Reactor or Diffusor

[Lemonz]

Hello Vinz!

Hmm.... thats a good way to have two inputs. Dun need to get two filters...

One question though... will putting the chiller before the reactor allow more CO2 to dissolve in it?

Or why do you set up in such a way?

Ray.

[|squee|]

One question though... will putting the chiller before the reactor allow more CO2 to dissolve in it?

I'm not vinz, but here's a recent discussion.

[Heuer]

You don't need 2 reactors... one reactor is efficient enough. But you need to split out the return to the tank. I'm running a 6 foot tank with the following setup.

+-> tank left side
|
splitter <- chiller <- reactor <- filter <- tank
|
+-> tank right side

You don't need to worry about extra CO2 equipment, (CO2) splitters, etc.

Hi Vinz,

Thanks for the info. If i don't read your diagram wrongly, your CO2 enrich water will be chill by the chiller before going back to the tank. Will the CO2 enrich water damage the chiller as CO2 is acidic.

Ah Tan from Bioplast told me not to configure this way. My config is
Filter->chiller->reactor->tank.

[fishshy]

Reactor is very much better. Glass diffuser may look nice & good when it is new. But after a period of use, u will find it is more troublesome to maintain it.

[vinz]

Hi Vinz,

Thanks for the info. If i don't read your diagram wrongly, your CO2 enrich water will be chill by the chiller before going back to the tank. Will the CO2 enrich water damage the chiller as CO2 is acidic.

Ah Tan from Bioplast told me not to configure this way. My config is
Filter->chiller->reactor->tank.

My chiller is from Ah Tan, but he never told me this.

[tawauboy]

Hi Vinz,

..................... Will the CO2 enrich water damage the chiller as CO2 is acidic.
..........................

it is a weak acid. doubt it will damage your chiller within the chiller lifespan.

[c.y.]

An external reactor for sure. Response time is very fast with those high flow units.

Chris, why not run it using an individual powerhead instead. I run mine off a maxi-jet 900 (235gph) hooked up to the light timer. The Aqua Medic Reactor 1000 is a pretty good reactor in my opinion. If only we can get the pvc reducers easily in singapore, DIY is better. (I haven't had much luck getting those 2" - 0.5" reducers and 0.5"- 1/4" barbs.).

Regards
Peter Gwee

Hi, Peter Gwee,
I am using a used filter(atman 3336, 800L/H) to run the external reactor(from NA) for my 3ft planted tank. I feel that the water back to tank is very weak, I hardly feel the current when I put my finger near rain bar. Hence, I worry that the dissolved co2 did not evently distributed in my tank. Thinking of using a powerhead to run the reactor, can you advise how do I connect it and what type and what flow rate of power head should I use.

Thank you.
Seah

[PeterGwee]

Seah, have you measured the results of how well your reactor is working? CO2 24/7 or "on" during the day? What kind of measuring equipments are you using to measure both pH and KH? Consider taking measurements when you do a large water change and see how fast the CO2 system needs to get the CO2 back to good levels. It should take only about an hour or so for a fast responsive system. Aim to do that..
1)You can consider adding more flow to the reactor till the capacity limit of the reactor in which CO2 bubbles will be burped out prematurely.
2)Add more current/turnover across the the outlet of the reactor and tank.
3)If the above 2 methods does not get the responsiveness you like, you might have to add another unit or so to increase the responsiveness. Its nice to get manifolds for the regulator but hurts the wallet. )


CO2 stability during the photoperiod and the responsiveness of the system to get the CO2 up to "good" levels from ambient levels within an hour or so is what most folks should work on.

Oh, like Tom Barr mentioned recently, try to turn off all equipments first before doing the measurement with a pH pen/monitor to prevent stray currents from affecting the results.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[c.y.]

Thanks Peter,
I on the co2 together with light for 7 hours a day. Co2 set at 3 -4 bpm. Have used ph and kh test kits(something Sea brand, cannot remember) tested the co2 level. It is around 30ppm may be more(I have dificulty in reading ph colour chart. ) The testing is done after light/co2 on for 2 - 3 hours. I shall try it in 1 hour time when next water change.

I feel that the flow back to the fish tank is very weak, I hardly feel the current when I place my finger near to the rain bar, so I am thinkng of using a powerhead to run the reactor instead of the filter, but do not know how?

Thank you and best regards,
Seah

[cherietung]

Since we are on this topic, will it be better for large tank (eg 5/6ft) to have 2 CO2 injection points (2 ext reactors connected to 2 ext filters with one CO2 sys using a 2way spliter which can get from NA).

I think in theory, this will dissolve CO2 faster and better distribution around the tank.

we can also clean one filter without affecting BB on the other.

Anyone got such setup and share your experience.

In order to use the setup as written by vinz, you need to use an external reactor which is the big water filter converted into a reactor. To me, it takes up space inside the cabinet. But it is really effective.

I use 2 filters with 2 co2 & 2 reactors. one of the tubes goes to chiller while the other goes into uv light. In the event that one co2 bottle is empty, the other can continue the co2. Mine is 5' tank. Moreover, internal reactor are smaller and reduce the risk of leakage.

[a_scape]

Hi friends,
I vote for reactor.
I've been using the AquaMedic (Aqualine Buschke) model Reactor 500 since 5 yrs ago (if not mistaken this still the most expensive in the market US$60/unit)?
Use 1 unit (run with 2 bubbles/sec) for tank 150x60x60 without any problem
Cheers,

AChen

[gchoo]

My chiller is from Ah Tan, but he never told me this.

I think both are fine as long as it conforms to the required chiller flow rate.

[michael lai]

My personal findings is I'll use reactor for 3 ft tank and above and diffuser for 2 ft tank and below. Agree with the guys reactor would dissolve Co2 faster than diffuser but only for the hassles of the tubing.

[Plantbrain]

Ya'll might want to look at the 2$ reactor design I have on the site. It's free to view for anyone that wants to make it.,.

If the moderator would like, I can send the images and DIY article etc for your site and a sticky.

I like Reactors, I use both, I've built perhaps 25 different designs over the last 15 or so years.

I also use diffuser stones on small tanks for aesthetic reasons or bubble the CO2 into those tank's filters. I like diffusers over filter intake.

Sump systems represent another type of CO2 reactor/Diffuser placement, here a very simple reactor can be made for 3-8$ that outperforms any thing on the market.

The internal design reactor I have can be used with DIY and be turned on during the day simply by plugging the powerhead into the light timer. A similar internal reactor, (mine is better) is made here and sells for 50$.

DIY external reactors cost about 10$ and can be run on a canister filter line or a separate powerhead.

Regards,
Tom Barr


3rd annual Plant Fest July 8-14th 2005!
[email protected] Get connected
www.BarrReport.com Get the information

[BPT]

I vote to use both together . Before, I used only diffusor on a 2ft tank fed into the input of canister filter. Few times a minute collected & undiffused CO2 bubles out of the filter.
Just this morning, I got a dead rainbow and other fish gasping for air after I added a reactor on the output of the canister filter last night without reducing the BPS

[evolim83]

I would vote for a combination of both!
I have an external reactor and a diffusor!
When i started using the reactor, i removed my ADA diffusor and it sits in my storeroom collecting dust!
Then I tot, might as well add in the diffusor as well for aesthetic reasons!
The results turn out good!

[neon]

My chiller is from Ah Tan, but he never told me this.

Most chiller now is titanium coil and built for marine water also, which is don't know how many time more corrosive than the weak acid that produced from the co2 reaction.

[riccia]

me using reactor. the 3 ball internal type. just 1 tube to the top of the reactor (inlet) for CO2. it's working well for me.

[stmoo]

reactor / diffusor its all depend on the size of the tank. they all works well.

for me, my 1ft at home and 2ft in office is using diffusor. they are all doing well.

and reactor for the 4ft at home.

i vote for both.

[Kev0055]

Doesn't matter much to DIY CO2 folks since they can't control the rate anyway.
Just go for the most aesthetically pleasing and budget type, or simply hook it into the filters or water outlets.