CO2 reactor connected to external pump questions

[ilaizm]

I currently have a pressurized CO2 setup with a reactor connected to the output of my canister filter. I am thinking of changing the setup by connecting my reactor to an external pump and have the filter free from equipment on the output side.

First question I have is would you use a spray bar for the output of the pipe connected to the reactor and external pump? Or is something else suggested? Also, where should I position the spray bar or whatever you suggest having instead? Should it be towards the bottom or towards the surface?

 

[Ajm200]

I was going to ask the same thing as I've got fluvals on my new tank so inline reactors on the filter may not be an option but I do have a 550l/h pump spare.

I may be very wrong but I think spraybars on the back wall of the tank positioned to spray horizontally just below the surface will ensure that the water hits the front pane and is forced down to substrate creating a circular flow but will only work though if the flow is not opposed cancelled out by the output from the filters. Physics was never my favourite subject.

I'm sure one of the experts will be along shortly with the perfect answer to this dilemma.

 

[gzylo]

Hi guys

I`m not an expert.

I gave fluval 405 and 404 connected in line and external inline reactor.

As a output on the filters I use spray bar along the back of the tank wall. The holes are positioned so the water flows to the front glass of the tank but not in the straight line but tiny bit lower so most of the water bounces the wall and flows down creating circulation. There is another issue with spray bars. Do not know whether it helps but I have made 2 extra holes in the bar on each end facing straight down so co2 gets delivered to the corners. + I have blinded every other hole on the bar to get better flow.

If you would use spry-bar and internal filter I personally would not put the bar along the back side but on the side of tank and internal filter in the corner blowing along the back wall so there some kind of circulation saved. The filter also would be as low as possible (this also depend on plants used) or place filter on the same wall what spry-bar.


Thanks
gzylo

 

[chris1004]

Hi,

The flow dynamics within each tank will be very different and there isn't really a one setup suits all system that will resolve all the issues for everyone. IMO having even flow distribution throughout the tank is the hardest of all the things to achieve.

There are a lot of variables like how many inlets/outlets, amount of flow, physical dimentions of the tank,size and position of hardscape, planting density, type and size of plants (some prefer more flow than others). The list really goes on and on. So much so in fact that its almost impossible to generalise, IMO.

Having the spraybars facing foward from the back wall is the preferred method of many but it would appear that you will need a reactor on each return to achieve even distribution of dissolved co2. There was another thread discussing exactly this a short while ago.

http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=10079

Aesthetically though this arrangement doesn't suit everyone myself included and I aim for the flow to be in a circular motion along the length of the tank to try to achieve a more natural looking riverbed with the residents prefering to face upstream more often than not.

I achieve this by having two external filters whose inlets/outlets are at opposite ends of the tank. One spraybar is just under the surface and level and is aided by a koralia 1 to push the surface from left to right. The other is about 4" under the surface and points about 30 degrees up from vertically down aiming right to left.This is the co2 enriched return. Above this second spraybar is a Koralia 2 powerhead also pointing down and accross the tank (right to left). Both spraybars are cut to fit across the entire width of the tank and the koralias are on the same timer as the co2 solenoid valve, therefore when the co2 is on the tank turnover is raised to about 25x the tank volume and the co2 enriched return is forced straight down onto the substrate. I have found that I do really need the extra flow (i.e. 25x instead of 10x tank volume) from the koralia's to really 'push' the water the length of the tank though.

This arrangement will not suit everyone but it works for me.

Regards, Chris.