hoppycalif

I think most of us have this reactor in the filter output line, never the input line. One good reason for this is to keep it cleaner - why run dirty water through it?

derringer

Yes I agree thats another good reason ... just seemed like I was seeing diagrams showing entry into the reactors at the top (vertical orientation) which would seem to indicate intake side of things. Maybe I had read/seen something wrong or maybe not ...

If mounted inline I would want the reactor above the outake so that I could minimize the looping the water flow had to do. That would mean water & co2 would/should be entering the bottom of the reactors - dont see many diagrams indicating that.

hoppycalif

The reactor works well because of the counter flow arrangement. The water flows down from top to bottom, as the CO2 bubbles float up to the top, keeping them in contact long enough for much of the CO2 to dissolve in the water. If you run the water from bottom to top it just sweeps the bubbles out and deposits them in the tank where most of the CO2 is lost to the air.

derringer

Ok - I think I understand now ... thanks.

jtburf

Forgive me for not reading all 203 replies but has anybody added an air stone to the inside of the reactor?

Getting ready to build one and I'm wondering if it would aid in disolving the CO2 bubbles.

John

hoppycalif

Several years ago I built a reactor with an air stone inside to help dissolve the CO2. It wasn't designed like this one, but it worked similarly. The airstone eventually got plugged with biofilm, and finally just disintegrated entirely. If you try this, be sure to allow for a method to replace the airstone periodically.

jtburf

One more question why do you limit your size to 2" diameter?

Do you gain or lose anything by building in a larger diameter to allow for more bio balls?


John

hoppycalif

The goal is to have slow flow through the reactor, not stagnant water, which a much larger diameter pipe would cause. All the bioballs do is slow the passage of the CO2 bubbles, to allow more time for them to dissolve in the water. But, they also add to the water flow restriction, which is not a good thing. A few is all that are needed. In fact many of us don't use anything in that tube.

jtburf

Thanks,

John

chagovatoloco

Dose using brass have any adverse effects on water chemistry?