Eheim 2026 - supplemented by powerhead?

[Ruff]

I am running a Eheim 2026 for my 4X1.5X1.5 tank which is set up for two months.

The filter inlet is connected to a Eheim surface skimmer and the outlet is connected to a taiwan CO2 reactor (the 5 ball types). I have connected a 3 feet rainbar to the reactor which runs across the bottom at the back of the tank for the CO2 enriched water to come back to the tank. Between the filter outlet and the CO2 reactor, there is a chiller.

The original hose size is 24/16. However, because of the skimmer and the CO2 reactor, I have to step down the hose to 16/12 before after it leaves and before it comes back to the tank.

My problem is that the water flow rate slows down a lot in the last two weeks. Judging from the white ball in the filter hose connector, the flow rate is now only half.

I have replaced the white sponge and rinse the two baskets of filter materials by shaking the baskets in water but the flow does not improve much. The impeller has been cleaned up also. The only thing I did not clean up is the inside to all the hoses.

Because of slower flowrate, now the distribution of the CO2 is slow and I can see CO2 cumulating at the top of the CO2 reactor (last time when the flow rate was alright, I did not have such problem).

Want to seek your opinion whether I should get a powerhead to drive the CO2 to the reactor so as to improve the CO2 absorption and water circulation.

If it is advisable to do so, what flowrate for the powerhead should I get.

Thank you in advance for your advice.

[Allen_1971]

Change the reactor. The taiwanese types are typically good up to 1.5~2bps after which they usually start accumulating CO2 anyway... They are just not efficient.

[aqua]

hi

pardon for hijacking the thread. so what brand of internal reactor is good??

cheers

[Simon]

[quote:262af6e302="aqua"]hi

pardon for hijacking the thread. so what brand of internal reactor is good??

cheers[/quote:262af6e302]

there are so few brands, depending on yr budget. the dennerle cyclo, bioplast, dupla. I have the bioplast internal reactor and it fulfil its purpose, easy to clean and comes with an extension tube for larger tanks (unlike the dennerle cyclo, which is sold as a different model)