[houseofcards]

I use an Aqua Medic 1000. It is an in-line reactor that is connected to the outflow from my filter. It is really efficient. I guess that it dissolves close to 100% of the CO2 output from my regulator. I started with an Eheim CO2 diffuser and it was… well not very efficient. With the Eheim I had to refill my 5# CO2 bottle in about 3 weeks. I have no clue how long my bottle will last with the Aqua Medic. I've had it for 4 weeks and there has been no significant decline in CO2 pressure yet.

BTW this reactor is recommended for use with a pH controller. Because it is so efficient you can easily overdose your tank if you don't have a feedback system to control the flow.

I don't believe the aqua medic 1000 manual says that. You are grasping at that conclusion. Aqua medic is suggesting there's an advantage to keeping the ph constant so they suggest a ph controller. A ph controlller has been proven not to be necessary as the majority of planted aquarists do not use them and many including myself have had sensitive schooling fish for years without keeping the ph by shuting co2 off at night.

 

[houseofcards]

I can also tell you from my own experience that this reactor is almost 100% efficient. If you set your bubble counter too high your tank will quickly reach excessively high levels of CO2.

Well I've set up several tanks using the AM 1000 and never used a controller and have no problems with your fish. Would you agree that you could simply reduce your bubble count if the controller is supplying to much co2. Really no different than if you use a ceramic in tank diffusor. Either way you could reduce co2 by turning down the co2. So that agrument is mute.

This is why AM suggests a ph controller:

Use a pH Controller or pH Computer to switch an M-Ventil Solenoid, which will regulate the injection of CO2 to your aquarium based on the pH value of the system water. This eliminates harmful pH swings and offers an essential element of stability to your live-plant aquarium. Typically you will set your pH value between 7.0 - 7.4 for freshwater live-plant aquaria.

This has been proven to be not accurate and very out of date.