• 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

Reactors and slow current

GillesF

GillesF

Member
Joined
21 Jun 2011
Messages
279
Location
Belgium
Hi guys

I bought a new Eheim filter a few months ago (about 13x turnover) and connected the inline atomizer. I'm finally getting there with the CO2. Unfortunately, I do not like the mist created by the atomizer, nor do my fish :D

How much does a reactor (e.g. AM1000) slow down the filter? I want to keep as much turnover as possible without any CO2 bubbles in the water.

Thanks,
Gilles
 
Hi Gilles,
I use one of these and removed the bio balls inside which now doesn't restrict the flow as much. You will get a little reduced flow but not much.
The sera flora ones are good too and don't restrict flow, I had one but just sold it recently as,my eheim was too powerful.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
Hi Gilles,
Remember that the flow reduction caused by ancillary equipment will depend on two things: how much reduction of the piping cross sectional area results from the connection and how much friction is added by the component. If you have plumbing with an inside diameter of, say 16mm and then you connect it to a reactor that has in input spud diameter of say, 12mm this results in a significant reduction of the tubing cross sectional area, and flow rate reduction will be generally very similar to the reduction of the cross sectional area. So the 16mm I.D tubing has a cross sectional area of about 200 sq. mm and if the inlet spud to the reactor has an I.D of only 12mm this reduces the cross sectional area to just over 100 sq. mm - so that will mean an almost 50% flow reduction. An AM1000 also has a lot of bio-balls inside which cause additional friction against which the water must flow, so the flow will be reduced even more, but this is difficult to easily quantify.

So the idea is to maintain the same piping I.D into the reactor and to remove the bio-balls. Someone mentioned a while back that the AM1000 is now being sold with the larger I.D hose-tail spuds or that it can be cut to widen the inlet, but if you buy one second-hand it might be the older type with the smaller diameter inlet/outlet spuds.

Cheers,
 
Ah yes, the AM1000 has a 12/16 connection, not 16/22. If I get a reactor with 16/22 connection, there's no flow reduction besides the bio-balls?

And will the bubbles dissolve completely if there are no bio-balls inside?
 
GillesF said:
Ah yes, the AM1000 has a 12/16 connection, not 16/22. If I get a reactor with 16/22 connection, there's no flow reduction besides the bio-balls?
Click to expand...
Correct!

GillesF said:
And will the bubbles dissolve completely if there are no bio-balls inside?
Click to expand...
Dissolution of the gas depends on a lot of things, including the flow rate, the injection rate, the water temperature and the length of hose from the reactor to the tank, however, removal of the media from the reactor generally allows as good or better dissolution compared to having the media inside.

Cheers,
 
That's interesting, I always thought it was the other way.

Is a reactor as efficient as an inline atomizer or will I have to increase the bps? I always thought the atomizers were more efficient.
 
It all depends mate. I've not been able to measure exact differences between the two. Again, pressures, distances and flow make more of a difference than anything else.

Cheers,
 
The later models of the Am1000 reactor come with a tapered connector fixture that enables you to manually (Hacksaw) remove the smaller diameter opening 12-16mm if you so wish. Therefor increasing the opening aperture for the larger 16-22mm hoses. However when the excess is removed the aperture is still a significant ammount less than 16mm due to the excessive wall thickness of the connector. I found that even after increasing the opening to accomodate my 16/22mm hoses the flow dropped to around 50% as Ceg says! This was using a shower scrunchie as media so that can`t really be blamed for impeding the flow much? I can confirm this as I run a Fluval G6 which has a digital flow reader on it. :(

I have now reverted back to the UP as such a massive drop in flow in 180ltr was just out of the question? I`m back up to 100% on the reader now. It`s a real shame because the mist free tank looked alot better and I think my fish were very greatful for it too?
I am going to try my UP on the filter inlet over the weekend as recommended recently. See if that eliminates any of micro bubbles.

Another note to add with the AM1000 is the size of these units? If your cabinet dimensions are on the small size take heed? They are alot larger than I had anticipated when I ordered mine. You need to allow adequate room top and bottom for your hoses also, enough room not to kink them!!!

Don`t let me put you off though, they are great at what they state....dissolution of Co2. I would just suggest anybody looking at using one should aim for more like x20 flow from there filter!
 
GillesF said:
I wonder if this is a good reactor?

http://www.aquamas.de/products/CO2-Zube ... plett.html

16/22 hosing possible and a bypass. What's the function of the bypass? To increase current in the tank by not having all the water pass through the reactor?
Click to expand...
Do a search for "aquamas" mate. You'll find loads of posts. I think sanj uses a couple of those on his monster 1600Liter.

Cheers,
 
ceg4048 said:
GillesF said:
I wonder if this is a good reactor?

http://www.aquamas.de/products/CO2-Zube ... plett.html

16/22 hosing possible and a bypass. What's the function of the bypass? To increase current in the tank by not having all the water pass through the reactor?
Click to expand...
Do a search for "aquamas" mate. You'll find loads of posts. I think sanj uses a couple of those on his monster 1600Liter.

Cheers,
Click to expand...

1600 liter, that's big :O

The Aquamas is quite big though (I have a very small cabinet and limited room behind it) so I think this reactor will be for the future, when I get a bigger, opti-white tank :D
 
Hi mate,
Yeah but as Quetzalcoatl mentions, the AM1000 is also big and the inlets are at the top and bottom caps so you need even more room to avoid kinking the hoses. Check the dimensions.I'm sure it's close to being a foot long.

If you want to go small, then you want to look at something like the CalAqua in-line diffuser with 17mm spuds. It's glass, so it's fiddly and delicate, but is also quite effective if you keep the disk clean.

Cheers,
 
GillesF said:
ceg4048 said:
GillesF said:
I wonder if this is a good reactor?

http://www.aquamas.de/products/CO2-Zube ... plett.html

16/22 hosing possible and a bypass. What's the function of the bypass? To increase current in the tank by not having all the water pass through the reactor?
Click to expand...
Do a search for "aquamas" mate. You'll find loads of posts. I think sanj uses a couple of those on his monster 1600Liter.

Cheers,
Click to expand...

1600 liter, that's big :O

The Aquamas is quite big though (I have a very small cabinet and limited room behind it) so I think this reactor will be for the future, when I get a bigger, opti-white tank :D
Click to expand...


It's worth having a look at the sera flora 1000. The inlet and outlets are both on the top and the reactor is far smaller than the am1000. Also the connections on the reactor are similar to the up inline connections so no flow restriction.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Do the impellers make a lot of noise? My aquarium is near my bed, so I want it to be as quiet as possible.

@Dolly Sprint: that's indeed an easy solution but frankly I don't like the idea of having CO2 build up in my filter ...
 
I personally wouldn't recommend the sera reactor with the impeller unless it's had a recent re-design. The co2 connector gets brittle over time and snaps off when you try and remove it to clean the unit. Had it happen to mine after only a few months :(
 
GillesF said:
Do the impellers make a lot of noise? My aquarium is near my bed, so I want it to be as quiet as possible.

@Dolly Sprint: that's indeed an easy solution but frankly I don't like the idea of having CO2 build up in my filter ...
Click to expand...

No you don't hear the impellers at all. Just faint trickle of the co2 mixing whilst its on. But stu has a point that the co2 connector can snap it happened on one of mine so the next one I just left a small piece of co2 tubing attached with non return valve left on so was easy to take off n pop back on


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top