• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

Help me choose a new reactor/ diffuser

Sacha

Sacha

Member
Joined
3 Jan 2014
Messages
992
Location
London
I am at the end of my tether here. Every UP inline diffuser I have ever owned has leaked. I'm sick of this now, and I want to get hold of an efficient reactor or diffuser that won't leak. Does such a thing exist?

I'm looking at the Sera 500 or 1000:

https://www.sera.de/en/products/in_...t/sera-flore-co2-active-reactor-500-1000.html

It looks like it's just what I need, but will it leak?

The tank is 125 litres, and the reactor/ diffuser will go on the outflow of an Eheim 1250 lph external filter. I am injecting about 2.5 bps.

Any help is much appreciated.
 
Hi,

I was using Ista Max Large for my 450 l. tank and it doing good job
 
Well I hope your experience is better than mine.

I'm thinking I'm going to pick up a Sera tomorrow. From what I've read, the Ista Max Mix is a "cheaper version" of the Sera.

But should I get a 500, or a 1000, for my sized tank, filter lph, and bps?
 
I certainly can't help you, only a few words come to mind when talking about co2 and reactors at the moment, and that's brickwall bang and head.:) if you do go sera go bigger say the 1000 more area/length to build that vortex should equal better mix. I've only just got our turbo one goingish but what a palava. it is shorter than the sera I think?
 
I hav'nt had any problems with mine either.may i ask where they are leaking from.
body or connections?
 
The new style one (which you can take apart to clean the ceramic) is leaking from both ends, at the nuts which you unscrew to take the thing apart. They're as tight as they can be. It's pissing water out of my tank as we speak.

The old style one developed a crack in the plastic, and started leaking from there.
 
I'm using the sera 1000 hasn't leaked and dissolves co2 really well. My only concern is that I'm now having to use a lot more bps and not sure why to get the same light green on my dc. I've double checked all connections for leaks so it's not that. It's been running for a couple of weeks and I had to clean it already. So don't expect a non clean solution. But cleaning it is simple. Also you have to be really careful with them as they are fragile particularly around the co2 inlet so I use a one way valve with 4 inch of co2 pipe into the sera so I can disconnect at the valve and leave the co2 input on the sera alone. Your eheim will run it no problems. But you do need the 1000 for the correct hose size ;)
 
Sacha said:
The new style one (which you can take apart to clean the ceramic) is leaking from both ends, at the nuts which you unscrew to take the thing apart. They're as tight as they can be. It's pissing water out of my tank as we speak.

The old style one developed a crack in the plastic, and started leaking from there.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a nightmare.
 
Sorry you had a bad time with the Up, but I can't recommend anything else that works as well from my personal experience (I mean the 'old' Ups). I just keep the working pressure at 2 bar. I have quite soft tap water so cleaning has never been an issue. I use a filter pipe brush.

The only thing other thing I might try is these http://www.us-aquaristikshop.com/co2-reaktoren/?xploidID=bkj8db9vds0qkpave4jd3jrrv1
though they are much bigger and surely reduce flow a lot more.

P
 
Just fitted a sera 500 to my 40ltr tank, tired of cleaning inlines every 3-5 days for optimum diffusion, first impressions of the sera not the best build quality (co2 nipple etc) and it's going to take some messing for optimum timings etc, all experimental ready for setting up my 3ft in the new year, probably go with the Aqua medic 1000 for that one.
 
I would buy the Aqua Medic 1000. But asking £70 for a piece of plastic is just offensive.
 
Sacha said:
I would buy the Aqua Medic 1000. But asking £70 for a piece of plastic is just offensive.
Click to expand...
Tony swinney has one for sale in the sale swap wanted forum, reading reviews they are tried and tested and fairly solid by all accounts, I weigh it up against replacing my atomiser every 3-6 months and it suddenly seems value for money :)
 
Hi Sacha,
I'm using the ista reactor for some time. I have the 500 and 1000 version's.
My feedback is very good in terms of C02 dissolving capacity.
The rubber can be tricky to close...and hard to open...
It tends to glue! My 1000 version was from someone who used to open it with hot water (really not the best way), it cook's the rubber...
I use the 500 version for a 200 liter version and be aware of this:
- the bigger one needs more powerful filter to run, and takes out more flow
- I believe that Sera is better material (but i'm guessing), so i would choose this one (also more expensive)!
- I prefer to use the 500 version (almost never clean it, the flow is good with my very old Eheim 2213)
Cheers
 
Thanks.

So you're saying that you prefer to use the 500 version, because it doesn't reduce flow as much? Any other reasons?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top