External CO2 reactor or DIY

[Zeus.]

Yes at the end of the day it's all a relation between flow and gas buoyancy. I suppose I could also have no bubbles coming out of my Rex Grigg style reactor when using a diffuser but I would probably need to double the hight of the reactor OR increase the diameter OR create a bypass to slow water flow in the reactor.

Which is why I was always keen to make the reactor as wide as possible (like the APS EF2), having the bypass did help when I was testing with the CO2 ART inline atomisers, I had also provisional planed to make my 'next' CO2 reactor as wide as possible, double the radius of reactor chamber decreases the flow by Four. @X3NiTH conical fermenter is wide - tank bulk connector on the top/screw lid ( which will be bottom when its a CO2 reactor), then just need to fit a CO2 outlet return for venturi

 

[Hanuman]

Which is why I was always keen to make the reactor as wide as possible (like the APS EF2), having the bypass did help when I was testing with the CO2 ART inline atomisers, I had also provisional planed to make my 'next' CO2 reactor as wide as possible, double the radius of reactor chamber decreases the flow by Four. @X3NiTH conical fermenter is wide - tank bulk connector on the top/screw lid ( which will be bottom when its a CO2 reactor), then just need to fit a CO2 outlet return for venturi

Both the Rex Grigg and Cerges reactor do the same. Reduce flow. One is higher and thiner. The other is shorter and wider. All for the same. This said a Cerges type reactor is probably more adapted for bigger tanks due to increased flow required. It would be impractical to have a very tall Rex Grigg reactor.

 

[foxfish]

I did try with an UP inline and with no diffuser as well, the best results were indeed with the course diffuser but all three worked on the lower flow ratings,
As Zeus pointed out... it is the perpetual vortex that continually mixes and abradeds the bubbles against each other and therefore breaking them down.
It is such a basic concept but surprisingly difficult to get just right.

 

[chr15_8]

A lot of usfull and good ideas to consider so thanks for that.
I finally got round to making a quick and experimental reactor and plumbed in a few days ago. Not sure how it will work but there are currently no micro bubbles going through. Hopefully the picture explains but the water is acting as a vortex and is fairly rough where you can see the bubbles gathering at the top. I purged a fair amount of air out the tube so I know I have co2 entering the system which is why there is so much already gathered. Hoping in normal operation there won't be as much. When I first set it up I had about 2/3x the amount of air at the top which took about 2 hours to dissipate.

I have placed the drop checker close to the bottom as the instructions said. My only worry is the bromothymol blue is a few years old although never been opened so not sure if it goes 'off'

Please excuse the mess! I need to tidy it all up still!

 

[foxfish]

One issue might be the right angle elbow will defiantly cause loss of flow, that is why i came up with the internal bottle idea as it does not effect the flow anywhere near as much as a right angle bend.
However if you are getting a good strong vortex, then that is great and should work well.
Where and how does the water exit?

 

[chr15_8]

Well its not working too well to be honest. Turned the co2 off last night at 10pm and still have some in the reactor now. Was looking at your DIY reactor last night (first time coming across it 🙈) and now have the filter housing and hosetails ordered up. Have found a bottle that will hopefully be suitable also. Hopefully have it up and running come next weekend.