# rexgrigg co2 reactor 20in total bubbles still in tank?



## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

Ok So I built a rexgrigg co2 reactor pvc is 15in long and the altogether the reactor is 20in. My filter is Rena Xp3 when I put the co2 on bubble counter is around 2.5bps the spray bar starts shooting out bubbles not a lot but more then I want what is the right bps you should have on a bubble counter? And shouldn't a reactor total dissolve the co2 of that low of a bubble per sec and not fire them out of the spray bar?.


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## freshyleif (Jan 9, 2008)

I have the same setup only my reactor is made with 3" pvc and 24" plus. I am having the same issue. I have used this reactor with another filter ( jebo 838) and it worked as you mention, it had no mist coming out the spray bar. The big differences from last time to now are: 
1 I am not using the glass diffuser at the and of my CO2 tube in side the reactor.
2 I did not fill the tube full of bio-balls this time I only put in about 10 to 15. Full is around 45 
I did this because I thought that change number 3 would make all the difference that being that I have it hooked into the intake to the filter now and before it was on the output. Apparently I am wrong. Now as I understand the concept of the reactor is to slow the water down enough so that when we put the CO2 in it can mix around enough to dissolve completely. IMHO we are sucking the CO2 in through the filter and out into the tank. Basically to much flow to big of bubbles and the reactor is nullified. I plan on putting the diffuser back on but not all the bio-balls.


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## endgin33 (Jun 10, 2008)

I have used the grigg style reactor for 2 years now and I don't have bubbling problem. I run it off of the output side of my rena xp1. These may seem like a dumb questions, but did you "burp" the reactor initially and get rid of the air inside of the reaction chamber when you fired it up? Normal "air" doesn't absorb as well as co2 and could just be bubbling over. Do you have the flow coming in from the top of the reactor and exiting the bottom of reactor? You need the bubbles to be "fighting" the downward flow of water for the CO2 to be absorbed. I don't run any bio balls at all in my reactor- I don't have a high power filter and I didn't want to reduce my already "insufficient" flow. Tuning the reactor takes some time- in my heavily planted 29 I am at about 1.5 BPS with a two hour lead on the lights and two hour head start on shut down. I aim for a "bubble " of co2 in the reactor during the active times of the day that will go away just about the same time as the lights go off.


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## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

The reactor doesn't have any air inside when the co2 is off there is No bubbles coming out of the spray bar but once that co2 kicks on at 2.5bps in bubble counter 20sec later little bubbles come flying out. Here is the reactor its hooked up to the output side flow go's in on the top hits the co2 right under go's down the the pvc hits the bottom and then go's into the tank.


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## endgin33 (Jun 10, 2008)

Seems like everything is lined up right. Maybe the flow rate is too high for that reactor length, but I find it hard to believe that an xp3 is too powerful for a twenty inch reactor... I would try it at one bps and see if you are getting the bubble bath then.


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## heineken357 (May 25, 2006)

Well I added my current Usa Uv Sterilizer 2in to the outflow of the co2 reactor now the co2 go's thought the co2 reactor then go's into the Uv sterilizer then to the tank but Iam still getting bubbles coming out of the spray bar what is the Deal :help:


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## endgin33 (Jun 10, 2008)

For what its worth, I think you should let it run few days and see what happens. I know the system works. Plus the bubbles of co2 shouldn't hurt anything other than the veiwing. (in fact I have been reading up a lot about needle wheel diffuser that aim for that exact result (frothy bubbles) and have been getting rave reviews.) Do you have a drop checker operating on the tank? If you do just keep an eye on it and adjust your co2 accordingly. Sorry I couldn't be of more assistance.


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