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Aquamedic CO2 reactor

paleo

New Member
Joined
26 Jan 2015
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23
Hi,
I have a 350l planted discus tank, with pressurised CO2 being fed into a Dennerle reactor. This hangs in the tank, and I am using an Eheim Aquaball to blow water through it. This works fairly well, but is a little clunky. Also, I would prefer to have less gear in the actual tank.

I am considering changing this to an Aquamedic CO2 reactor like this: Co2 Reactor 1000 – Aqua Medic Direct which could hang outside the tank, and be fed by the outlet of a second cannister filter. At present, I am considering an Eheim Classic 600, which has a pump output of 1,000l/hour. This kind of setup would hopefully produce several advantages: more effective CO2 injection into the tank, the tank would be less cluttered and I could use the second filter to filter through phosphate absorbing media.

If anyone has experience with this kind of setup, I would be grateful for advice, hints etc.

Many thanks.
 
Hi,
I've currently got the same reactor and I've been using it for years. Its bolted inside of the tank cupboard. Its not something I would let hang on the outside as its quite big and needs support.
It works really well and I like that in theory there is no CO2 wastage.
It does reduce flow but as you have 2 filters that shouldnt be an issue.
Not quite sure why you would want to run phosphate remover...
 
Hi,
Thanks for that. Some more questions if you don't mind: Are you using the reactor as it comes, with the bioballs inside? Do you find it is noisy? How do you return the water to the tank please? I am thinking of returning the CO2 water near the bottom of the tank.

I thought I could use the 2nd filter for any chemical filtration that might be necessary. At present, I have a bit of an algae problem, and the phosphates in the tank are quite high. I hope that reducing that might help with the algae.
 
No problem.
I did indeed keep the bioballs inside because I didnt read anything advising me to take them out (this is going back to... 2011 ish) I dont know if theres anything online now advising different..?
With the cupboard doors open I can hear the bubbles sloshing around but its no noisier than a filter.
So water goes into the reactor via the top (from the “out pipe” of the external filter) and comes out the bottom of the reactor and into the tank via a 16/22mm spray bar. I dont think it would matter how you would deliver the co2 enriched water to the tank as long as its not splashing in.

Have a look at some of the algae guides here on UKAPs to find a solution to the algae. High phosphates wont cause algae. Once the algae has bloomed then the phosphates wont help but really to avoid algae you want to give the plants everything they need, avoid excess light and keep ammonia/organic waste levels down.

Hope that helps :)
 
Thanks once more. One guy wrote online that he had taken everything out of the reactor to increase flow, and this was an improvement. Another guy wrote that he had taken most of the bioballs out and filled the remainder of the filter with siporax to reduce flow, and this was an improvment. I'll probably just stick with the bioballs to begin with. The last guy also said he had connected the wee escape valve thingy to a t-piece in the reactor inlet. There is obviously some tweaking going on. Do you find the reactor needs much maintenance?

I will browse the forum for information about algae; thanks for the suggestion. The phosphate in the tank is pretty well off the scale at the moment, and there are places online where phosphates get blamed for algae growth, hence my anti-phosphate thinking. I have reduced the main lighting period to 10 hours and increased the water changes to 20l a day. I'm feeding quite a bit at the moment, due to hungry juvie discus.

The fish seem quite happy which is the main thing.
 
Removing the bioballs probably would increase flow.
No maintenance . I've never opened the reactor up. I have noticed a slight layer of mulm on the bioballs from when my filter floss didnt catch all the debris. If I can pluck up the courage to open it up for a clean then I will. Being in a cupboard in dark helps keep the reactor “clean”.
 
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