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I'm SO OVER co2 Its Not Funny !

A

Antipofish

Guest
Got a CO2 rig a short while ago. Cool, couldn't wait to get it set up. TMC v2PRO reg with FE, fluval bubble counter and an UP inline diffuser. Worked fine for the person I bought it off. Get it home and the best I can achieve is 1 bubble per second and even that diminished after a few hours.

So, did some asking and it appears that the reg/diffuser combination is not that great. Others on here have tried it and not got good results. TMC are sending another reg as they believe it should work, so fair enough and if it works then all good, though the proof will be in the pudding with that.

Seems lots of people like these AM1000 Aqua Medic reactors, and I managed to get hold of one. Thought, "hey why not, splash out and try the thing that everyone seems to like".

Got it all set up. FIRST THING the air bleed tap leaks ! Ok not the end of the world, TGM will undoubtedly sort that for me (least they better had, LOL). But the flow has reduced by 40 %. So I cut off the 12mm section of the inlet and outlet and removed the bioballs.

NOW what I have is a chamber in which you can hear water sloshing about like a washing machine and STILL only 75% flow.

Can anyone give me a reason to carry on, because at the moment I am seriously contemplating throwing my toys in the dustbin. PLEASE ?
 
sounds like you should have upped the pressure on the inline diffuser...they do drop the bubble rate if the working pressure isn't good enough. As for the reactor, i can't comment as i have never used one, but i'm sure you have to leave the bioballs in there for full effect.
 
ianho said:
sounds like you should have upped the pressure on the inline diffuser...they do drop the bubble rate if the working pressure isn't good enough. As for the reactor, i can't comment as i have never used one, but i'm sure you have to leave the bioballs in there for full effect.
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Not possible Ian. The TMC v2PRO, like many regs, has a fixed working pressure.

Others on here have said they removed the bioballs and still achieved full dissolution of the CO2. Im going to put the balls back in. Actually, Jim @ TGM says they use siporax instead of the bioballs. Even so, Im gutted about the flow thing. Don't know what to do. Will try the new reg when it arrives (Actually, I have a spare that GF sent me to try, and I should have tried that first I guess, but had thought I would kill two birds with one stone). Still very frustrated though.
 
flow is one of the reasons i have never forked out for one, they are renowned for cutting flow right down. The inline/in tank atomisers are great IME.
 
ianho said:
flow is one of the reasons i have never forked out for one, they are renowned for cutting flow right down. The inline/in tank atomisers are great IME.
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If you have a reg that works with them. What make/model have you got mate ?
 
it's a JBL reg, there are 2 JBL regs on the market (that i'm aware of) and both you can change the working pressures on.
 
ianho said:
it's a JBL reg, there are 2 JBL regs on the market (that i'm aware of) and both you can change the working pressures on.
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OK Thanks mate. Do you ever clean your inline ? Is it one of the UP inline atomisers ? If you clean, HOW do you ? Cheers.
(PS loving your new tank... makes me want to rescape already lol, but I got a nano coming soon ;) hehe )
 
cheers Chris, i only used my inline for a few weeks and gave it away. I prefer the in tank atomisers, although they bother produce the same end product. As for cleaning, i just soak for a couple of hours in a WEAK bleach solution and then into some water with some dechlor for an hour.
 
I use the aqua medic 1000 reactor with a reg and solenoid I bought from eBay for 90 euros if you decide to go down this route pm me Chris and I'll link you the items I purchased. Cheers
 
Thanks Mike, the reg/solenoid is fine with the reactor, its just that the reactor has reduced my flow significantly :( I should have foreseen this. Having said that I may not throw my toys in the dustbin just yet, as with some replacement of the spraybar and jet directions, I seem to have even better ACTUAL flow around the aquarium, albeit the measured rate is less, it is now more efficient (apparently because practically every plant is swaying !). I guess I just look at the graph on my G6 and see the flow is lower and it sets off alarm bells because everyone is like "flow flow flow" :rolleyes:

I also put the spare reg that I had sent down (many thanks GF) and early indications are that it seems to have a much higher working pressure (closer to 4bar) than the one I was using. It is beyond me why this working pressure cannot be EASILY adjusted on all regulators of the quality and price level that the TMC v2PRO is at o_O Especially with products such as the new inline diffusers and ceramic in tank atomisers which seem to require higher pressure to drive them properly.

Anyway, will be doing a proper test tomorrow to see what happens with the Up inline diffuser (diffuser ? diffusor ? whats the right spelling please its bugging me not knowing. Thats the problem of living in New Zealand for years... they are so damned Americanised over there I get confused between my ER's and OR's and my ISE's and IZE's lol !!!).

Anyway, if anyone has any more to say on this matter I would still welcome further comment. I wasn't really going to throw the toys in the dustbin, but MAN this can be a frustrating hobby. I think its the not knowing stuff that makes it so hard sometimes. BUT, I have to say, everyone is so helpful and supportive on here. I could not wish to be a member of a better, more friendly, and informative forum. So THANKS guys :) I really appreciate it. :thumbup:

QUICK QUESTION:

TheGreenMachine use these AM1000 reactors a lot and Jim likes to use Sera Siporax in them for even better diffusion than the large black bioballs that they come with.

WHICH media of the two mentioned do you think will create LEAST resistance to flow, and why ? I know some people run these chambers empty but I cant help thinking its an expensive EMPTY chamber. The control freak in me wants to put something in it, LOL. :woot: :woot: :woot:
 
oh dear Chris, you sound fed up? :(

The AM will reduce flow drastically. I run mine on a seperate filter from my G6 due to this issue. There isn`t much you can do to resolve the problem I`m afraid. Unless you go for a filter with huge turnover like an FX5. What media do you have in yours? I run mine with a Black shower scrunchie from Tescos. Works a treat.

Co2, like ferts, plants, substrate, livestock etc is a huge learning curve. I started out about 18 months ago I have had alot of issues that I have had to resolve. I have learnt loads by my own mistakes, and for this I feel like I have progressed. Alot. In regards to Co2 I started out with disposable bottles (Expensive) with a in tank spiral reactor, then moved on to a Glass Diffuser, then an UP inline, then a AM1000, then back to an Inline, then back to the AM. :crazy:

Point being, don`t throw your toys out of the pram just yet. Issues like this will only make you better IMO. I feel kind of bad for recommening the AM in a previous post. I thought I had stated that flow would be effected. Maybe I didn`t? :?
 
Quetzalcoatl said:
oh dear Chris, you sound fed up? :(

The AM will reduce flow drastically. I run mine on a seperate filter from my G6 due to this issue. There isn`t much you can do to resolve the problem I`m afraid. Unless you go for a filter with huge turnover like an FX5. What media do you have in yours? I run mine with a Black shower scrunchie from Tescos. Works a treat.

Co2, like ferts, plants, substrate, livestock etc is a huge learning curve. I started out about 18 months ago I have had alot of issues that I have had to resolve. I have learnt loads by my own mistakes, and for this I feel like I have progressed. Alot. In regards to Co2 I started out with disposable bottles (Expensive) with a in tank spiral reactor, then moved on to a Glass Diffuser, then an UP inline, then a AM1000, then back to an Inline, then back to the AM. :crazy:

Point being, don`t throw your toys out of the pram just yet. Issues like this will only make you better IMO. I feel kind of bad for recommening the AM in a previous post. I thought I had stated that flow would be effected. Maybe I didn`t? :?
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Liam thanks for your post and PLEASE do not feel bad. You probably did say flow would reduce. And to be honest I am not sure the reduction is a problem as I am getting a lot of movement in the tank. I may take a video tomorrow to show what results I am getting and people can tell me if its looking ok or not. Its just I am used to seeing all the bars up on my G6 and now its down 2 or 3.

Out of interest, why did you fluctuate back and forth... atomiser/reactor/atomiser ? I was just reading an article on TFF which stems from a lot of writing by Clive, Tom and the likes as to the benefits of misted CO2 vs totally dissolved CO2. I think I am even more confused now. Don't know whether to just sort the reg problem out and stick with the Up inline or keep going with the AM1000 now I have it and add a koralia if i need to. Think is i HATE stuff in the tank. Its bad enough having those ugly damn fluval pipes and returns in there, let alone a damned black chunk of plastic to give more flow :rolleyes:
 
It can be massively frustrating this game, especially the cost of things that don't meet your expectation, but also very satisfying as you progress along the leaning curve.

I'm two years in, my tank is far better than it used to be but not where I want it to be. Most of my issues are probably still CO2 / distribution related, it drives me round the bend sometimes but i also enjoy the challenge of trying to fix it.

I use an inline on the output of my filter, solely for the reason that i can see the distribution of the CO2. My only advice is take your time, decide on your set up and give it a good amount of time - don't keep jumping from one system to another.

Stick with it.

The biggest frustration on here is that some people find the whole thing so easy :lol:
 
Antipofish said:
TMC v2PRO reg with FE, fluval bubble counter and an UP inline diffuser. Worked fine for the person I bought it off. Get it home and the best I can achieve is 1 bubble per second and even that diminished after a few hours.

So, did some asking and it appears that the reg/diffuser combination is not that great. Others on here have tried it and not got good results.
Click to expand...

I'm using a TMC V2 reg and Up inline myself and have no problems with it. I would try it with an "in tank" diffuser if you have one. Maybe the up inline is clogged?
 
spyder said:
Antipofish said:
TMC v2PRO reg with FE, fluval bubble counter and an UP inline diffuser. Worked fine for the person I bought it off. Get it home and the best I can achieve is 1 bubble per second and even that diminished after a few hours.

So, did some asking and it appears that the reg/diffuser combination is not that great. Others on here have tried it and not got good results.
Click to expand...

I'm using a TMC V2 reg and Up inline myself and have no problems with it. I would try it with an "in tank" diffuser if you have one. Maybe the up inline is clogged?
Click to expand...

Its a possibility. It is second hand. Is there a way to "unclog them" ? Having just bought this as a kit because of the value in getting everything at once, I don't want to have to go out and buy new bits (even though I bought a reactor ! LMAO). Someone mentioned soaking it in a low concentration of thin bleach for a few hours, then doing same in dechlorinator afterwards ? Just like to get others' opinions too :)
 
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