Help with internal reactor!!!

[genes]

Hi guys

i am using the internal diffuser with a 2026...

after running for sometime, the water level in the diffuser drops below the air stone where the co2 comes out from?, i will have to stop the filter, pull out the inlet piping to let the water flow back to the brim and start my filter again everytime this happens.

From the pic, you can see the water level reducing...

Why does this happen? how to remedy it?

Regards
Gene

[taz_boy]

oic....i see the same problem some time, but normally my diffuser will be filled up with water pretty soon...

i would propose 2 problem that could cause such thing to happen.
1) ur co2 maybe too much...apparently that empty space is filled with air i think, if not water would have entered to maintain the equlibrium...

2) ur rate of flow of output is not strong enough, or not fast enough to diffuse the co2 gas...
that's just my guess, maybe u can try and see whether it's true...

wat i'm using now is same as urs, just that i remove that air stone cos i clogs up easily...lol

[xxdivinityxx]

Do a search on Tom Bar's New Reactor and the concept of using a burp tube.

[bossteck]

Hi,

I suggest a simple solution, juz place your finger at the outlet of the internal reactor, restricting the outflow for a moment, you will see water gradually filling up in the reactor.

However, in the long term, you're going to see the same thing again. You can do one of the follwing

1. Increase the flowrate of your filter
a. If you haven't been cleaning your filter, perhaps debris is restricting its
flowrate
b. If you're restricting the flowrate of the filter by closing the inlet/outlet
valve halfway, open it
c. Get a new filter with higher flowrate (kinda silly)
2. Reduce the input of co2 if you can afford it.
3. Power the internal reactor with a powerhead of suitable flowrate.

cheers

[xxdivinityxx]

If you place your finger at the outlet, the reactor will dislodge itself from the outlet or the bottom cap will pop off. Reason being that more water does not equal to faster dissolving gases in the chamber, you're just adding to the already mounting pressure within the cylinder.

The build up of gases if, not the result of what was mentioned above, is probably due to airlocking.
If it happens only after a long photoperiod, then my guess is right.

What happens usually if you're using an internal filter to power it, the inlet takes in the mixture of already present c02 gases pumped out by ur reactor and the oxygen gas give out by your plants. It injects this mixture to the already fillted c02 reactor chamber. Now obviously there's too much gases for it to handle, thus the huge bubble inside.

[bossteck]

Hi,

I tried what I suggested before, nothing happened, the co2 hose didn't pop out, neither did the bottom of the reactor dislodge itself, i guess it would only do that if the outlet is completely blocked, resulting in too much pressure, but if it is partially blocked, the air column will be filled up.

But like i said, it's only a temporary solution, pretty soon you will get tired of having to stick your fingers into your tank every couple of days.

I think it is quite unlikely that the air column is caused by air lock in the filter, as one would _usually_ see fine bubbles being expelled from the outlet of the filter when this happens.... besides, I am assuming that the inlet of the filter is positioned near the bottom of the tank, since bubbles floats, there would have to be a serious amount of undissolved co2/released oxygen to cause airlock in the filter that way. Unless, of course, the original poster is using a surface skimmer that is not properly adjusted?

More likely, the air column in the internal reactor is too much co2 being pumped in, and/or too slow a flowrate.

[neon]

Hi,

I have 2 types of these internal co2 reactor, one with the airstone and the other doesn't.

My comments :
1) First thing I recommend is to remove the bioballs
2) get a powerhead (600L/h-800L/h) to attach the reactor . Your problem is due to flow rate vs the CO2 bubble in. My CO2 bubbles rate is high and has no problem even without burp hole (in one of my reactor).
3) drill holes : 1 for the venturi loop and 1 for burp hole (Tom barr's design)

With the strong powerhead flowrate, the fine bubbles will shot out and attach to the plants , pearling will start fairly fast after light on.

[genes]

I have reduced my bps to 3 now...seems to have solved the problem for now

Thank you all for your advices...