# New filter and reactor help



## john arnold (22 Jan 2019)

Hello

Thinking if getting fluval fx4 and using aqua,edic 1000 co2 reactor on my 240l tank but due to reactors design there is a lotbof space taken up in cabinet with bending pipes to fit it, the sera 500 on the otherhand is designed so the out flow goes into it horizontal and outflow strsight up making it a lot easier and less space to fit so
Does anyone know if sera 500 is as good as the aquamedic 1000?

Thanks


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## foxfish (22 Jan 2019)

Is the sera 500 the one with an internal plastic impeller? If so it is small, noisy and inefficient.
Is the aquamedic the one stuffed with bio balls,  if so it zaps flow big time!


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## john arnold (22 Jan 2019)

foxfish said:


> Is the sera 500 the one with an internal plastic impeller? If so it is small, noisy and inefficient.
> Is the aquamedic the one stuffed with bio balls,  if so it zaps flow big time!


Yeah i heard that if you take balla out then not so bad on the flow


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## goldscapes (23 Jan 2019)

There’s nothing on the market that I know of that will sit inline on an fx4 without considerably reducing flow. The hose diameter is larger than most so you’re going to have to split the hose  and have a reactor/diffuser on one side only. I don’t have the knowledge to direct you on this other than to suggest you read Zeus’ journal, which includes a simple (no DIY) reactor setup on a bypass. This might help give you some ideas, especially the second post.
https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/olympus-is-calling-maxspect-gyres-fitted.43046/
He uses an FX6 but the same problem applies.


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## Andrew Butler (23 Jan 2019)

john arnold said:


> Thinking if getting fluval fx4


great filter but that 25mm pipe size is a real pain with no inline heaters or CO2 fitting that I know of.
CO2 you can put in tank as can you with a heater if you wanted.
Then if you don't want to use standard inlet/outlet that comes with the filter and do want to use glass that's another problem.

Ways around this all:
You can have a faff around with plumbing like Karl has so you can use 16/22 fittings and split flow etc.
You can make your own spraybar and use that.

After messing around with this kind of thing before I wouldn't bother again unless it was for a DIY spraybar.
Maybe look at another filter and CO2 injection option is the easy way out here? - Just my opinions of course.

On another note I know first hand the reactors do damage your filter and stop them from producing as much flow over time even if you take it back out.


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## Daveslaney (23 Jan 2019)

The Aqua medic reactors are 12/16 connectors. So even if you remove the balls it will reduce your flow big time.


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## goldscapes (23 Jan 2019)

There are in-line diffusers that go up to 19/25, that’s the largest I know of but if my maths is right still over 50% reduction in cross sectional area. So not a good idea.

With a tank that size I would consider one of the following:
1) a smaller filter with standard diameter hoses and a circulation pump
2) a diy in-tank sump with suitably rated return pump
3) twin external filters

Option 2 could be a bit hit and miss if you don’t know what you’re doing.
Option 1 needs a bit more kit in the tank. Option 3 needs more space in the cabinet which might be an issue in your case.

Good luck!


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## Andrew Butler (23 Jan 2019)

goldscapes said:


> 3) twin external filters


+1 my choice, you can get small footprint filters but unsure quite how restrictive your cabinet is?


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## john arnold (23 Jan 2019)

goldscapes said:


> There’s nothing on the market that I know of that will sit inline on an fx4 without considerably reducing flow. The hose diameter is larger than most so you’re going to have to split the hose  and have a reactor/diffuser on one side only. I don’t have the knowledge to direct you on this other than to suggest you read Zeus’ journal, which includes a simple (no DIY) reactor setup on a bypass. This might help give you some ideas, especially the second post.
> https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/olympus-is-calling-maxspect-gyres-fitted.43046/
> He uses an FX6 but the same problem applies.


Thats why he is called Zues wow!


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## john arnold (23 Jan 2019)

Andrew Butler said:


> great filter but that 25mm pipe size is a real pain with no inline heaters or CO2 fitting that I know of.
> CO2 you can put in tank as can you with a heater if you wanted.
> Then if you don't want to use standard inlet/outlet that comes with the filter and do want to use glass that's another problem.
> 
> ...


I habe a fluval306 and fitted 16/22 pipes to it with inline diffuser no problem, no leaks


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## Andrew Butler (23 Jan 2019)

john arnold said:


> I habe a fluval306 and fitted 16/22 pipes to it with inline diffuser no problem, no leaks


Doesn't the 306 have 16mm ish internal diameter pipes though.
The FX series use 25mm pipes which I think you already know; unless I'm wrong?


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## john arnold (23 Jan 2019)

Andrew Butler said:


> Doesn't the 306 have 16mm ish internal diameter pipes though.
> The FX series use 25mm pipes which I think you already know; unless I'm wrong?


Oh i thought it was same as 306 oops i better chevk it out


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## Daveslaney (23 Jan 2019)

I would go fx4 just as a filter. Then get a dedicated pump to run a external heater and co2 reactor on. That way you have a good filter to filter your tank and a pump to pump water through all the equipment and aid flow.


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## john arnold (23 Jan 2019)

Andrew Butler said:


> Doesn't the 306 have 16mm ish internal diameter pipes though.
> The FX series use 25mm pipes which I think you already know; unless I'm wrong?


Yep my mistake bloody hell, i dunno what to do, its a fluval roma 240 so having another filter means curptting the lid which is ok but didnt really want more kit showing, jesus you think sone one would produce a proper good reactor by now, how hard can it be to put larger fittings on i mesn christ!


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## Andrew Butler (23 Jan 2019)

john arnold said:


> Yep my mistake bloody hell, i dunno what to do, its a fluval roma 240 so having another filter means curptting the lid which is ok but didnt really want more kit showing, jesus you think sone one would produce a proper good reactor by now, how hard can it be to put larger fittings on i mesn christ!


How big is your cabinet, what aquarium etc - pictures might help.
Everyone has a view on filters and I don't think there is a right answer.

I'm sure the FX series are a great filter but the hose size means they just don't suit planted tanks, inline heaters or inline CO2.


Daveslaney said:


> I would go fx4 just as a filter. Then get a dedicated pump to run a external heater and co2 reactor on. That way you have a good filter to filter your tank and a pump to pump water through all the equipment and aid flow.


My view on this is you are just pushing dirty water through the pump, heater and CO2 so it all gets dirty quicker.
Leads to heater thermostat getting 'false readings' quicker which you can overcome by using an additional controller as many do but you can't stop the ceramic getting clogged in the CO2.
A way round this would be to put a 'filter booster' before the heater and CO2 like the ones all pond solutions sell and @Zeus. uses with his technical arrangement as CO2 reactors.
If you're going to do this then you may as well just add another filter - only my view.


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## Daveslaney (23 Jan 2019)

There is usually better head pressure on external pumps. But you are correct about dirty water through the equipment.
Think the best answer is prob if you want to run a external reactor run it on a pump from a sump.


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## Zeus. (23 Jan 2019)

Daveslaney said:


> I would go fx4 just as a filter. Then get a dedicated pump to run a external heater and co2 reactor on. That way you have a good filter to filter your tank and a pump to pump water through all the equipment and aid flow.





Andrew Butler said:


> My view on this is you are just pushing dirty water through the pump, heater and CO2 so it all gets dirty quicker.



I would have to agree with Andrew, with having run an independent line for better tank turnover, the pipes get full of detritus over time so I would say using post filter water for heating and CO2 injection is better as the detritus has already been filtered off by the filter.

Yes the FX uses 25mm piping - so can be painful/costly to fit heaters and CO2 reactors in   and the more joints the more  potential leaks!



Daveslaney said:


> Think the best answer is prob if you want to run a external reactor run it on a pump from a sump.


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## john arnold (23 Jan 2019)

Andrew Butler said:


> How big is your cabinet, what aquarium etc - pictures might help.
> Everyone has a view on filters and I don't think there is a right answer.
> 
> I'm sure the FX series are a great filter but the hose size means they just don't suit planted tanks, inline heaters or inline CO2.
> ...


So you have filter output going to a filter booster then to co2 reactor,sl in like series connection, i dont have inline heater at moment, does the filter booster not affect the first filter output?
Im rescaping tsnk so has wood just chucked in to soak smd hence rocks on floor, this is the first tsnk i got before i disvovered aquascaping


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## Andrew Butler (23 Jan 2019)

john arnold said:


> So you have filter output going to a filter booster then to co2 reactor,sl in like series connection, i dont have inline heater at moment, does the filter booster not affect the first filter output?


No; this was IF you were to follow @Daveslaney suggestion to add an additional pump which would involve adding an extra in/out to your aquarium so one set would be for your existing filter and the other set for the additional pump which you would use just for CO2 or add a filter in. As people have agreed to do this method it would be wise to add a 'filter booster' before the additional pump and then the CO2 etc after which is essentially adding in an extra filter really. I also think it would be a pain to prime it.

I've toyed with CO2 reactors before and I just don't think they're worth all the effort in my opinion. Just add an inline or intank diffuser and accept the extra bubbles. Most people seem to add a Twinstar or Chihiros steriliser which puts a haze in the water anyway.

If it were my setup I would just add an additional filter, you have loads of room in that cabinet by the looks of things and I'm sure the shelf in the left hand side will come out easy enough.
Run your CO2 inline or in the tank and if you want add an inline heater too.

'Simple'


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## john arnold (24 Jan 2019)

Andrew Butler said:


> No; this was IF you were to follow @Daveslaney suggestion to add an additional pump which would involve adding an extra in/out to your aquarium so one set would be for your existing filter and the other set for the additional pump which you would use just for CO2 or add a filter in. As people have agreed to do this method it would be wise to add a 'filter booster' before the additional pump and then the CO2 etc after which is essentially adding in an extra filter really. I also think it would be a pain to prime it.
> 
> I've toyed with CO2 reactors before and I just don't think they're worth all the effort in my opinion. Just add an inline or intank diffuser and accept the extra bubbles. Most people seem to add a Twinstar or Chihiros steriliser which puts a haze in the water anyway.
> 
> ...


Yeah i think your right i think ill accept the bubbles, it seems a real ball ache otherwise, i dont reallybwant to spend another £80 on a filter strong enough to run the reactor, think ill get a better filter tho as this 306 is not really enough for this size tank maybe a 406


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