# External CO2 Reactor that fits 16/22 mm hose?



## Jaap (29 May 2014)

Hello,

does anyone know where to get an external co2 reactor to fit a 16/22 mm hose or maybe a way to use a 12/16 mm liek this one http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections/diffusers-reactors/products/external-turbo-co2-reactor-diffuser for my Fluval 305 which has a 16/22 mm hose?

Thanks


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## Ryan Thang To (29 May 2014)

hi
yes you can use some 12/16 into 16/22 tubing work fine but it will slow flow down. I have one and work great with barely any bubbles in the tank
cheers
ryan


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## Jaap (29 May 2014)

Are there any 16/22 mm reactors out there?


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## EnderUK (29 May 2014)

ISTA mix and match does pretty much what Legytt suggests, they provide the 'adaptors'.
Would I recommend it? That depends as it's quite loud when CO2 is pumping into it, trickling water fall sound I'm pumping over 3 large bubbles a second into it and the top does fill up. When not running there's a slight rattle as the rototor doesn't run on bearings. It also takes around 3 weeks to have it shipped over from Taiwan. On the plus side it is out of the tank and getting nice lime green drop checker, there are still some tiny bubbles in my tank but like I said I'm putting a lot of CO2 into it.[DOUBLEPOST=1401362515][/DOUBLEPOST]I think you pretty much need to make one yourself if you want a 16/22 which is what I'll probably do when this one goes.


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## Ryan Thang To (29 May 2014)

http://www.vitamingrocer.co.uk/Ista...2lUups0ii2EskejJS8tCqkV8zJ_2N8eZMbAttOIvD_BwE


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## EnderUK (29 May 2014)

legytt said:


> http://www.vitamingrocer.co.uk/Ista...2lUups0ii2EskejJS8tCqkV8zJ_2N8eZMbAttOIvD_BwE


 
that's the one but it still a 12/16 tubing with the 16/22 adaptors.


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## Ryan Thang To (29 May 2014)

Oh ok I didn't know that lol

Jaap how big is your tank? I had one hook on a fluval 205 and is wasn't good enough for my 20 litre tank. Some time I will check the flow and I can see the blade inside is not moving unless I tap it and that has cause problems like unstable co2. I then change to a up diffuser and did a black out for 3days and lots of water change its back to normal looking real good now. Like I said it work well if you have good flow. You can always try the up atomizer diffuser work just as good without no noise just more 7up bubbles lol


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## Alastair (29 May 2014)

Sera 1000 co2 reactor will be perfect. Minimal flow loss if at all and completely smashes up the co2.?

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## AverageWhiteBloke (30 May 2014)

Beat me to it Alistair. You and me should get commission from Sera.


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## Jaap (30 May 2014)

Ok guys thanks!

Now another question...lets say everything fits perfectly...the filter has a power of 1000 l/h....however since I will be using it for a 40L tank I will definitely lower the flow of the filer from its flow valve to adjust the flow to a setting where the plants aren't uprooted....

Will this lowering of the flow affect the functionality of the Sera 1000 reactor (or any 16/22 mm reactor) and in consequence not dissolve the CO2? 

In such a case I will be using adapters on 12/16 mm reactor....


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## Sacha (30 May 2014)

I wish I had known about these Sera reactors before I bought yet another inline atomizer...


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## Iain Sutherland (30 May 2014)

Lowering the flow should increase the co2 dissolution as mid sized bubbles won't be pushed out. Just watch that it isn't so slow the co2 builds up in the reactor.


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## Jaap (30 May 2014)

isnt that a risk though....i mean the flow will be adjusted in relation to the turbulence caused in the tank, however there might be a chance that the flow is lowered at such a point where the CO2 might built up in the reactor....does having a smaller reactor eliminate this risk?



Iain Sutherland said:


> Lowering the flow should increase the co2 dissolution as mid sized bubbles won't be pushed out. Just watch that it isn't so slow the co2 builds up in the reactor.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Iain Sutherland (30 May 2014)

Possibly but as less is being 'wasted' you can just reduce the injection rate which would reduce build up.
Sure a smaller reactor would stop this too.  
No way of telling until it's set up though and a bit of jiggling I'm sure a happy place can be found.
Its something worth remembering though, as when I've been lazy not cleaned the filter it's quite easy to upset the fauna with what was fine injection on a well maintained set up. 



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## Jaap (30 May 2014)

So not cleaning the filter will effect the co2 being dissolved due to decreased water flow through the reactor?



Iain Sutherland said:


> Possibly but as less is being 'wasted' you can just reduce the injection rate which would reduce build up.
> Sure a smaller reactor would stop this too.
> No way of telling until it's set up though and a bit of jiggling I'm sure a happy place can be found.
> Its something worth remembering though, as when I've been lazy not cleaned the filter it's quite easy to upset the fauna with what was fine injection on a well maintained set up.
> ...


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## AverageWhiteBloke (5 Jun 2014)

> isnt that a risk though....i mean the flow will be adjusted in relation to the turbulence caused in the tank, however there might be a chance that the flow is lowered at such a point where the CO2 might built up in the reactor....does having a smaller reactor eliminate this risk?


I would see where you are with it first before reducing the flow. I have a 1250 lph filter which as we know means when empty. One of the down sides of using a reactor is that it does slow down flow quite a bit. In the case of the Sera the inlet to the reactor is about 10mm internal diameter so slows down a fair bit. It also depends what you do after the reactor, ie sparay bars or lily pipe outlets.

With my 1250 filter and the Sera 1000 very little if any undissolved bubbles made it out of the reactor. Mine is a 30 gall tank though but it's by no means powerful enough to start uprooting plants. Getting the Sera 500 might mean some bubbles escaping which sort of defeats the object of the reactor to start with. I have lilly pipes so the entrance force into the tank would be far more than say if I was using a spray bar.

I would use the benefit of the extra flow and the fully dissolved co2, even if it was a touch wild to start with it will soon slow down. If it is too wild (which I doubt btw) you could always reduce at the tank end rather than pre-filter by drilling more holes in the spraybar of have some kind of tap on the bar you could open slightly.


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## 13r0wn7 (11 Jun 2014)

How good is this Sera 1000? I am thinking of pressing Buy but just want to know if its actually for 16/22? Also does it effect the flow?


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## Alastair (11 Jun 2014)

13r0wn7 said:


> How good is this Sera 1000? I am thinking of pressing Buy but just want to know if its actually for 16/22? Also does it effect the flow?



It's very good. Other than my diy one o made this was the best I ever had and I've had them all. I saw little restriction to flow and complete dissolution of any co2 bubbles. 
The connections are unlike other reactors that have tapered ends. 

Well worth the money just be careful with the connection for Co2 as it can snap. 
Easily resolved by adding a small section of co2 hose and non return value and leave it on as part of the reactor. 

Which reminds me, off to start my next monstrous diy reactor 

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## pepedopolous (11 Jun 2014)

Has anyone used the reactors from us-aquaristikshop.com?


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## 13r0wn7 (11 Jun 2014)

What do you mean tapered end? Is it for a 16/22? 


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## AverageWhiteBloke (11 Jun 2014)

Sera 1000 by AWB70, on Flickr
Thought I'd post a quick picture of the inside of the Sera. I've added a 16mm tube holder the type that usually has a sucker on as a scale reference point. As you can see the out let is quite small which inevitably will choke the flow down a little bit. However, I still agree with Alistair that they are a great bit of kit and does the job it's supposed to.

The reason I dug the reactor out was with all this reactor talk I'm thinking of setting mine back up this weekend. The reason I stopped using it was because it was something else to clean and I have little time to spend on the tank so I bought two glass diffusers. When one gets dirty I take out and soak in bleach and replace with the clean one.

I do like the reactor though and lack of  bubbles in the tank.l


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## 13r0wn7 (11 Jun 2014)

I don't understand why they do not make for bigger hoses? I wonder if its to do which the mechanics etc...
I really don't want to reduce flow! 
I am tempted to stick my inline atomizer on the intake and see how my filter copes. If that fails its looking like my only option is the Sera!


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## AverageWhiteBloke (11 Jun 2014)

Don't get me wrong, where the pipes connect it's the same diameter as the tubing or any other filter connector for that matter. Where you can see the outlet on the above is where the rotating impeller sits so this has to be narrower than the pipe for it to work.[DOUBLEPOST=1402515944][/DOUBLEPOST]Meant to say, answer to your question is yes, it fits 16/22mm hose. The internal workings are smaller though.


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