# Help me choose a new reactor/ diffuser



## Sacha (30 Nov 2014)

I am at the end of my tether here. Every UP inline diffuser I have ever owned has leaked. I'm sick of this now, and I want to get hold of an efficient reactor or diffuser that won't leak. Does such a thing exist? 

I'm looking at the Sera 500 or 1000:

https://www.sera.de/en/products/in_...t/sera-flore-co2-active-reactor-500-1000.html

It looks like it's just what I need, but will it leak? 

The tank is 125 litres, and the reactor/ diffuser will go on the outflow of an Eheim 1250 lph external filter. I am injecting about 2.5 bps. 

Any help is much appreciated.


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## GTL_UK (30 Nov 2014)

Hi,

I was using Ista Max Large for my 450 l. tank and it doing good job


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## Sacha (30 Nov 2014)

Thanks for the reply. Is this the one you mean? 

http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections...ulti-directional-max-mix-large-over-240l-tank


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## GTL_UK (30 Nov 2014)

No, the one from link:

http://www.istaproducts.com/details+Max+Mix+CO2+Reactor+(Large)/products/62/


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## john dory (30 Nov 2014)

This is slightly worrying,as i have a up diffuser.


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## Sacha (30 Nov 2014)

Well I hope your experience is better than mine. 

I'm thinking I'm going to pick up a Sera tomorrow. From what I've read, the Ista Max Mix is a "cheaper version" of the Sera. 

But should I get a 500, or a 1000, for my sized tank, filter lph, and bps?


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## GTL_UK (30 Nov 2014)

john dory said:


> This is slightly worrying,as i have a up diffuser.


What do you mean ? mine was running over 9 months without problems


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## kirk (30 Nov 2014)

I certainly can't help you, only a few words come to mind when talking about co2 and reactors at the moment, and that's brickwall bang and head.   if you do go sera go bigger say the 1000 more area/length to build that vortex should equal better mix. I've only just got our turbo one goingish but what a palava.  it is shorter than the sera I think?


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## john dory (30 Nov 2014)

I hav'nt had any problems with mine either.may i ask where they are leaking from.
body or connections?


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## Sacha (30 Nov 2014)

The new style one (which you can take apart to clean the ceramic) is leaking from both ends, at the nuts which you unscrew to take the thing apart. They're as tight as they can be. It's pissing water out of my tank as we speak.  

The old style one developed a crack in the plastic, and started leaking from there.


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## Bhu (30 Nov 2014)

I'm using the sera 1000 hasn't leaked and dissolves co2 really well. My only concern is that I'm now having to use a lot more bps and not sure why to get the same light green on my dc. I've double checked all connections for leaks so it's not that. It's been running for a couple of weeks and I had to clean it already. So don't expect a non clean solution. But cleaning it is simple. Also you have to be really careful with them as they are fragile particularly around the co2 inlet so I use a one way valve with 4 inch of co2 pipe into the sera so I can disconnect at the valve and leave the co2 input on the sera alone. Your eheim will run it no problems. But you do need the 1000 for the correct hose size


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## john dory (30 Nov 2014)

Sacha said:


> The new style one (which you can take apart to clean the ceramic) is leaking from both ends, at the nuts which you unscrew to take the thing apart. They're as tight as they can be. It's pissing water out of my tank as we speak.
> 
> The old style one developed a crack in the plastic, and started leaking from there.


Sounds like a nightmare.


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## Bhu (30 Nov 2014)

john dory said:


> Sounds like a nightmare.


Mine did the same which is why I went to the sera 1000.


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## pepedopolous (30 Nov 2014)

Sorry you had a bad time with the Up, but I can't recommend anything else that works as well from my personal experience (I mean the 'old' Ups). I just keep the working pressure at 2 bar. I have quite soft tap water so cleaning has never been an issue. I use a filter pipe brush.

The only thing other thing I might try is these http://www.us-aquaristikshop.com/co2-reaktoren/?xploidID=bkj8db9vds0qkpave4jd3jrrv1
though they are much bigger and surely reduce flow a lot more.

P


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## tim (30 Nov 2014)

Just fitted a sera 500 to my 40ltr tank, tired of cleaning inlines every 3-5 days for optimum diffusion, first impressions of the sera not the best build quality (co2 nipple etc) and it's going to take some messing for optimum timings etc, all experimental ready for setting up my 3ft in the new year, probably go with the Aqua medic 1000 for that one.


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## Sacha (30 Nov 2014)

I would buy the Aqua Medic 1000. But asking £70 for a piece of plastic is just offensive.


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## tim (30 Nov 2014)

Sacha said:


> I would buy the Aqua Medic 1000. But asking £70 for a piece of plastic is just offensive.


Tony swinney has one for sale in the sale swap wanted forum, reading reviews they are tried and tested and fairly solid by all accounts, I weigh it up against replacing my atomiser every 3-6 months and it suddenly seems value for money


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## Sacha (30 Nov 2014)

Thanks so much, I messaged him.


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## tmiravent (1 Dec 2014)

Hi Sacha,
I'm using the ista reactor for some time. I have the 500 and 1000 version's.
My feedback is very good in terms of C02 dissolving capacity.
The rubber can be tricky to close...and hard to open...
It tends to glue! My 1000 version was from someone who used to open it with hot water (really not the best way), it cook's the rubber...
I use the 500 version for a 200 liter version and be aware of this:
- the bigger one needs more powerful filter to run, and takes out more flow
- I believe that Sera is better material (but i'm guessing), so i would choose this one (also more expensive)!
- I prefer to use the 500 version (almost never clean it, the flow is good with my very old Eheim 2213)
Cheers


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## Sacha (1 Dec 2014)

Thanks. 

So you're saying that you prefer to use the 500 version, because it doesn't reduce flow as much? Any other reasons?


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## tmiravent (1 Dec 2014)

hi,
yes in my experience it works better.
If you take a look at the specifications, the 1000 version is recomended for 600 liters and above.
Maybe thats why the smaller works best in my case.
Sera also states that 500 means that you can disolve till 500 bubles per minute, it gives 8.3 bublees per second.
The 1000 version can disolve the double!
cheers


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## Sacha (1 Dec 2014)

I'm basically choosing between the Sera 500 and the Aqua Medic 1000. 

Pros of the Sera 500: 

Won't kill flow as much as the Aqua Medic 

Cheaper 

Pros of the AM 1000:

Better build quality 

Quieter (??)

So basically the decision depends on this: 

How much more will the AM 1000 kill the flow than the Sera 500?


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## Bhu (1 Dec 2014)

my sera 1000 is very quite never hear it. But yes they are less robust. Mine has just reached equilibrium so now im in the process of upping the lights  at 70% so far so good  nice light green dc on lights on.


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## Sacha (1 Dec 2014)

What do you mean "reached equilibrium"? My LFS has the Sera 500 for £22.50 so think I'm going to pick one up later today.


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## Bhu (1 Dec 2014)

I mean the co2 level is light green at lights on and stays constant all day until co2 is turned off just before lights off. Took me weeks of fiddling with my bps to get this right and nearly gassed my fish to boot!


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## Bhu (1 Dec 2014)

Sacha said:


> What do you mean "reached equilibrium"? My LFS has the Sera 500 for £22.50 so think I'm going to pick one up later today.


Just make sure you get a co2 proof one way valve to connect a 4" section of co2 piping to the sera so you never have to mess with the piping connection to the sera again. That part on the sera is known to be fragile and if you try to remove the co2 pipe from the sera once on you run a huge risk of breaking it. Rest is good choice!

Is the water tubing on the 500 16/20 as your Eheim? That's why I chose the 1000 so that it fits without any adapters... The 1000 is also 16/20 as my eheim.


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## Sacha (2 Dec 2014)

I was aware of the breakability of that Co2 nipple on the reactor, thanks for the tip. 

Yeah it's 16/20 pipework so fits perfectly. 

Just one issue. 24 hours after installation and it's still quite noisy. I have turned the reactor upside- down several times to release trapped air, and I have turned the filter off and then back on while holding the reactor upside- down, to help release the air. But it's still making quite a loud trickling sound. Any ideas how to go about silencing it? 

Apart from that, seems to be working well. Zero bubbles in the tank, and a green drop checker. Will have to wait until evening to see if I am getting good pearling.


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## Bhu (2 Dec 2014)

Try increasing the flow to it. Mine makes more sound when the prefilter to the pump feed gets clogged with debris. Once cleaned off and the flow is more there is less sound. With my cabinet door closed there is zero sound for me. Great that you managed to get straight to green on the dc. What bps did you have to use as mine is mental! Impossible to count almost a straight line of gas lol

Do you have the spindle wheel at the top with the finest spindles positioned down on that wheel?


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## Sacha (2 Dec 2014)

I'm at about 2 bps right now, but I'm going to slowly increase it over the next few days to find that sweet spot. 

Increasing the flow to the reactor might be a bit difficult, the filter is already pretty empty. Also, it's a 1250 lph Eheim so I think it should be providing enough flow!


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## Bhu (2 Dec 2014)

Wow only 2bps! I've really got to check mine again for leaks. Already checked twice and none showing but it's like I'm flooding co2 into it to get light green. 

On turning it upside down did you get all the air out before you started feeding co2? Once the co2 is turned off and the last of the co2 is dissolved does it still make too much noise?


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## Sacha (2 Dec 2014)

It does still make noise after Co2 is off, but I'll have to double- check again after the Co2 goes off tonight.


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## Bhu (2 Dec 2014)

Just to see if it's a build up of gas causing the noise or the water flowing through the fly wheels...


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## Sacha (3 Dec 2014)

Yep, like you said, the reactor is completely silent when the Co2 is off. When the Co2 is on, it makes a trickling noise. I'm guessing there is no way to avoid that.


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## Bhu (3 Dec 2014)

Is it not in a cupboard? I really cant hear mine when the door is shut. Not sure how you could stop that trickling sound. Maybe build a sound proof box to sit it in


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## Sacha (3 Dec 2014)

Yeah it is inside the Juwel cabinet, but I can still hear it with the door shut. Just have to live with it I guess. It's not too bad, just sounds like the trickle of a stream like someone mentioned in the other thread.


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