# JBL Cristal Profi 1501 and External Reactors



## aaron.c (10 Feb 2016)

H Guys

I have a JBL Cristal Profil e1501 in my Rio 125.

I think the flow is pretty good for the most part.

I have an issue with my CO2 though.  I can not stand the misty lemonade look and want to replace the UP Inline Diffuser (which I find very unreliable) with an external reactor.

Some posts on this forum and others, lead me to believe the 1501 will not be up this task.

So as I see it, I have a few options;

Replace the 1501 with something more meaty - perhaps the 1901. Expensive.
Add an additional filter to drive the reactor without any media - I do have a e701 that is not in use - probably not enough power again though.
Add an external pump, like an Eheim Compact to drive only the reactor.
Cry, give up, and go plastic and goldfish.
If I decided to go for option 3, which is what I am leaning towards, would I need to run 2 spray bars, or could I just run the Co2 circuit on a spray bar, and the filtration from 1501 on a standard duckbill, point front to back, so as not to mess with the spray bar flow patterns.

Anyone done something similar to this?

Thanks
Aaron


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## aaron.c (10 Feb 2016)

@foxfish - how do you return your CO2 back to the tank, via the spray bars, or do you just dump in next to the filter inlet?  I suppose if it is dissolved then there are less problems with directing it into filters.

Space in the Juwel hood is limited and I don't want to much in the way of messy pipework in the tank.


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## aaron.c (10 Feb 2016)

Here is the data for actual flow rates with media

The following approximate capacities refer to a hose length of 1.5 m and operation with the
supplied filter media in a clean or new condition:
CP e401: 200 – 250 l/h
CP e701: 350 – 400 l/h
CP e901: 380 – 450 l/h
CP e1501: 800 – 900 l/h
CP e1901: 1100 – 1200 l/h

I wonder if e1901 would be enough to power reactor and flow in tank.  Would be a tidier solution for sure


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## Wombat (10 Feb 2016)

Which reactor are you thinking of using? I was thinking along similar lines myself.
I have changed my CO2 now to switch off 3 hours before lights out (I think it was Clive who suggested this to someone else) -this seems to work just fine in my tank and between 8:00 -11:00pm when I'm normally sat in the lounge admiring my tank the water is nice and clear with just bubbles from the pearling plants.


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## tim (10 Feb 2016)

Will you use a DIY reactor ? The e1900 has 19/25 hose so off the shelf reactors and inline diffusers won't be suitable.


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## aaron.c (10 Feb 2016)

Hey Tim and Wombat

I was going to create one as per Foxfishes tutorial.

I have just given the filter pipes and overhaul.  Moving things around I have reduced the length of the pipes by half which should help flow with current setup.

Thanks


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## foxfish (10 Feb 2016)

I use a spray bar via an adjustable three speed pump.


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## Manu (10 Feb 2016)

Hi Aaron,

In my 200l tank, I have the JBL 1501e and another UP filter from co2art rated I think at 1200l/hour. The JBL has the external heater and the other has an aquamedic 1000 reactor. Each filter is connected to a spray bar. The one from the JBL is the upper spray bar giving a nice flow and surface agitation, the one from the co2art filter just below with a gentle flow but both spray bars are obviously pointing the same direction.

Maybe that could work for you too?

Cheers, 
Manu 

Sent from my D5803 using Tapatalk


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## aaron.c (11 Feb 2016)

Thanks Manu and Foxfish

Foxfish - How do you get your filtered water back in the tank, another spray bar?

Thanks
Aaron


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## foxfish (11 Feb 2016)

Hi Aaron, I use sumps on my tanks so the water goes over a overflow down to a small tank below the main tank and is then pumped back via a reactor and spray bar.
If you want to DIY a reactor like the one in my video then I would look to see you can fit a 20" tall one because 125l is getting close to the limit of a 10" vessel.


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## aaron.c (11 Feb 2016)

Thanks FF! Afraid I have already ordered the 10" doh! Can always try it.  Looks like I might need another pump to power the CO2 reactor.

I am thinking of using the the spray bars for the CO2, and a simple return pipe for the water from the 1501 - as it will not be as important to blast this around the tank.

I would prefer to just have one filter in play, ideally the e1901 (which is rated to 1100-1200 even with media and pipes) - but I would me majorly narked if I spent £150 on it and it was not up to the job.


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## Nelson (11 Feb 2016)

@foxfish Would something like this work ?.
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/eheim-1048-internal-external-pump-600lph.39847/


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## aaron.c (11 Feb 2016)

It would - but would need a higher rated one than that .


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## aaron.c (15 Feb 2016)

So I have bitten the bullet and got a Ehiem Compact 2000.  Just need to get the right size hose and I will hook up the reactor this weekend.

One thing I have noticed is that a lot of the videos I have seen there is a quite obvious trickling noise, is this something that can be gotten rid of?


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