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Advice/ opinions on co2 reactor

Spider Pig

Member
Joined
18 Mar 2008
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138
Thinking about getting a co2 reactor for my tank and was wondering firstly how these compare to glass diffusers in terms of efficiency and maintenance, and secondly, which one to get. I know there are some slick glass models out there but I think they are a bit out of my price range- looking at 20 quid odd, 30 tops.

I have a juwel vision 180 tank (180L) and would attach the reactor to the outlet of a tetratec ex1200 (16mm hosing). Does anyone know how much this will affect flow? Tank currently moderately/ heavy planted with approx 2.6wpg/ 8hrs, EI dosing.

Thanks for you help
 
Aquaessentials have this one
http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=196_197&products_id=677
and I was just about to post for some info to see if anyone had any experience as they are cheap. :?


I'm after a reactor for an 11gallon tank to replace the diffuser I currently use, but don't want to spend a load of cash on something that is for a much larger tank. I like the look of the cal aqua inline diffuser
http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=196_197&products_id=1370
but there is no way I'm going to pay £70 for one. :(
 
The cheapest, but perhaps not the most efficiant reactor is your filter its self. Buy a cheap Co2 stone or similar and place it in or as close to the filter inlet as possible, job done! Or even cheaper, put the open end of the Co2 line into the filter inlet, job done! I doit, and its very effective, cheap and requiers no cleaning. But i dont get to look at a nice bit of glass wear. :eek:/
 
Spider Pig said:
Thinking about getting a co2 reactor for my tank and was wondering firstly how these compare to glass diffusers in terms of efficiency and maintenance, and secondly, which one to get. I know there are some slick glass models out there but I think they are a bit out of my price range- looking at 20 quid odd, 30 tops.

The most effective way plants use CO2 is in the gaseous form. I always found I have more pearling using ceramic diffusers, because the gas bubbles come in direct contact with the leaves.

However, a reactor will use less CO2 (in my experience), and will not require regular cleaning like a ceramic diffuser. My reactor is virtually zero maintenance. Plus, it is also one less piece of hardware in the tank.

Spider Pig said:
I have a juwel vision 180 tank (180L) and would attach the reactor to the outlet of a tetratec ex1200 (16mm hosing). Does anyone know how much this will affect flow? Tank currently moderately/ heavy planted with approx 2.6wpg/ 8hrs, EI dosing.

Flow will be reduced. I have two 1200s running on the same tank, but I can`t compare outputs too well because the outlet without the reactor has a Hydor inline heater. CO2 is dissolved very efficiently, though.

Dave.
 
Graeme Edwards said:
The cheapest, but perhaps not the most efficiant reactor is your filter its self. Buy a cheap Co2 stone or similar and place it in or as close to the filter inlet as possible, job done! Or even cheaper, put the open end of the Co2 line into the filter inlet, job done! I doit, and its very effective, cheap and requiers no cleaning. But i dont get to look at a nice bit of glass wear. :eek:/

I tried this first with the glass diffuser below the intake to the external. But found it to be very noisy and would get large collections of gas forming in the filter, with regular out gassing into the tank. I also found that there didn't seem to be a huge difference in efficiency. However just writing this I'm thinking about trying the diffuser at the bottom of the stack in my internal filter (juwel compact one)

I like the look of the glass ware in the tank, so that's not a problem, it's really the extra maintenance and efficiency that counts. The dymax tower looks interesting and reasonably priced. Might think about that one.
 
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