# c02 Reactors



## hazeljane (20 Mar 2010)

Hiya all,

I will be looking at getting 2 c02 reactors soon(1for each filter  )for my 420ltr tank and was wondering what are your thoughts on whats avaiable and the best,bought or Diy.

Thanks in advance    


Stu.


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## jonnyjr (20 Mar 2010)

I have made reactors in the past and bought one's and for the effort involved would go with manufactured ones every time now. My Aquamedic co2 reactor has never failed me, this is ran without any media in it. There are several other threads discussing Ebay reactors which may interest you.


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## Colinlp (20 Mar 2010)

I have an Aquamedic too but I never bothered to take the media out. I cant fault it really and unless I needed more than 2 at any one time I wouldn't bother trying to make one unless I had most of the bits to hand.


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## chilled84 (20 Mar 2010)

Im going to be looking at trying to purchase an aquamedic for my tank, seems the best option.


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## paul.in.kendal (20 Mar 2010)

I've got an Aquamedic, filled with Sera Siporax - works fine.  I have two jubilee clips on the pipes, to stop it dribbling.


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (20 Mar 2010)

Gang - dont forget that putting any item in the retruning water pipe from the filter unit whether it be a in line heater, reactor etc will have a detrimental effect on the quantity of water being returned to the tank flow I.E reduction in flow rate. 

I learnt the hard way AM 1000 reactor fitted on a 2080 - 157lph lost flow rate.
Regards
paul.


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## hazeljane (20 Mar 2010)

So what we saying, buy one of the manufactured ones and take the media out???


cheers

Stu.


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (20 Mar 2010)

hazeljane said:
			
		

> So what we saying, buy one of the manufactured ones and take the media out???
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> 
> cheers
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stu

If you take the media out there is not point in having one, the media is within the canister / reactor to break up the co2 bubble into smaller bubbles, there is another advantage of the media within the canister / reactor - additional bacteria colony but the media slows down the returning water - you will be ok to fit a reactor as you have an additional filter and two HK pumps within your tank.


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## jonnyjr (20 Mar 2010)

Flyfisherman said:
			
		

> hazeljane said:
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That's no exactly true, the turbulence of the water going from a small diameter, high pressure, to large diameter lower pressure causes diffusion of the co2. So to say there is no point having one is miss leading. There might be an argument for the media on larger tanks with a higher co2 demand, but up to around 400L I have had no problems with diffusion rates. There are good and bad points for all types of co2 diffusion, its a matter of weighing up what works best for your set up.


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (20 Mar 2010)

[quote="jonnyjr

That's no exactly true, the turbulence of the water going from a small diameter, high pressure, to large diameter lower pressure causes diffusion of the co2. So to say there is no point having one is miss leading. There might be an argument for the media on larger tanks with a higher co2 demand, but up to around 400L I have had no problems with diffusion rates. There are good and bad points for all types of co2 diffusion, its a matter of weighing up what works best for your set up.[/quote]

Lets put this straight - 





> the turbulence of the water going from a small diameter, high pressure, to large diameter lower pressure causes diffusion of the co2


has nothing to do with it. 

The Co2 gas enters the top of the reactor and travels down inside the reactor via a small diameter plastic tube, the gas (co2) bubble or bubbles wants to rise upwards within the reactor (as any air bubble would when released in water) but due to the direction of the flow of water opposing the gas bubbles, the gas bubbles are dissolved and the bactoballs are there to provide extra turbulence.

Regards
Paul.


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## hazeljane (20 Mar 2010)

sorry guys hope i havent stared a row     

Cheers

Stu.


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## jonnyjr (20 Mar 2010)

Once the gas reaches the top of the reactor due to not fully dissolving whilst rising up, it is the turbulence cause by the water entering the reactor that dissolves the co2 further, regardless of how the co2 is diffused you are missing my point that it is misleading saying there is no point having the reactor if you take the bio balls out, you just confirmed your self that 





			
				Flyfisherman said:
			
		

> due to the direction of the flow of water opposing the gas bubbles, the gas bubbles are dissolved


 which I have found more than sufficient for tanks up to 400L.


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## Dolly Sprint 16v (20 Mar 2010)

jonnyjr said:
			
		

> Once the gas reaches the top of the reactor due to not fully dissolving whilst rising up, it is the turbulence cause by the water entering the reactor that dissolves the co2 further, regardless of how the co2 is diffused you are missing my point that it is misleading saying there is no point having the reactor if you take the bio balls out, you just confirmed your self that
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Have a read at the attached - then start posting.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source ... fp1V7rSo6Q

I have used one of these and was not happy with is performance. i did not state "take the media out" I stated if there is no media with the reactor there is no point inn having one as the media breaks the gas up.

Regards
paul.


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## zig (21 Mar 2010)

I have made several DIY reactors that are made from parts easily available from B&Q. For about Â£25-Â£30 you can get enough tubing and the other bits and pieces to make several reactors. All the reactors I make work on the principal of gravity, none of them contain any media or bio balls etc, there is no need IMO it just cuts down the flow further. They are basically hollow 40mm tubes that you would use under a sink or for basic plumbing jobs. The made up reactor is positioned at an 45 degree angle underneath the tank, the CO2 bubble enters near the bottom of the tube about a third of the way up, the bubble naturally wants to rise upwards because of gravity, but the water from the filter which enters at the top of the tube pushes the bubble back down and therefore dissolves the CO2, simple stuff really, but they work well, no fuss and maintainence free. 

Just some advice I would give is make sure the CO2 is evenly distributed around the tank, I know you probably know this already but this is where you will more than likely run into issues with CO2 especially on a tank that size just make sure you have enough flow. When you put an external reactor on a filter you basically cut the flow in half from that filter, so add Koralias or extra filters and find the best way to distribute the water evenly throughout the tank.

A reactor I have running right now on a 160 litre tank works off a Tetratec Ex1200, the reactor itself is about 18 inches long including all the hose attachments at the ends etc it runs totally silent at 2bps. I just mention that to give you an idea of the sort of strength of filter you want to use, use an under powered filter and the reactor will be noisy because the CO2 will build up inside because of lack of flow going through.


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## chris1004 (21 Mar 2010)

Flyfisherman said:
			
		

> I stated if there is no media with the reactor there is no point inn having one as the media breaks the gas up.
> 
> Regards
> paul.



Hi Paul,

I''ve read the posts in this thread with some interest and I wish you'd stop slating these reactors mate its the third or forth thread that youv'e slated them on in the last few months and your entitled to your opinion but it should be backed by sound logic which this isn't. 

The above statement is completly and utterly false and really goes to show that you have never tried or seen the reactor in use without media in it. I would hate to think of someone being put off of buying one through being ill informed as I really can't sing the praises of mine highly enough. 

It does what it says on the tin very well. Is capable of disolving 30ppm CO2 into 1000 litres of water and as most of us only need a fraction of this capacity (in my case 1/4 or 250litres) find that the bioballs are not needed.   

Regards, Chris.


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## hazeljane (22 Mar 2010)

Ok lads lets not fall out    

Thanks for all your input   im still gathering as much info as i can before i decide what 1-2 im going to get.


Thanks  Stu.


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## hazeljane (23 Mar 2010)

Hi all, Is anyone familiar with these reactors??  :?:  :?: I like the look of these and they have 16/22mm connecters that might not slow the flow as much??? They are being sold on ebay some place in Germany.









Thanks in advance    

Stu.


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## JohnC (27 May 2010)

hazeljane said:
			
		

> Hi all, Is anyone familiar with these reactors??  :?:  :?: I like the look of these and they have 16/22mm connecters that might not slow the flow as much??? They are being sold on ebay some place in Germany.
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i did some translation on those ones and think this one will be better with the same 16/22mm connectors. I'm going to get one for my 174L tank & fluval 405.

http://cgi.ebay.de/CO2-Reaktor-Auss..._garten_tierbedarf_fische&hash=item2ead28ae60

Best Regards,
John


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