# Aqua Medic 1000 reactor question



## gardentoad (Sep 17, 2005)

I just got my c02 set up for Christmas. He bought an Aqumedic 1000 C02 reactor.
I have my water pumped into the Aquarium into undergravel jets.The jets distribute the current pretty evenly all over the tank. I get lots of bubbles that go straight up and are bigger than I thought they'd be. I only see the bubbles in the 2 jets closest to where the water comes in. I get a good current through all of the jets.

Only one of the bio balls in the reactor moves. Is that the way it is supposed to be? I get accumulation of gas at the top of the reactor in any position.
I have the reactor on a bypass. I am using a pump rated rated 1525 gph into 1" flexable tubing then to 1" PVC. 
Would it be better to run all the water through the reactor? I didn't set it up that way because it has 1/2" fitttings.

Any suggestions?


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## JaySilverman (Jun 19, 2005)

pump is too strong. Or the reactor isn't long enough.


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## Salt (Apr 5, 2005)

Not sure how you are suggesting the pump is too strong when he has a pocket of gas at the top. Or that the reactor isn't long enough... it's a completely premade, manufactured product.

The gas pocket is normal. Your reactor is working fine.

According to recent findings by Tom Barr, reactors like the AM1000 are no longer the best way to inject CO2. You would do better to put a glass CO2 diffuser in your tank bottom underneath one of the power heads / jets.


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## Jason Baliban (Feb 21, 2005)

If you are collecting a bubble.........

What size is your tank?

It probly is because you pump is not strong enough. Water needs to really be moving through the reactor to dissolve all the co2. Also, it could be O2 that is getting into your reactor. O2 does not dissolve as well. Check the intake of your pump. See if it is near some pearling plants. I have the same reactor, and my bioballs rarely move.

Stick with the inline reactor vs the diffuser for now. There was a brief discussion on how diffusers are better, but it never really came to hard facts. Inline reactors work great.....that is proven. Im sure Tom Barr will work out the details of his "diffusor is better" plan and share it with us all. But I dont think it is ready and I wouldnt go and throw your reactor in the trash just yet.

jB


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## gardentoad (Sep 17, 2005)

Thanks everyone.
We went ahead and ran all the water through the reactor instead of the bypass. It is doing much better. It really cut the current way down, but I think I still have enough circulation. My only concern now is if the back pressure will shorten the life of my pump.


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