# AquaMedic 1000 modification



## zeek (Jan 5, 2005)

My AquaMedic 1000 reactor tends to collect a rather large CO2 bubble fairly early in the day, and doesn't dissipate until sometime in the night.

If I place a ceramic diffuser inside the reactor to emit a fine stream of bubbles would it solve this problem?

I'm also considering adding a venturi loop like Tom Barr's design. Thoughts?


Isaac


----------



## Laith (Sep 4, 2004)

I used to have this problem sometimes..

The AM 1000 is already designed to solve this! At the top of the reactor is an output tube with a little on/off valve on it. I attach a length of silicone tubing to this and run the tubing either up into the tank or, using a T connection, into the return hose. I then open the valve enough so that excess gas just bubbles out through the tube.

Works great and I find I get more efficient CO2 dissolution...


----------



## NE (Dec 10, 2004)

What side of the pump is it connected to (suction or pressure)?

I have the Dupla reactor S which is quite similar, and when i connected it on the suction side i had similar problems, but now when it is connected on the pressure side it works fine.

I have written some about this in this thread as well:

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showthread.php?t=10495


----------



## zeek (Jan 5, 2005)

NE:
It's on the pressure (return) side. I'm using an Eheim 2228 with the impeller located at the top of the unit.

Laith:
I'm aware of the bleed valve, however Tom Barr's design places the input to the tube about two inches lower. I don't know the reasoning, because it allows a two inch bubble to accumilate at the top. Perhaps he'll chime in. I also don't want to lose the functionality of the bleed valve so if I choose that route I'd use a "T" splitter of some sort.

I've been looking at some ultra-fine pore diffusers on Aquatic-Ecosystems, which create bubbles 100-500 microns in size. The catch is that the operating pressure is 20-25PSI. I'm running pressurized CO2 of course, but have no idea how high the pressure is after the regulator and needle valve at ~5 bubbles per second. I asked the company how to measure, and they said I'd need to capture the bubbles over time and calculate the volume. Another option are these, which operate at a much less 5"H2O pressure, but I'm still stuck not knowing what that really means.


----------



## NE (Dec 10, 2004)

How big is your tank? and how much plant load do you have?

Do you think it could be impurity in the gas that has difficulties to dissolve in the water?

I'm curious because i have by accident been running my open top 325L tank with medium plant growth with 80-90ppm co2 without gas accumulation.


----------



## zeek (Jan 5, 2005)

I'm in a 120gal for now, medium growth. I don't think it's impurities in the bottle... although that's nothing more than opinion.


----------



## NE (Dec 10, 2004)

Thats strang, with that flow rate and that reactor i cant see why you would have any problems.

I have recently built my own reactor and have also had some ideas about having a diffuser half way down the reactor but i have not tried it yet.


----------

