Request CO2 setup advice

1620 Views 12 Replies 6 Participants Last post by StevieD, Nov 15, 2008

ame

Discussion Starter · Nov 13, 2008

Hello All

I am planning a CO2 system for my 100gal planted tank.I have a 9kg CO2 cylinder and Eheim 2217 (1000 l ph).Lighting will be 2WPG -4 HO TH (54W), Substrate aquasoil amazonia and EI dosing.

How is the idea to use inline Reactor(AM 1000) and misting as well ( ceramic diffuser)?

1. Plan to connect the AM1000 and a EHEIM Compact + 3000 Pump below the tank.Guess I need to add IN and OUT lines for this and the Pump should run out of water(As per Eheim site).

2. I used the Eheim 2217 spraybar on top of a ceramic diffuser bubble stream to move the bubbles along the tanks length(before they rise up to surface) and got good results in the past. May not be as good as a venturi but misting definitely .

So I was thinking of doing both.

What do you guys think of my plan ? Please share your experience .

Thanks .

Sugata

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Tex Gal

· #2 · Nov 13, 2008

The reactor is the way to go. It completely diffuses the CO2 into the water. The more you get into the water the less you need to use.

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BJRuttenberg

· #3 · Nov 13, 2008

I wouldn't worry about doing both. I think if you do the reactor and are injecting enough co2 into the reactor you should be just fine.

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ame

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 13, 2008

Dear Friends

I have read quide a bit about benefits of Misting the CO2 in many forums.

Thats the reason for trying both

Regards.

Sugata

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StevieD

· #5 · Nov 13, 2008

You do not need to do both. Infact the reactor should be more efficient (use less co2) and you will get a piece of equipment out of your tank, and one less thing to maintain (Yes you do have to clean the glass diffusor regular basis). Sounds like you are new to co2.. don't over complicate things, and you are definitely not stumbling on to something "new" by trying both in the tank at the same time. The most important thing with any co2 delivery is that there is enough flow for all the plants to access the co2, and with the reactor the co2 will be pushed around the tank better than just a glass diffusor sitting under a spraybar.

Stevie D

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freydo

· #6 · Nov 13, 2008

using a reactor is more efficient in getting co2 into your tank than using a diffuser IMO. as StevieD has mentioned, the ceramic disc in a diffuser will need cleaning, and i've seen enough posts from people complaining how the cleaning methods didn't/don't work.

using both is redundant, but if like the look, there's nothing stopping you. other than when the ceramic disc gets clogged and needs a cleaning

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Tex Gal

· #7 · Nov 13, 2008

The ceramic diffusers are a pain in the rear. I was using them in my 10g tanks. I just use wood in one of them now and thinking about changing both to a pump diffuser type thing. Once they clog they never work the same again. I hate them. I've tried all the things they say to clean them.

You have a 100g tank. That's big. Even with a reactor the trick will be to get the diffused CO2 evenly distributed into your tank by water flow. It's not as easy as it would seem. Using a misting system you'd have to have some way of moving the little bubbles all over your tank while they are trying to head for the top. How do you keep the CO2 in the water long enough to move that bubble to the other side of the tank to the bottom? Too hard. So if you think I don't need to do that. I just need to move the already dissolved CO2 water over there... You have wasted all those CO2 bubbles that went to the top and CO2 is being taken up by all the plants as the water moves to the other side of the tank. Tom Barr did a study and found that even 6" away from where the CO2 enters the tank (reactor diffused) the CO2 levels fell drastically. You asked... we answered.

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vancat

· #8 · Nov 13, 2008

hmmm really?
That would explain why plants on the far side of my 72 don't do as well...
veddy interesting.

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ame

Discussion Starter · #9 · Nov 14, 2008

Tex Gal and StevieD

Thanks for your answer.

I will not add the diffuser and focus on AM1000 and a good pump to give enough flow. EHEIM Compact + 3000 Pump .Hope that should be OK.

I need to add IN and OUT lines for this and the Pump should run out of water(As per Eheim site).Guess there is no way to avoid four lines in the tank without sacrificing flow

A drop checker would also be easier to measure C02 level than a ph pen ?

Regards

Sugata

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ame

Discussion Starter · #10 · Nov 14, 2008

Dear TexGal

Tex Gal said:
Tom Barr did a study and found that even 6" away from where the CO2 enters the tank (reactor diffused) the CO2 levels fell drastically. You asked... we answered.

I read an article by Tom suggesting benefits of misting CO2 by using venturi.

Am I missing something here:crazy:

ame

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BJRuttenberg

· #11 · Nov 14, 2008

A venturi is in essence a reactor it. It has three prongs, like this

Co2 Input

Inflow_|_Outflow

Excuse the crude drawing.The part of the pipe narrows substantially were the co2 line connects which causes suction and extreme water pressure. This in turn functions as a de facto co2 reactor.

The only real difference between a reactor and a diffuser is the method in which they deliver co2 into the water column. It just so happens that a reactor is more efficient because it dissolves 100% of all co2 used were as a diffuser dissolves substantially less (you can see this as bubbles escape from the diffuser, float to the top and leave the tank).

With some, there is a preference for diffusers because of aesthetic appeal. No one wants a big clunky green plastic tube sitting inside their tank...but a small glass diffuser is barely noticeable.

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ame

Discussion Starter · #12 · Nov 14, 2008

Hi BJRuttenberg

BJRuttenberg said:
With some, there is a preference for diffusers because of aesthetic appeal. No one wants a big clunky green plastic tube sitting inside their tank...but a small glass diffuser is barely noticeable.

The reactor need not be in the tank.There are inline reactors which are inside the cabinet (Aquamedic) and even diffusers are also mountable inside cabinet(inline) by CalAqua.

Is there more to it than asthetic appeal?

regards

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StevieD

· #13 · Nov 15, 2008

I just bought the cal aqua inline diffusor, so far it seem to be working really well, although i just got it and a bunch of other stuff so i didn't really look too much into it, and i also have a ph controller so it doesn't matter how much i set my needle valve so i cant say if it is more efficient. It definitely is better and lowers the ph faster than the aqua media reducing t (not the reactor) i had on there before. It is a really nice piece of equipment and i'm glad i got it... now i want two more for my 55 gallon, 1 for each canister!

Stevie D

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