# CO2 reactor advice needed



## LAKA (Feb 11, 2007)

I have finally decided to take the plunge to a CO2 injected tank.

I have a 6*2*2 ft tank which has 110 gallons of water in it. I am looking at an Aquamedic internal CO2 reactor designed for tanks up to 500 litres. 
This reactor will be powered by a powerhead attached to a spray bar. I have 3 Q's.

1) Can i attach the CO2 airline tube from the outlet of the reactor directly in to the venturi of the same powerhead that drives the reactor to allow better dispersion of CO2?

2) Aquamedic recommends a powerhead between 500-1000 litres/hour. What effect would a stronger powerhead have say 1500l/hr?

3)The powerhead will be at the bottom of the tank and inverted to accommodate the sponge prefilter. Thus the reactor will also be upside down? Is this a problem?


Laka


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## oblongshrimp (Aug 8, 2006)

if the powerhead is to strong it may just blow the CO2 out of the reactor before it can time to dissolve into the water


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## werner (Jul 6, 2006)

I'm using that reactor.

1) That _might_ work as long as you blocked off the normal input for the CO2. However, the venturi action may affect the CO2 rate or your needle valve function since it's trying to suck up the CO2 (in addition to the pressure from the cylinder.)

2) Keep the powerhead within the recommended range, otherwise it blows the CO2 right out and doesn't allow it to sit in the reactor to dissolve. I've found the lower end of that range works better.

3) The counter-current action is what dissolves the CO2: water goes down and bubbles go up; the reactor traps the gas so it has maximum exposure to the water flow. If you turned it upside down, the CO2 would escape straight up and out of the reactor.

I'm using a Hydor Pico 500 pump. It's almost too much flow for the reactor, so a 400 might be better. The output hole on the pump fits the reactor input almost exactly, so no fiddling with tubing, etc. They're cheap little suckers, too.


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## Leonard (Mar 4, 2007)

I have a 160l (40g) tank and I've just bought AM 1000. I've tried ut yet, but I'd recomend that one for a such a big tank.
I AM 500 wouldn't be enogh for your tank, I belive.

And you can also make a DIY CO2 reactor, by a bottle (with i.e. bioballs in) and powerhead.
Here are also some examples:
http://www.haack.se/projekt.htm
http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/DIY-CO2-Reactor/2/
http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html#5
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger2/2760/3652/1600/P1010069_redigerad-1.4.jpg
http://www.haack.se/projekt.jpg
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...2717-simple-co2-diffusor-99-9-efficiency.html


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## vic46 (Oct 20, 2006)

Check Rex Grigg on this board.
Vic


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