CO2 APS EF2 reactor with internal Venturi fitted - testing ATM

[Edvet]

Originally my sump-output went into a much wider pipe ( 32 mm to 10 cm pipe) which was fully summersed in the tank. It had some plastic bio balls in it and i just put the CO2 hose about 1/5 of the length from below in it. Thew full flow through that was something like 1000 lit/hour, worked good
You can see it on the left side of the tank

38068787_00005295 by Ed Prust, on Flickr

 

[Zeus.]

Sundays results very simualr to Saturdays

Have you thought about creating a vortex by directing the flow round the inside of the canister using some filter hose? You could attach it to the end of the short Venturi nozzle then twist it round in a spiral so the water exits the tube at the edge of the canister.
It might get in the way of itself but just a thought. Loving the enthusiasm and determination to make this work! Go Zeus!

Yes have had a few ideas on making a vortex but trying to keep it simple at the moment more pipes mean more potential cleaning and cost also.

Going to reveal my hand here, as I have not got round to building "my idea" but Zeus's activity on CO2 dissolution reminded me. This is what the extra relay output "CO2 Pump" was for on my PLC controller, in 2016 but not ever got round to it .

Basically CO2 doesn't dissolve very fast in water, so what all these reactors, injectors etc all try and do is prolong the contact time between CO2 bubbles and the water.

So you get a length of pipe and pass the water and injected CO2 along it, allowing time for the CO2 to dissolve. You will probably need to put smaller diameter tubing in the big tubing, to stop the CO2 forming a big bubble.

So picture below shows a pump pumping water via a CO2 injector, then into a coil of tubing, say 2-3 meters, filled with smaller diameter tubes.
View attachment 119258

Use this calculator to see how many smaller pipes you can get in a bigger pipe. In my picture I have 7 off 5mm pipes (outside diameter) inserted in a 16mm (inside diameter) pipe.
https://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/smaller-circles-in-larger-circle-d_1849.html
This reduces the cross sectional area from 200mm2 (16mm) to 113mm2, which is nearly the same as 12mm2 tube, so you could get away with a 12mm2 pump. A valve to regulate flow before going into the tank might be helpful to slow the flow as well.

So Zeus, throw your reactors in the bin and use PVC tubing.

Oh, not tested this idea, but I bet Zeus is up to the task.

Will have to have a think on this one M8

Well if we're revealing our ideas the here's my hand....
Either a spiral cone nozzle (first pic) which would create a vortex within the chamber or an eductor (2nd pic) which works using a venturi effect.
Nothing new; just parts that could ease what you're trying to achieve.

View attachment 119260 View attachment 119259

Either of them may work well, may need high flow for them to work also!. Will have to try them when my present ideas run dry M8

________________________________________________________________________________

So my present venturi and funnel is working and cost about £5 tops just needs some tuning IMO and it is quiet which in my book is a big plus. The present tests show us that the system is working about the same as no venturi fitted, however it has provided a baseline to work from, plus the venturi does work visually in the windows

The Venturi pipes main flow diameter is about 9mm and a smaller diameter will create a bigger pressure drop and more will be drawn back into the main flow so the new one is 6.5mm, yes we need flow but if I have my bypass fully open the reactors work just as good as partial closed or fully closed just less output from the spraybar, plus the reactors get nosier with increase flow. Will the reduced flow impact the time it takes to get the pH drop ! I dont think so as at present I get a 1.0pH drop in 15mins going off my pH meters. If it works at my present BPS/PSI I think it will be even faster once the venturi works better Testing will tell OFC

Bit of resin glue to retain the smaller pipe in the metal ferule and more resin for the ferrule in the pipe.

Next is the small hole in the venturi which draws the CO2 back into the main flow 1.5mm was the smallest drill bit I had so ordered HSS Twist Drill Bit Set Tiny Very Small Micro Model Craft Drill Bits , 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 1.0, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 1.6mm. Smaller hole means smaller bubbles combined with a bigger pressure difference should get more smaller CO2 bubbles back into the main flow. I can start off small and work up and with the window in the reactor I can see the effect straight away. The big bubble in the CO2 reactor is telling us that its not being sucked back into the main flow fast enough there should be more smaller bubbles in the main flow which we should see in the window and no Big bubble should be building up at the top of the reactor.

If I can get this to work right could always get son to get some 3D printing done at Uni for a more professional job, instead of just using bits and pieces I have in my garage

 

[Andrew Butler]

0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.45, 0.5, 0.55, 0.6, 0.65, 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95

Have you got a drill with a chuck that accepts these sizes?!

 

[Zeus.]

Have you got a drill with a chuck that accepts these sizes?!

4 HSS Pin Vice Set

 

[Zeus.]

Andrew sent me his eductors which he had had no success with one was too big and so was the spiral mixing nozzle but one had a hope

so drilled out my 15mm plastic pipe with an 1/2inch drill and it fit real snug and the pipe fitted the lid of the APS EF2 nice

when I tested with the APS EF2 with the windows it worked but not quite as many bubbles as the new venturi I had already done and had a little test with, plus it didnt draw the air back as high in the APS EF2 as my DIY venturi. But thanks all the same Andy well worth the try M8

Bit of epoxy resin bit of time pre drilled the metal ferrule as did think the fine drilled could handle it. Started off with a hole 0.5mm but that was a little noisy so increased it and at 0.9mm the bubble rate was good and noise was low so went with that. Only had one funnel to use as the others hadn't turned up.

Faster pH drop but had just done WC so would expect that due to CO2 in the new water. Still got a bubble building up in the reactor not quite as big but not much different.
repeated today OFC

Just done the pH drop

so same as before no net gain.

Yet there was more bubbles being generated with the new venturi. The smaller internal diameter of the venturi had NO net effect on the speed of the pH drop. The tank pH once lights on and booster period over did seem a little more stable yesterday .
Also noted that if I fully closed the Bypass there was even more bubbles but dont want to reduce the tank turnover ATM plus extra load on the filter pump too.

I think if the CO2 uptake was increased than we should have no bubble in the top of CO2 reactor. More tweaks to do/test. Plus I should also fit the reactors as before and check how they perform again plus see how they work with the window never did check that

 

[Andrew Butler]

well worth the try M8

I thought the spiral one would have fitted and been the most likely to work.
I think the eductors depend on a high flow rate to make them work properly but nothing ventured, nothing gained.

 

[Wookii]

Where did you get to in the end with this project Zeus? Where did your final design finish up?

Incidentally, I noticed that you can get these pre-filters with clear bodies now in a few different sizes:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquarium...-Accessory-Pump/223748002571?var=522465291893

I assume they're all made by the same OEM manufacturer that makes them for All Pond Solutions and Sun Sun etc, so the clear body might be a straight swap for the EF2 body (?) and allow you to see easier whats going on with the bubble movement.

 

[Nigel95]

Where did you get to in the end with this project Zeus? Where did your final design finish up?

Incidentally, I noticed that you can get these pre-filters with clear bodies now in a few different sizes:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquarium...-Accessory-Pump/223748002571?var=522465291893

I assume they're all made by the same OEM manufacturer that makes them for All Pond Solutions and Sun Sun etc, so the clear body might be a straight swap for the EF2 body (?) and allow you to see easier whats going on with the bubble movement.

Hey this link is dead do you have any other links or names for the product?

 

[Wookii]

Hey this link is dead do you have any other links or names for the product?

If you put “LW-603” in eBay search you get a few resellers:

Transparent Aquarium Canister Filter Efficiency Portable Fish Tank Bucket | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Transparent Aquarium Canister Filter Efficiency Portable Fish Tank Bucket at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

There are three sizes available.

 

[Nigel95]

If you put “LW-603” in eBay search you get a few resellers:

Transparent Aquarium Canister Filter Efficiency Portable Fish Tank Bucket | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Transparent Aquarium Canister Filter Efficiency Portable Fish Tank Bucket at the best online prices at eBay! Free delivery for many products!

www.ebay.co.uk

There are three sizes available.

Just found them a minute ago haha. Thanks anyways!

I was wondering if those EW 604 are a good fit for 16/22 filters. As in real 16mm diameter so it doens't cut the flow extremely hard by making making the diameter more narrow than the 16/22 hoses of the filter.

 

[Zeus.]

Where did you get to in the end with this project Zeus? Where did your final design finish up?

Incidentally, I noticed that you can get these pre-filters with clear bodies now in a few different sizes:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aquarium...-Accessory-Pump/223748002571?var=522465291893

I assume they're all made by the same OEM manufacturer that makes them for All Pond Solutions and Sun Sun etc, so the clear body might be a straight swap for the EF2 body (?) and allow you to see easier whats going on with the bubble movement.

Opps missed that post, sorry M8.

No further testing has been done and I just accepted them as they was.

I was wondering if those EW 604 are a good fit for 16/22 filters. As in real 16mm diameter so it doens't cut the flow extremely hard by making making the diameter more narrow than the 16/22 hoses of the filter.

Well the APS EF2 and all its descendants as far as I am aware are all the same and just rebranded with different names and numbers. If my memory serves me correct the true 'bottleneck' is the fittings themselves which doesn't change regardless of what size hoes you fit, the two fittings for the hoses have a smallest diameter of 12mm, which when going from 16mm to 12mm does sound much it does make a big difference - I don't have the maths handy