pros cons of co2 reactor, I need it??

[Dave M. Picklyk]

I've just got my simple CO2 DIY going with the proverbial tubing from 2 L
pop bottle and--so far--a great looking recipe. So far I have 19ppm and the
little brewery is pump'n out like 35-40 bubbles a minute right now (about 24
hours after project start).

Right now the tubing feeds into the intake of my Aquaclear filter and the
impeller breaks up the bubbles and stores the co2 a for a bit in the filter
(acting a bit like a reactor). Why would I want to make a reactor? What are
the pros and cons? Can anyone explain the reasoning and how it works?

I've seen lots of info on how to make them, not enough diagrams however (and
I'm pretty dumb when i comes to converting text instructions into 3D mental
diagrams).

Thanx for all your help guys!
Dave.

[Jim Miller]

I started out on my little 3 gallon trying out a variety of diffusers and
after about 5 or 6 different ones over a couple of weeks finally decided
that the Rena 2" diffuser is the best at producing a fine mist of bubbles
over an extended period. Note that only a few pores in the diffuser ever
emit CO2 at any one time. I typically got about 30ppm as long as my CO2
bottle was perking along. Note that in a 3 gallon the bubble stream only has
about 8" before hitting the water surface. A larger tank with a deeper water
column would likely find the CO2 dissolving more completely before it
surfaced. BTW, if you do use the Rena be aware that the rubber caps on
either end can snag the mist as it rises and aggregate the bubbles into
larger ones which will reduce its effectiveness somewhat. I trim the rim off
the upper end to prevent this.

I didn't like the look of a 2" bright white thing in the little aquarium
however. It could be seen even when I stuck it behind the pickup tube if I
moved a little to one side or the other. And in a 3 gallon everything sticks
out if it isn't right. So I decided to try getting rid of the diffuser
altogether and just input the bubbles to the intake of my filter tube as you
have. My CO2 level dropped to about 20ppm which was OK but not great. The
whoosh might drive some folks crazy but I didn't mind since it gave me a
constant reminder of whether the CO2 bottle was working or not.

Lately I've begun revisiting the Rena but trying the ceramic cylinder cut
down to 1/2" length with a dremel cutoff tool. Since it only emits from a
couple of pores anyway why have it longer than necessary to attach the input
and bottom stopper? I'm now back to 30ppm which I like better now that I've
got some other nutrients in better balance. I've got it hiding again behind
the pickup tube and it's less conspicuous than before but not perfect. I've
got a little leak from the bottom which isn't really a big deal but it's
spurring me to remove the end plug assembly altogether and just dip the end
in RTV and let it cure. If I do that I can reduce the length by half again
to 1/4". I know, I know, I'm obsessed! ;-)

My next tweak will be to try to dye the ceramic. I've got some dark brown
Rit dye which might dull the whiteness enough make it a don't care. If that
doesn't work I might just use wax crayons to color 270 degrees of the
cylinder with a camoflage pattern and let the CO2 emission come from the
remaining 90 degrees which is toward the back of the tank.

Obviously I have too much time on my hands...

have fun!

jtm

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[Dave M. Picklyk]

WOW! Sounds pretty tedious. You see, I don't have any tools or cool dremel
sets (which I would love) so I can't do all this funky stuff. I've heard of
using the part out of a gravel vacuum sucker. I have to learn the basics of
how a reactor actually works before forming any ideas I think.

Btw, I thought that anything over 25ppm could become toxic for the
fish..this isn't true?

"Jim Miller" > wrote in message
...
> I started out on my little 3 gallon trying out a variety of diffusers and
> after about 5 or 6 different ones over a couple of weeks finally decided
> that the Rena 2" diffuser is the best at producing a fine mist of bubbles
> over an extended period. Note that only a few pores in the diffuser ever
> emit CO2 at any one time. I typically got about 30ppm as long as my CO2
> bottle was perking along. Note that in a 3 gallon the bubble stream only
has
> about 8" before hitting the water surface. A larger tank with a deeper
water
> column would likely find the CO2 dissolving more completely before it
> surfaced. BTW, if you do use the Rena be aware that the rubber caps on
> either end can snag the mist as it rises and aggregate the bubbles into
> larger ones which will reduce its effectiveness somewhat. I trim the rim
off
> the upper end to prevent this.
>
> I didn't like the look of a 2" bright white thing in the little aquarium
> however. It could be seen even when I stuck it behind the pickup tube if I
> moved a little to one side or the other. And in a 3 gallon everything
sticks
> out if it isn't right. So I decided to try getting rid of the diffuser
> altogether and just input the bubbles to the intake of my filter tube as
you
> have. My CO2 level dropped to about 20ppm which was OK but not great. The
> whoosh might drive some folks crazy but I didn't mind since it gave me a
> constant reminder of whether the CO2 bottle was working or not.
>
> Lately I've begun revisiting the Rena but trying the ceramic cylinder cut
> down to 1/2" length with a dremel cutoff tool. Since it only emits from a
> couple of pores anyway why have it longer than necessary to attach the
input
> and bottom stopper? I'm now back to 30ppm which I like better now that
I've
> got some other nutrients in better balance. I've got it hiding again
behind
> the pickup tube and it's less conspicuous than before but not perfect.
I've
> got a little leak from the bottom which isn't really a big deal but it's
> spurring me to remove the end plug assembly altogether and just dip the
end
> in RTV and let it cure. If I do that I can reduce the length by half again
> to 1/4". I know, I know, I'm obsessed! ;-)
>
> My next tweak will be to try to dye the ceramic. I've got some dark brown
> Rit dye which might dull the whiteness enough make it a don't care. If
that
> doesn't work I might just use wax crayons to color 270 degrees of the
> cylinder with a camoflage pattern and let the CO2 emission come from the
> remaining 90 degrees which is toward the back of the tank.
>
> Obviously I have too much time on my hands...
>
> have fun!
>
> jtm
>
> --
> Remove NOSPAM for email replies
>
>

[Dave]

"Dave M. Picklyk" > empowered us with this mighty blow
against the Patriarchy:

> WOW! Sounds pretty tedious. You see, I don't have any tools or cool
> dremel sets (which I would love) so I can't do all this funky stuff.
> I've heard of using the part out of a gravel vacuum sucker. I have to
> learn the basics of how a reactor actually works before forming any
> ideas I think.
>
> Btw, I thought that anything over 25ppm could become toxic for the
> fish..this isn't true?

I think it's more of a guideline than anything else. 30ppm is fine.

[Dave]

"Dave M. Picklyk" > empowered us with this mighty blow
against the Patriarchy:

> I've just got my simple CO2 DIY going with the proverbial tubing from
> 2 L pop bottle and--so far--a great looking recipe. So far I have
> 19ppm and the little brewery is pump'n out like 35-40 bubbles a minute
> right now (about 24 hours after project start).
>
> Right now the tubing feeds into the intake of my Aquaclear filter and
> the impeller breaks up the bubbles and stores the co2 a for a bit in
> the filter (acting a bit like a reactor). Why would I want to make a
> reactor?

You don't, if your setup is working fine for you.

For smallish tanks (< 55gal), I wonder whether a lot of the discussed
designs (bioballs in gravel vacuums etc.) are overkill ... I sure think
they're ugly, anyway. ;-) I have a heavily planted 29 gal tank that's
doing fine with a small Hagen Natural CO2 system diffuser. As a matter of
fact, I had to decrease my CO2 bottle size because I was getting too much
CO2 into the water. But of course YMMV.

[Paul Disdle]

Could you not hide the diffuser behind a rock? plant? or maybe in the top
layer of substrate?

I no what you mean though somethings just look out of place a bug you! :)

Paul



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[Jim Miller]

it's fun for me. keeps me from worrying about the stock market. ;-)

if it turns out good i enjoy sharing the results with others.

you don't need to use a dremel cutoff, you could do the same thing with a
carbide hacksaw blade. i sanded it off afterwards with some carbide paper
anyway.

btw, 30ppm is a good level for a 3wpg lit tank.

jtm

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"Dave M. Picklyk" > wrote in message
a...
WOW! Sounds pretty tedious. You see, I don't have any tools or cool dremel
sets (which I would love) so I can't do all this funky stuff. I've heard of
using the part out of a gravel vacuum sucker. I have to learn the basics of
how a reactor actually works before forming any ideas I think.

Btw, I thought that anything over 25ppm could become toxic for the
fish..this isn't true?

"Jim Miller" > wrote in message
...
> I started out on my little 3 gallon trying out a variety of diffusers and
> after about 5 or 6 different ones over a couple of weeks finally decided
> that the Rena 2" diffuser is the best at producing a fine mist of bubbles
> over an extended period. Note that only a few pores in the diffuser ever
> emit CO2 at any one time. I typically got about 30ppm as long as my CO2
> bottle was perking along. Note that in a 3 gallon the bubble stream only
has
> about 8" before hitting the water surface. A larger tank with a deeper
water
> column would likely find the CO2 dissolving more completely before it
> surfaced. BTW, if you do use the Rena be aware that the rubber caps on
> either end can snag the mist as it rises and aggregate the bubbles into
> larger ones which will reduce its effectiveness somewhat. I trim the rim
off
> the upper end to prevent this.
>
> I didn't like the look of a 2" bright white thing in the little aquarium
> however. It could be seen even when I stuck it behind the pickup tube if I
> moved a little to one side or the other. And in a 3 gallon everything
sticks
> out if it isn't right. So I decided to try getting rid of the diffuser
> altogether and just input the bubbles to the intake of my filter tube as
you
> have. My CO2 level dropped to about 20ppm which was OK but not great. The
> whoosh might drive some folks crazy but I didn't mind since it gave me a
> constant reminder of whether the CO2 bottle was working or not.
>
> Lately I've begun revisiting the Rena but trying the ceramic cylinder cut
> down to 1/2" length with a dremel cutoff tool. Since it only emits from a
> couple of pores anyway why have it longer than necessary to attach the
input
> and bottom stopper? I'm now back to 30ppm which I like better now that
I've
> got some other nutrients in better balance. I've got it hiding again
behind
> the pickup tube and it's less conspicuous than before but not perfect.
I've
> got a little leak from the bottom which isn't really a big deal but it's
> spurring me to remove the end plug assembly altogether and just dip the
end
> in RTV and let it cure. If I do that I can reduce the length by half again
> to 1/4". I know, I know, I'm obsessed! ;-)
>
> My next tweak will be to try to dye the ceramic. I've got some dark brown
> Rit dye which might dull the whiteness enough make it a don't care. If
that
> doesn't work I might just use wax crayons to color 270 degrees of the
> cylinder with a camoflage pattern and let the CO2 emission come from the
> remaining 90 degrees which is toward the back of the tank.
>
> Obviously I have too much time on my hands...
>
> have fun!
>
> jtm
>
> --
> Remove NOSPAM for email replies
>
>