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CO2 reactor - can't get CO2 level up?

san-ho-zay

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2008
Messages
98
Location
Otley, UK
I have a CO2 reactor that looks like this ...

co2_03.jpg


I'm struggling to get my CO2 levels up and I'm not sure if it's the way I've got the reactor set up or insufficient flow around the tank. I've got large bubbles rattling around at the top of the reactor (B) and a big blob of CO2 in the bottom section with large bubbles rattling around (A). I'm driving it with a 300lph Ehiem Compact powerhead at the moment. Apart from the standard 1000 l/h powerhead on the filter, I also have an internal filter rated at 700lph. The reactor is at the opposite end of the tank from the filter box, the internal is directed toward the reactor to try and spread the CO2 around.

At around 1 bubble/sec in a Rio 300, I'm struggling to get out of the blue on the drop checker. Any suggestions?
 
Inject more CO2, i run at 4bps on a 180L to get green. Do have a fair bit of surface agitation but still 1bps on 300L is not going to be enough.
 
san-ho-zay said:
I have a CO2 reactor that looks like this ...

co2_03.jpg


I'm struggling to get my CO2 levels up and I'm not sure if it's the way I've got the reactor set up or insufficient flow around the tank. I've got large bubbles rattling around at the top of the reactor (B) and a big blob of CO2 in the bottom section with large bubbles rattling around (A). I'm driving it with a 300lph Ehiem Compact powerhead at the moment.

At around 1 bubble/sec in a Rio 300, I'm struggling to get out of the blue on the drop checker. Any suggestions?

Hi it sounds to me like the reactor is not set up properly. If you turn up your flow rate on the CO2 to 4bps and you have already got large accumulations of CO2 in various places within the reactor you are going to finish up with even more. Eventually the CO2 pressure will build up inside the reactor until it releases itself (usually detected by a loud bubbling gurgling sound as it all escapes to the surface where it disappears and is of course wasted. You say you are using a 300 litre powerhead to drive it :wideyed: In my humble opinion I would say that there is too much water being pumped through the reactor which is forcing the CO2 through it too quickly and driving it out at the top so the CO2 is not coming into contact with the water for long enough for it to have any effect on you drop checker.

I would try to reduce the water flow through the reactor to as little as possible (does it have to be water driven at all?) leave the flow rate at 1bps for the time being and see if there is any difference after 24 hours. If not turn it up to 2bps and monitor the situation.

:? I used to have a similar CO2 reactor which was not water driven and it worked okay for me.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers,

Steve.
 
Matt Holbrook-Bull said:
I found this type of reactor pretty useless to be honest.. lots of wastage. I bought a rhinox.. apart from the fact they look much nicer, theyre much more effective.

8) OOooops......I thought it you said it.......Like I said "USED TO HAVE ONE" and only Okay. Now I have got an internal DUPLA water driven reactor which works great, although if I was getting a new one would definitely consider an external one. My next filter is going to be a thermal one so I can keep as much out of the tank as possible.

If all else fails :oops: ditch the reactor and go for a different type. How long have you had it? Less than three months I would take it back and tell them you are not happy with it.

Cheers,

STEVE
 
Thanks for your advice gents :)

I've spent a couple of days fiddling. Less flow, more flow, more bubbles. Not much progress. I think I'd better get myself a ceramic diffuser before I contribute any further to global warming.

The reactor came as part of a CO2 kit I got from Germany off eBay. It was a good deal so no qualms about upgrading to a diffuser. I was thinking of a Rhinox 5000. Good choice for 300 litres?

I'm assuming these things work best with some flow over them? How deep is it best to mount them?
 
i have the same diffuser as you,brought it from germany wiht co2 set up. and its useless,the instruction on the sit were useless to set it up,i played about with it for about 3 weeks and got feed up with it,and got anothor one...waste of money....
 
It looks very similar to my old Dennerle diffuser, which was totally useless and very ugly.

I replaced mine with the Aquamas internal reactor. In which i now achieve good CO2 saturation with 720 litres.
 
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