# best diy reactor design for noob ?



## surpera1 (Feb 18, 2009)

ok guys - i have crossed the threshold - built myself a nice diy co2 generator , two 2 liter units with 2 bells for infusion . now i am reading about highly efficient venturi reactors and power heads - i dont understand how it works - but i am game to build one - just point me in the right direction - sometimes it really sucks to be so ignorant - hahahahahaaahahh - but thats where i am right now - thanks !


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## imeridian (Jan 17, 2007)

I recently picked up one of those Hagen elite mini filters. For $10 at a Petco, it's a great little CO2 misting device. Basically you just pipe the CO2 through tubing right under the impeller, which then chops the bubbles up finer than any glass diffuser I've ever used. Downside is there's this bubble chopping noise, but I was able to tune that out pretty quickly.


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## pepetj (Oct 2, 2008)

I agree with imeridian. The Hagen Elite mini filter

I use CO2 fairly well if replaced two or three times a year) and attach a piece of Chinese food wooden stick as to reduce the size of the output CO2 bubbles, which makes the unit run way less noisy.

Regular maintenance is needed for cleaning the sponge, more so if you decide to keep a sponge media inside the mini filter. Those sponges will get somewhat sticky with time and clog the unit, but if you do regular maintenance, it's a piece of cake (I rinse them tap water since I only want to protect the impeller from solid waste not cultivate bacteria there -internal sponge I mean).

Pepe
Santo Domingo

PS Surpera: I believe asking questions is precisely an evidence that you are not an ignorant. We are all learning as we go.


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## surpera1 (Feb 18, 2009)

thanks -


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## JugBandBanjoCat (Apr 26, 2006)

What helps with the noise is to use a really fine airstone to break up the co2 before the mini filter chops it up more. I didn't run it with the sponge in the filter. I also used a dremel tool to cut slits in the impeller like a needle wheel (not sure if this really made a difference though). Worked very well in my 55.

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/prod/199510/product.web


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## surpera1 (Feb 18, 2009)

well - i'm kinda afraid to build such an efficient diffuser - because the diy reactors i built are really cranking out some co2 - and i have no way to control how much gets fed into that power diffuser - i dont want to asphyxiate my fish - i guess i could put the power head on a timer - have it powered in the daytime and off at night ? that way at night it would act simply as a bell diffuser ? but would such a high co2 ppm in the daytime harm my fish ?they made it through the night fine with the 2 bell diffusers - but i did notice that they were sluggish and breathing heavy in the morning - though they were not at the surface gasping - walmart has a power head for $20 and a gravel siphon for like $9 - but on another note - my plants are a kinda pale green right now - like they are missing some nutrient - but the substrate is potting soil - which is nutrient rich right ?


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## Cocobid (Jan 26, 2007)

I use the Elite Mini on 3 DIY tanks presently. Works great like he said a million tiny bubble. Yes you need to clean out the filter after each new batch of CO2. I keep some filter floss in mine where the CO2 enters to help break up the sound of the bubbles hitting the blades. If you want to limit you gassing at night just put the Mini on the same timer as you lights. That way no diffusion and the big bubbles just float to the top. A lot of folks do that with this method of diffusion.


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