Hi,
I plan to convert my normal CO2 diffuser to inline CO2 atomizer. Please see below for picture.
download.jpg
I understand the normal way of installing it but want to know what is the best way to install it so as to make cleaning it easy and will not distrub the filtration flow.
Any fellow aquarist who have e in it please provide suggestions and tips. Appreciate your kind attention.
Paul Low
Last edited by Paul Low; 5th Nov 2014 at 15:59. Reason: use wrong word
I am using the up-aqua inline for coming too 2 year now,so far so good.
Never clean it..... I also have intense inline atomizer for back up purposes.
what i did was, i attached valve connector at both side of the atomizer,so if i decided
to clean it or the one i am using is faulty i can easily change it by turning both valve off.
Cant.make.up.his.mind-Aquarist
I'm concerned about its effect on the flowrate too. And I understand that the inlne atomizer requires high pressure for it to work right. So I ended up using the ISTA max-mix(M). Flowrate is still decent, but I see tiny bubbles coming out from the outlet. Apparently the CO2 diffusion rate is lower than using a normal $4 ceramic diffuser + powerhead (my indicator remains blue nowadays). I'm wondering if I would be better off using the inline diffuser too. Never seen how efficient it is. My reactor isn't living up to its expectations..
If you see bubbles constantly coming out of the outflow when using a Co2 reactor, it means either your reactor was not inverted to purge excess trapped air after installation and still has lots of air in it, or the BPS or flow rate is too high for the reactor and the Co2 is not being dissolved in time. When working properly and matched to the right filter equipment, a reactor should achieve near 100% dissolve rate with no visible Co2 bubbles coming out of the outflow (a few stray bubbles every once in a while is okay).Originally Posted by furyprix
I've tried out the older version before for a while too... like what zerofighterx101 mentioned, install double taps before and after the unit and it'll be easy to isolate for maintenance. If you install the double taps in a "series" pattern, you can even re-connect the taps and continue running the filter while you clean the atomizer.
Btw, i've not tried out the new version, but apparently it allows you to open up the casing and access the internal parts, so its much easier to clean.
Cant.make.up.his.mind-Aquarist
I would say that it takes substantial amount of time for the Co2 gas to dissolve in the reactor. I'm running a Ecco pro 130 with the it, co2 @ 1bps. After my solenoid switches off, it takes more than 1.5hrs for the remaining co2 in the reactor to fully dissolve. My indicator never turns green after I installed the reactor since 2 weeks ago, but the plants are still pearling and I don't see any algae booms too. But quite a significant of co2 is wasted as they rise to the surface of the water after exiting the outlet.
Seems like I don't have any solutions to increase the dissolve rate other than to change to the L size reactor (which may further impede my flowrate). any tips?
No-no-no... the new one is worst. It was design to be easily clean but as a result it prone to CO2 leak, meaning big bubble coming out in the join instead of tiny bubble.
reactor.jpg
i am using this internal reactor converted to external. no bubbles coming out from the outflow.
"L" plate gardener
Fooyooh.....that is a commando reactor....
Yeah, for reactor systems the Co2 is slowly dissolved inside the reactor chamber (rather than just released as bubbles in the tank), so the Co2 shouldn't be coming out of the outflow in bubble form. The dissolve rate on the ISTA reactors depends alot on the speed of the flow, as it uses rotor/impellers powered by the water flow to chop and mix the Co2. Because of this dissolving process, the timing of the injection should also be adjusted to optimize its efficiency. Usually its best to start the Co2 injection a while before the lights on (1 hour or even earlier if you run lots of aeration at night and most of the residual Co2 from previous day is already off-gassed), and then switch it of a while before lights off (1 hour or earlier depending on the dissolve rate, in your case can be 1.5 hours earlier to allow the Co2 to fully dissolve and get efficiently utilized by the plants). You just have to adjust and find the right timing combo.
You Ecco Pro 130 canister filter's 500 l/ph flow rate and BPS injection rate seems to be okay for the reactor model, not sure if the flow rate might be on the low side though (after factoring in flow reductions through packed media), so it might be possible the in-built rotors/impellers may not be spinning fast enough and mixing the Co2 efficiently. My setups run on a similar reactor design from ISTA on 750 l/ph filters at average 0.5-1.0 BPS injection rates, no bubbles coming out of the outflow and i get lime green on the drop checkers during operation.
Perhaps check the reactor when the Co2 injection is on, see if both rotors/impellers at the top are spinning at full speed... if they are not spinning, or spinning slowly or only one is spinning, then it could be due to insufficient flow or they are stuck, so either have to increase flow or remove the rotors/impellers and check if you need to sand or file parts of it that may somehow be too tight (this happens sometimes due to the plastic molding).
Usually the pocket of Co2 gas in the reactor chamber should only be amongst the spinning impellers, but if you see the gas pocket accumulate until it fills one-third or even half of the reactor chamber, then it means the dissolve rate is definitely not optimal, most likely due to insufficient flow or the rotors/impellers not spinning properly and mixing the Co2 fully.
Other than that, i can't think of any other reason off-hand at the moment as to why its not working as well for your setup, quite puzzling.
Anyways, abit off-topic... sorry the thread got hijacked TS!
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