Boosting pump?

[OsirisII]

Good day all.
I am using Eheim 4+ 600 and recently got a reactor for Co2 and planning to add a prefilter before canister. The reactor is already choking flow. Can I put a pump lets say eheim compacton 2100 after the canister itself? Or should I put reactor with compacton on separate hoses? (I don’t like this solution)
How would I go about this?
Thank you for answers

 

[bazz]

Can I put a pump lets say eheim compacton 2100 after the canister itself?

I personally wouldn't do this, someone with a higher intelligence than me will provide the metrics.

Or should I put reactor with compacton on separate hoses? (I don’t like this solution)

This is the method I use and after 30 years of injecting CO2 found it to be the best to suit my needs. The pump on my CO2 loop is on a timer to switch on 30 minutes before CO2 and off 30 minutes after CO2 thus not needlessly burning 25w 24 hours/day. Another benefit of this method is CO2 injection rate will remain constant and not vary with filter/pipes cleanliness, changing media etc. although I suspect this is far less of an issue if using a diffuser. The biggest benefit of all though for me is having no bubbles in my tank whatsoever.
As the saying goes though, 'one man's meat is another mans poison.
Cheers!

 

[ian_m]

No you can't put pumps in series, without causing issues to one or other of the pumps. One of the pumps may over power the other pump and damage it, this normally shows itself with the impellor being demagnetised on the pump that is being "forced" faster than it wants to run.

Much better is a completely separate circuit for CO2 injection. Easier to clean , not affected by filter dirtiness and can use a smaller flow rate pump (than the filter) as well as using smaller diameter piping than your filter. You can use a normal tank inlet with output exiting near your filter output, using the filter to push the CO2 water around the tank.

 

[OsirisII]

No you can't put pumps in series, without causing issues to one or other of the pumps. One of the pumps may over power the other pump and damage it, this normally shows itself with the impellor being demagnetised on the pump that is being "forced" faster than it wants to run.

Much better is a completely separate circuit for CO2 injection. Easier to clean , not affected by filter dirtiness and can use a smaller flow rate pump (than the filter) as well as using smaller diameter piping than your filter. You can use a normal tank inlet with output exiting near your filter output, using the filter to push the CO2 water around the tank.

Like this?

 

[jolt100]

No, you need 2 inlets and 2 outlets.
Two separate circuits.
What type of reactor are you using?
I use a cerges type with 16/22 tubing and don't find any restriction to flow rate.

 

[OsirisII]

No, you need 2 inlets and 2 outlets.
Two separate circuits.
What type of reactor are you using?
I use a cerges type with 16/22 tubing and don't find any restriction to flow rate.

 

[OsirisII]

looks like this the cerges type? If so got a question for you. The white plastic material is sucked to the outlet. Should I remove it?
Thanks @jolt100

 

[jolt100]

Its like a cerges, water goes down the outer container then up the centre tube. You shouldn't need anything to break down the bubbles, I don't have anything to restrict the flow or block the pipe and dont have problems with bubbles in the tank. This might just be good fortune with flow rate.
Does the inlet have an elbow or tube to direct the flow to the side to create a vortex?
What size are the hose connections?
I always use an intank pre-filter to reduce the need to clean the reactor.
Hope this helps
John

 

[OsirisII]

Does the inlet have an elbow or tube to direct the flow to the side to create a vortex?
What size are the hose connections?
I always use an intank pre-filter to reduce the need to clean the reactor.
Hope this helps
John

Hey. No, no joints or anything inside the reactor its pretty straightforward. It has a some kind of stone on the end of the co2 tubing tho and inside the filter there are these white plastic parts and they stick to the outflow tube down. I think they supposed to float. CO2 isn't a problem anymore, the reactor works as supposed maybe I am paranoid, this setup is new and I had the Aquamedic reactor before and that was choking flow. Tubing is 16/22mm
I ordered a 2l empty chamber on aliexpress, so its no it way, what size of sponge you use I prefilter? Gross, medium or fine?
Thanks for answers

 

[bazz]

I had the Aquamedic reactor before and that was choking flow.

I tried to use this reactor, as it came with the bioballs, with Siporax as others have used and empty with a variable flow pump and could not get on with it. Whatever I did I could not get sufficient diffusion or stop it blowing bubbles into the tank.
I gave up in the end.

 

[OsirisII]

I tried to use this reactor, as it came with the bioballs, with Siporax as others have used and empty with a variable flow pump and could not get on with it. Whatever I did I could not get sufficient diffusion or stop it blowing bubbles into the tank.
I gave up in the end.

Yeah pretty bad product for that price. I used it for 1 year but had smaller tank and scape was simple etc. I got it working then but not now.

 

[jolt100]

I haven't seen inside the reactor you have, the website doesn't show it, but if you can direct the flow to the side it will give a swirling vortex which helps with distributing the bubbles.
If the plastic is being pushed to the bottom of the reactor by the flow from the pump I would remove them .
I use coarse foam in the prefilter .
Good luck
John

 

[ian_m]

Like this?

No no. You can't run pumps like this in parallel. The failure mode for this is if the Eheim filter gets blocked or pump fails, the other pump may force water backwards through the filter, pushing all the debris/detritus etc out through the other pump and into the tank, defeating the purpose of the filter and probably wiping out the tank. Industry does put pumps in parallel but they are balanced (via flow meters) or have one way return valves to stop the other pump being forced to flow backwards.

You best options are:

1. Separate CO2 loop.

2. Put a CO2 loop in your existing pipe work. Like this below.

This was as done by Zeus and his monster tank in the featured tank section. The valve is only necessary to ensure some water actually goes round the CO2 loop, though I suspect any restriction in the straight pipe will force water around the CO2 loop.