Ista external reactor

[illumnae]

I'm currently using an Ista external co2 reactor, and am having problems keeping it upright with the adaptors provided. basically my Eheim hose (that's 12/16mm dimensions right?) is slightly too short, and the L-shape connector provided by Ista leaks if used.

I'm thus thinking of using the smaller hose to connect directly to the outlet of the Ista reactor, then connecting it to the Eheim hose using a hose connector. Is this possible? If so, where in Singapore can i get the required hose and hose connector for this? I'll also need the hose dimensions for the outlet of the Ista external reactor.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[David Moses Heng]

I'm currently using an Ista external co2 reactor, and am having problems keeping it upright with the adaptors provided. basically my Eheim hose (that's 12/16mm dimensions right?) is slightly too short, and the L-shape connector provided by Ista leaks if used.

I'm thus thinking of using the smaller hose to connect directly to the outlet of the Ista reactor, then connecting it to the Eheim hose using a hose connector. Is this possible? If so, where in Singapore can i get the required hose and hose connector for this? I'll also need the hose dimensions for the outlet of the Ista external reactor.

Thanks in advance for your help!

try lavender. the bocks of flats oppisite ICA building has got quite a wide range of hoses and connectors. Was there last week and discovered that those stuffs they sell there can be use for aquarium diying. Enjoy.

[tcampbell]

This is strange. I am using the Ista Mix Max (Co2 Reactor) on an Eheim 2215. The hose (Yes, 12/16mm) fits perfectly to the reactor. It was designed for that size hose. The smaller 2cm long adaptors were to allow it to connect to larger hoses.

The simpliest method would be to pick up another piece of hose from your LFS and a one inch piece of the hard hose (like what is used for the Eheim Rain Bar) as a connection between your old hose and the new piece of hose to make it longer. This won't leak and mades a perfect fit. If you ever cut a part off you rainbar or outflow pipe and have it lying around this will work)



I agree that the L-shaped adaptors leak in some cases so I have used silicon and crazy glue to join mine (the one I am using not the one I am demonstrating below) permently to the Mix Max and prevent it from leaking. It is hard to have a perfect connection when the pieces are both made from hard plastic which is never perfect.

Also if you do want to be bother with all that you can use a small 1~2 inch piece of your original Eheim hose and use it as a connector between the L-shape connector and the Mix Max. When the hose is placed in warm/hot water for a few minutes it becomes soft enough to fit over the larger end of the L-shape connector causing a secure water safe fit.

(Note the picture was for demonstration purposes only so I did not push the soft hose completely on as I will be removing it, but in your cause it would be best to fit the L-shaped connector and the return of the Mix Max fully in the soft hose to prevent the possibility of accidential disconnection)

[illumnae]

I think my Eheim (it's a Pro II 202 uses larger hoses than 16/12mm...guess i got it wrong? basically my eheim hoses fit snugly into the larger adaptors provided by the Ista reactor and are too large for the default inlet/outlet on the reactor itself. so for my situation what would you recommend? =) i have a problem with it standing upright as the eheim hoses are so stiff and can't be permanently bent to fit my reactor in an upright position!

[illumnae]

i just did a search and found that the internal diameter of the eheim 2028 is 16mm, so i'm assuming it's 20/16...so given my situation should i be connecting a 16/12 to the outlet of the reactor then getting a step up connector to connect it to the eheim hose?

the adaptor provided by the reactor works fine for the filter outlet -> reactor inlet connection, but due to the stiffness of the eheim hose and length constraints i can't directly connect the reactor outlet -> eheim hose/rainbar without having the reactor sit diagonally instead of upright


P.S. sorry i forgot my manners in my earlier post. thanks so much for your detailed explanation and pictorial guide tcampbell! sorry i didn't give enough information so your effort was wasted

[Aeon]

This is what I did. My Atman uses 17mm hoses. Bought these hose adapters from Aquastar Yishun. Smaller clear hoses are from hardware shop.
Heating the hoses (female) with a lighter will make it easier to fit into larger male.

[tcampbell]

another quick solution would be to use the L-shape connector provided by Ista and a small amount of silicon around the joints where the L-shaped connector connects to the Mix Max and where the hose adaptor connector to the L-shaped connector and the hose adaptor connects to the Mix Max intake. It would permantly seal it and prevent any chance of leaking and is a lot cheaper if you don't want to be bothered with buying the new hose and adaptor, providing your hose can bend to reach it that way.

PS - My effort wasn't wasted, so no worries, maybe it will be helpful to someone else in the future

PS2 (not the game machine) - Aeon is using it on a 120cm*45cm*45cm tank.

[christopher.wtc]

Hi tcampbell, I am using the Ista max mix co2 reactor. I noticed that the bottom impella blade is spinning slower that the top 2. Is this normal?

[ccs]

Hey my reactor blows out fine bubble at the oulet. Anyone facing the same?

[blue33]

I had my CO2 inlet break off during cleaning. I find it easily break off as the joint is too thin. Also the plastic flask got crack line after sometime use, looks like earthquake line to me, although there's no leakage yet.

[K11]

I also had mine (CO2 inlet) broken when taking out the CO2 tubing, yes it breaks off easily.

[blue33]

I also had mine (CO2 inlet) broken when taking out the CO2 tubing, yes it breaks off easily.

I'm thinking of drilling it and fix an adapter which you can get it in LFS and seal it with silicone. But thinking that it has hairline crack patches, stop me from doing. Thinking other alternatives now.

[aquaSynthesis]

I had the smaller one a few months ago. IMHO it is value for money and does it job pretty well. But after about 5 months i noticed a lot of sediments or algae like substnace in the reactor itself. impeller has lost speed, and the bottom 'fan' didn't move at all. tried to open it to clean but i cant reach the other end. it ended in the trash after the plastic connector that you connect your tubing, broke.

[tcampbell]

Hi tcampbell, I am using the Ista max mix co2 reactor. I noticed that the bottom impella blade is spinning slower that the top 2. Is this normal?

Yes, that is normal.

[tcampbell]

Hey my reactor blows out fine bubble at the oulet. Anyone facing the same?

This seems to happen if the bubble count is too high and or the flow rate is too fast.

[tcampbell]

I had my CO2 inlet break off during cleaning. I find it easily break off as the joint is too thin. Also the plastic flask got crack line after sometime use, looks like earthquake line to me, although there's no leakage yet.

This would have been one of the earlier ones, there was a problem with the supplier quality it seems and reports of breakage. Since then all CO2 inlet has been improved and made a lot thicker and a better connection.
The Flask having hair line cracks on it really surprises me. Unless it was dropped or banged hard (it is a brittle plastic and not a flexiable plastic after all) there shoudl be no reason for the cracks.

I have been using one of the original pre-production models for a long time now and have developed no cracks. Even extra models I keep in a box with other supplied and constantly digging around and knocking around stuff have no cracks.

[tcampbell]

I had the smaller one a few months ago. IMHO it is value for money and does it job pretty well. But after about 5 months i noticed a lot of sediments or algae like substnace in the reactor itself. impeller has lost speed, and the bottom 'fan' didn't move at all. tried to open it to clean but i cant reach the other end. it ended in the trash after the plastic connector that you connect your tubing, broke.

I agree, for the cost it does very well, there are possiblity better out there but not for the price.

If it was used after your filter, as it should, there should be no reason for sediment build-up unless your filter isn't effectively cleaning the water.

Normal build-up such as that which develops in the hose lines is expected.

Cleaning is a simple case, with a hose brush. Sorry to hear that the CO2 connection broke on you as well. Out of 7 models I have used, that happened only once when I was having difficult getting of a hose and pulled sideways, snapping it off.

[blue33]

This would have been one of the earlier ones, there was a problem with the supplier quality it seems and reports of breakage. Since then all CO2 inlet has been improved and made a lot thicker and a better connection.
The Flask having hair line cracks on it really surprises me. Unless it was dropped or banged hard (it is a brittle plastic and not a flexiable plastic after all) there shoudl be no reason for the cracks.

I have been using one of the original pre-production models for a long time now and have developed no cracks. Even extra models I keep in a box with other supplied and constantly digging around and knocking around stuff have no cracks.

The reactor i've only used for less than 3 mths, i've checked most of the LFS and the design is still the same. When did the new one appear in Singapore? NA(LFS) told me sometime the plastic will have such effect of crack line though it will not leak and the CO2 inlet give way due to plastic deteriorated.

[Aquaculture]

Mine's leaking but not due to crack but the rubber lining seems to have harden. Maybe I should be lazy and shouldn't have taken it out in the 1st place to rinse the sponge.

Any one removed the sponge totally? Any effects?

[blue33]

Mine's leaking but not due to crack but the rubber lining seems to have harden. Maybe I should be lazy and shouldn't have taken it out in the 1st place to rinse the sponge.

Any one removed the sponge totally? Any effects?

Is this the new design, that comes with sponge? Mine dont have sponge!