# Help please- switching to reactor



## Sacha (6 May 2014)

I have always used a UP inline atomizer to diffuse my Co2, but I am sick of the micro bubbles that come through the spray bar, and so I have decided to switch to a reactor. 

First of all I don't know which would be the best one to buy.

Secondly I don't know how to connect it. 

I've seen this image: 

http://image.dhgate.com/upload/spider/b/038/106/b_befoew106038_2.jpg

But I don't understand how this will connect to my external filter tubing. They are also all the same size. If I am installing this in- line, then how can they possibly all be the same size, considering tube diameters vary so much? 

So, which reactor should I buy, and how do I connect it to my filter tubing? 

Thanks.


----------



## EnderUK (6 May 2014)

I know the ISTA one comes with a small section of 12/16mm hosing so you put that on then you put the 16/22mm over it. Don't know if it's going to work, mines in the post from Taiwan so don't have it to test it yet.


----------



## Sacha (6 May 2014)

Well I have an APS external filter, which uses an unusual hose size. So I guess I won't be able to use a reactor then.[DOUBLEPOST=1399376771][/DOUBLEPOST]These are the dimensions of the tubing: 

 Diameter: Outer 20mm (0.8"), Inner 15mm (0.6")


----------



## EnderUK (6 May 2014)

I bet with some hot water that 15mm will fit over the 16mm OD, just a matter if you want to pay the 15 quid to check.

Sent from my Radar C110e using Tapatalk


----------



## Sacha (6 May 2014)

Sorry but what's an OD?


----------



## Edvet (6 May 2014)

Have you researched building your own diffusor?


----------



## Sacha (6 May 2014)

I have but there's no way I'm going to do that. I'd much rather by my own. I don't want to risk getting anything wrong


----------



## Edvet (6 May 2014)

Maybe you can order this from the Netherlands:

http://www.aquariaveldhuis.nl/index...RIA-VAN-8-000-LTR--VT-HUISMERK&productID=9081


----------



## EnderUK (6 May 2014)

ID internal diameter, OD outer diameter

Sent from my Radar C110e using Tapatalk


----------



## Maurits (6 May 2014)

Ed 

Have you got a link for building your own diffusor because searching give's you a link to this treat ?

thanks, Maurits


----------



## EnderUK (6 May 2014)

Maurits said:


> Ed
> 
> Have you got a link for building your own diffusor because searching give's you a link to this treat ?
> 
> thanks, Maurits



http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/3444-Dual-venturi-DIY-External-CO2-reactor


----------



## Iain Sutherland (6 May 2014)

AQUA MEDIC 1000 works a treat.


----------



## Sacha (6 May 2014)

I was thinking more along the lines of £10-£20, not £50-£100. I'm happy with a Chinese job, if it works well.


----------



## Edvet (6 May 2014)

lots of links online, here amongst others: http://www.ukaps.org/forum/forums/completed-diy-projects.80/


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke (6 May 2014)

I can highly reccomend the Sera 1000. Used it to good effect on my own tank, pretty simple to set up and use and within your price range. It has one very breakable part where the co2 line connects but you can get round this by putting a check valve further up the line and keep away from the main body of the reactor.  

Tapatalk On Blackberry PlayBook


----------



## X3NiTH (6 May 2014)

Commercial £10-20 reactors may or may not give you what you desire, and more often than not you'll end up buying multiple solutions and still end up with a compromise. The major compromise is that the majority of commercial solutions have to go into the tank as there's no way they are robust enough to be used externally. For me the point of an inline diffuser is that it eliminates a piece of equipment from the tank. I ended up doing the Cerges/Dwell Time Reactor being fed by my inline diffuser, I used the Watts 20" 1"BSP Clear Housing (more expensive at about £70) and including sourcing PVC barbed connectors to fit probably ended up about £100 in all. I've seen a 10" water filter housing sitting on the shelves at B&Q for about £20, I did the 20" because I had the space for it and read that it was 100% efficient and indeed it is, it crushes all the CO2 my inline can deliver to it at sensible levels of injection and water flow through the reactor.

It's the best DIY solution for external inline systems. As easy as Lego to build.


----------



## Iain Sutherland (6 May 2014)

I appreciate its a decent outlay but I always find if you buy cheap you buy twice. I've got a shed full of eBay Chinese knock off scaping bits, a majority of which have seen a very short stint of use before being retired.... That and every leak I've ever had has been from cheap gear (oh and one from stupidity)
A DIY one will probably set you back close to £50 anyway.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke (8 May 2014)

Not knocking the diy stuff, some I've read about in the forum are very good. The Sera one I mentioned http://www.sera.de/en/products/in_c...t/sera-flore-co2-active-reactor-500-1000.html 
Is quite robust, reasonably priced and quite effective. I have not as yet heard of anyone complaining about leaks or problems otber than the very breakable co2 tubing connector. There are many members who have used these as well. 

Tapatalk On Blackberry PlayBook


----------



## terry82517 (9 May 2014)

You seen foxfish's DIY version, I made it about a month back for 20quid and 20mins. So easy and I'm injecting probs 4bps through it, no bubbles in tank. Works a treat, wish I made it ages ago.


----------



## Sacha (9 May 2014)

Where do I find this pls and is it easy to make pls.


----------



## Edvet (9 May 2014)

Top one in the link i provided


----------



## Sacha (9 May 2014)

Thanks all for your help. 
My external filter is rated for 1400 LPH. In reality it's probably more like 700 LPH. I'm guessing this might pose a problem if I want to use a reactor.

Just out of interest, what do we think of this? 

http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections/diffusers-reactors/products/external-turbo-co2-reactor-diffuser

Will it be better than this, which is what I'm using at the moment?

http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections...-inline-atomizer-diffuser-system-16-22mm-hose

The annoying thing about the one I am using right now is that it produces a lot of micro bubbles in the tank, so the water looks very, well... carbonated.


----------



## terry82517 (9 May 2014)

Very easy, the filter housing is 15quid and the connectors are about a fiver, both from eBay. 
I run mine from my tetratec ex1200 through a spray bar, flow has dropped but not massively, it seems like the better dissolvsion  of co2 out weighs problem of the drop in flow, in my case anyway.  
It can also be run by a central heating pump (25ish quid) if it effects flow to much. 
But over all ird say its worth taking a chance on it and see if it works for you!


----------



## Sacha (14 May 2014)

Averagewhitebloke, 

I love the look of the Sera one. The problem is that it says the working pressure should not exceed 1 bar! Is this correct? Why is that?


----------



## Alastair (14 May 2014)

Sacha said:


> Averagewhitebloke,
> 
> I love the look of the Sera one. The problem is that it says the working pressure should not exceed 1 bar! Is this correct? Why is that?



In reactors you don't need the higher pressure as there's less restriction due to having no ceramic piece to diffuse through but also as it's a screw on top if the pressure is too high it could possibly push this off..
The sera reactors are fantastic. Really good

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Sacha (14 May 2014)

Well, I may have to get one of those.

Any drawbacks of having such a low working pressure?


----------



## Alastair (14 May 2014)

Sacha said:


> Well, I may have to get one of those.
> 
> Any drawbacks of having such a low working pressure?


Nope non at all. You'll find you'll use less gas too (lower bps) and also there's very little reduction in flow which I thought was good. 

Sent from my D6503 using Tapatalk 2


----------



## Sacha (14 May 2014)

I can't see the hose measurements anywhere... will it fit 15/20 hosing?


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke (14 May 2014)

Sacha said:


> Averagewhitebloke,
> 
> I love the look of the Sera one. The problem is that it says the working pressure should not exceed 1 bar! Is this correct? Why is that?


This is it in action in my cabinet.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/70762733@N02/7110026011/in/photostream/
Not sure why it would say 1bar, it's not pressurised as it constantly has water flowing through it so any thing that gets pumped in would just exit the top. As such it has no back pressure but maybe be worth while knocking co2 off when the filter is not running, can't see why that would make a difference. If it filled up with co2 it would just gurgle out the top.
Never had any issues with leaks or heard anyone else using one say they have either. The two things that are a problem if you like are when it has been running for a while it tends to get difficult to unscrew the main body from the prop head at the top without worrying about using too much force. I solved this by putting a little bit of petroleum jelly on the thread when assembling and the small plastic make adapter where you connect the co2 tubing to at the top is one piece moulded to the body so if you snap this off you're screwed and it's quite brittle!
What I did there is use soft tubing instead of hard and put a check valve further up the line so when I want to take it out the system I disconnect the check valve and not off the reactor. Stay well away from it. I've never personally broke one using this method but I hear of people that have.


----------



## AverageWhiteBloke (14 May 2014)

so tempted to go back to my reactor right now


----------

