Flow amd co2 reactors

[john arnold]

Hello

Have 240l fluval roma tank with fluval306 filter i want to use an aquamedic 1000 fir co2 as my inline gives too many bubbles, is my filter too weak for the setup i want .? Or does anyone think i need to upgrade filter?

 

[Oldguy]

is my filter too weak for the setup

Try and measure the actual output from your Fluval 306. Two people, a watch and a BIG bucket. One keeps time, the other keeps an eye on volume and can turn the unit off. From your results you can check with the flow requirements of the reactor. In most cases canisters are too slow, they are designed to filter and not to move water. Pumps move water but do not filter. Wishing you dry floors.

 

[Zeus.]

Well your fluval 306 has an output of 1250LPH and the stated flow rate of the aquamedic is 1000-2000 LPH so you should be OK but like most things there is only one why to find out!
Do you plan on using an inline atomiser with it ?

 

[john arnold]

Try and measure the actual output from your Fluval 306. Two people, a watch and a BIG bucket. One keeps time, the other keeps an eye on volume and can turn the unit off. From your results you can check with the flow requirements of the reactor. In most cases canisters are too slow, they are designed to filter and not to move water. Pumps move water but do not filter. Wishing you dry floors.

Yeah maybe i could just use an external pump, thats a good idea thankd

 

[john arnold]

Well your fluval 306 has an output of 1250LPH and the stated flow rate of the aquamedic is 1000-2000 LPH so you should be OK but like most things there is only one why to find out!
Do you plan on using an inline atomiser with it ?

That seems like over kill I thought the reactor would do away with the atomiser...

 

[Andrew Butler]

they are designed to filter and not to move water

If you put too much resistance on your filter it will damage it over time, this is from first hand experience.

Pumps move water but do not filter

100% agree

240l fluval roma tank with fluval306 filter

You have a 240L tank with a filter that has an advertised flow rate of 1150 LPH which gives you a little under 5x turnover per hour assuming your filter is giving you that as an actual flow rate.
Normally it's suggested people aim for 10x tank turnover per hour in a planted tank.
If you were to put an inline reactor then you would probably find this further impedes flow.

 

[Zeus.]

That seems like over kill I thought the reactor would do away with the atomiser...

Yes and NO - smaller bubbles lead to larger surface area so faster uptake of CO2 I have reactors and inline atomisers

 

[john arnold]

Yes and NO - smaller bubbles lead to larger surface area so faster uptake of CO2 I have reactors and inline atomisers

Oh ok, i guess i could just get a cheapish pump just tonrun the co2 aye, does anyone do it that way?

 

[Zeus.]

Oh ok, i guess i could just get a cheapish pump just tonrun the co2 aye, does anyone do it that way?

Have you looked at the APS EF2 ?

Been doing some testing on them (in middle of lastest test ATM) CO2 APS EF2 reactor with internal Venturi fitted - testing ATM. Cheaper than aquamedic

 

[Oldguy]

does anyone do it that way?

Yes, I have a cheap power head/pump that I am coupling up to an inline diffuser, but both will be in the tank and will exit via home made spray bar. I know that I am losing diffusion time by having a short delivery system but I hope to maintain flow. The reason for in tank was there was a horror story posted on this forum about an inline diffuser splitting, guy came back to more water on the floor than in his tank. If I find that my DIY system works, then I will get a more expensive pump. Bye the bye the pump will be fitted with a shrimp pre screen. I don't want little critters minced.

 

[Andrew Butler]

guess i could just get a cheapish pump just tonrun the co2

It's a win win for you, increase flow and add CO2 without hindering your filter. Just make sure the pump output isn't fighting your filter.
As @Oldguy says worth putting a screen on your intake at some point.

 

[john arnold]

Have you looked at the APS EF2 ?

Been doing some testing on them (in middle of lastest test ATM) CO2 APS EF2 reactor with internal Venturi fitted - testing ATM. Cheaper than aquamedic

Ok ill look that up keep us posted please

 

[john arnold]

Yes, I have a cheap power head/pump that I am coupling up to an inline diffuser, but both will be in the tank and will exit via home made spray bar. I know that I am losing diffusion time by having a short delivery system but I hope to maintain flow. The reason for in tank was there was a horror story posted on this forum about an inline diffuser splitting, guy came back to more water on the floor than in his tank. If I find that my DIY system works, then I will get a more expensive pump. Bye the bye the pump will be fitted with a shrimp pre screen. I don't want little critters minced.

That is a horror story but i want to kerp it out of the tank i hate all that equipment inside but good to know what to be a bit more carefull with equipment wise

 

[john arnold]

If you put too much resistance on your filter it will damage it over time, this is from first hand experience.

100% agree

You have a 240L tank with a filter that has an advertised flow rate of 1150 LPH which gives you a little under 5x turnover per hour assuming your filter is giving you that as an actual flow rate.
Normally it's suggested people aim for 10x tank turnover per hour in a planted tank.
If you were to put an inline reactor then you would probably find this further impedes flow.

Yeah i think 10 times turnover is excessive, my fish would be blown around crazy, but i dont think my 306 filter would be good enough with the aquamedic, so mybe go with a seperate setup for the the co2

 

[Andrew Butler]

i think 10 times turnover is excessive

I think many people will disagree with you on here about that but it's your call.
Just remember you're quite possibly not getting the flow rate your filter says anyway.

 

[ian_m]

Yeah i think 10 times turnover is excessive

I have 5600l/hr in my 180l tank, x30 rate and fish have no problem going where ever they like in the tank.

 

[Daveslaney]

The 10x filter turnover is from The manufacturers claimed output rates from the filters. These are usually with a empty filter and no head hight on the pump. In reality once you have media in the filter in your cabinet below the tank( pump head hight)a inline heater etc.
You are probably only getting 60% of the quoted flow rate I would think. So a 1000ltr hour filter will prob only give you 600ltr hour turnover.
So by using the 10x rule you should always have decent flow in your tank.

 

[john arnold]

Ok i see but in my 140l i have an oase 350 at 1100 lph and the cardinals find it a bit hard to swim in certain places, msybe im thinkin*of when i had a wavemaker in the 240l it was too much for the fish then so maybe i need filter upgrade before the reactor or get an external pump just for the co2 reactor

 

[john arnold]

Has anyone got any external pump recommendations, cheapish one that is as ive spent too much money lately

 

[Andrew Butler]

the cardinals find it a bit hard to swim in certain places

Maybe where the main filter flow is directed?
I have 2x Fluval G6 in my 200L. These have an actual flow of 1000 LPH (2460 LPH pump performance) each so I'm on just over 10x actual turnover. If fish get right in front of the filter output then they have a job swimming too.
A spraybar softens this 'intense' jet of water and improves flow in a lot of cases.