# CO2 on a big budget



## TheSentinel (Jan 25, 2006)

Hi everyone, it seems like I (and you through your advice) have a chance to set up a dream tank on someone else's money.

My boss picked up a 180G (6x2x2) tank to make an in wall planted discus aquarium for the office and is letting me worry about the details involving plants. He's already purchased a fake rock background, sump, and Ocean Clear filters. The only things I'm limited on are keeping as much equipment out of the tank as possible and that he wants to use a PH controller.

My initial thoughts are to use pressurized CO2, get a Rex Grigg regulator (if a PH controller will plug into the solenoid), two needle valve manifold, and run two mini-powerheads from behind the backing into drilled flexible tubing for a CO2 mist diffusion (each covering half the tank). I'm thinking CO2 mist might be the best delivery system as the sump will probably lose a lot of CO2.

What would you recommend for a better way to set this up? Do you have any ideas or things to watch out for? To give an idea for the budget, my boss is taking out a closet, hacking up four separate walls, and moving a cable run just to fit in the tank. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.


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## redstrat (Apr 3, 2006)

Wow sounds like your boss really trusts you.

Best advice I can give you is to take it as slow as you can, get plants in immediately at start up and CO2, I would imagine he doesn't want to see any algae ever so take every precaution you can. I'm sure you allready know all that though. 

Definately seal the sump, they are great for keeping equipment out of the tank but can really suck for CO2 if you dont treat them correctly. Many are designed to aerate the water as much as possible which will obviously degass tons of CO2 if allowed to do so. you definately want to go pressurized on CO2, you said something about 2 powerheads so I would assume you're planning to inject the co2 using them. Why not use one for CO2 mist and then have an inline reactor on the return line from the sump for complete dissolution on the returning water from the sump. You will get the best of both worlds. Just a thought. I'm not experienced with Pressurized CO2 so I can't give any advice about the equipment itself.

I hope all goes well, definately keep us posted, I'm sure many woudl love to see pics of this from start to finish.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

How many filters are you going to have?


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## TheSentinel (Jan 25, 2006)

Yeah, I'm worried about keeping the CO2 levels high enough with the sump. The reason I'm thinking about the two powerheads is that I can't imagine one putting out the CO2 mist six feet away. Adding an inline reactor on top of that might be a good idea.

Rex, there are either two or three filters inline.


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## redstrat (Apr 3, 2006)

I have heard of people fashoning a PVC spray bar with hols drilled in it that if you had a big enough powerhead it could be 6'long spraying bubbles the whole length without a problem. PVC comes in black too


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Can I ask why a sump? Why not go for two nice size canisters and postion a ceramic mist diffusor on each end of the tank under the return spraybar. Well I see he's already purchased the sump. If it's a typical trickle down you will lose alot of co2 that's pretty much what they are designed to do. You best bet than is to extend the intake into the sump down below the water level in the sump so you don't lose as much co2. Is the tank drilled? If not, don't skimp on the overflow.


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## redstrat (Apr 3, 2006)

I definatley agree with House, you will most likely need to modify your sump setup to minimize the loss of CO2, this can be done but if at all possible canister filters are a way better choice for planted tanks.


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Davis,
Glad we agree on something  

Anyway, another thing to is that sumps are noisy, so you'll want to take that into consideration for the setup and have the sump situated so it's in a location that you won't here as much noise.


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## TheSentinel (Jan 25, 2006)

Thanks for the comments. The tank will be drilled for the sump. Personally, I'd prefer canister filters myself, but I'm not paying for it.

What are the best ways to modify the sump to minimize the loss of CO2?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

Well there are a few places with a sump setup that you will lose co2. One is at the overflow. When the water goes thru the slits in the overflow it cascades down toward the sump. Once at the sump the water usually is directly over exposed media (above water) and then trickles down again through possibly bioballs or other media before being returned to the tank. Extending the intake in the sump so it's below the water line should be easy, but I'm not sure how much gas you would lose at the overflow itself. It's actually an interesting question. If your constantly running mist into the tank directly on the plants will that be enough to sustain co2 levels. Maybe somebody here at APC has already done this. I'm famillar with sumps, but haven't used them on co2-based planted aquaria.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

Just use the holes as bulkheads for the filter inlets. No sump needed. Besides with say two of the Ocean Clear filters I doubt the sump can keep up. 

If you have two filters I would go with two in-line reactors. You can feed them both off a properly built regulator with no problem.


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