine arrives this week as well. Looking forward to getting it onto my tank. My DIY algae reactor lasted only a couple weeks before LEDs started burning out.

rockinzebra457 · Mar 5, 2018

Following along

inktomi · Mar 5, 2018

By the way, how did you end up attaching it? I think it comes with 20mm unions right? That's close to 3/4" so maybe something could be attached? What did you do?

chefjpaul · Mar 5, 2018

inktomi said:
By the way, how did you end up attaching it? I think it comes with 20mm unions right? That's close to 3/4" so maybe something could be attached? What did you do?

It's approx. 1/2"

I had some stuff from my elos laying around, but I ordered all the EU to US adaptors, metric pvc from coralvue.

madreefer11 · Apr 17, 2018

updates?

inktomi · Apr 17, 2018

I bought mine and have it. I'll have a video review up this week which I'll share. I just need some metric PVC to plumb it.

I think if you bought one today you could get imperial connections.

I'm a little worried about the plastic core around which the LEDs are wrapped. It seems like it won't do a good job of dissapating heat vs how a metal core would do. We'll see how the LEDs last!

chefjpaul · Apr 17, 2018

I had to take the tank down just after I set the reactor up. I downsized, sold it.

inktomi · Apr 22, 2018

Here's a brief overview video I shot today. I'll update with more info after a few weeks once it's on the tank.

kmancevski · May 3, 2018

Guys im thinking of buying the medium version of it, how do u like it? Im swiching from zeovit so i hope this reactor will do a good job, also how long does it take to be shipped to the us?