DIY in-line CO2 Reactor

[neilanh]

Yeah, I don't remember the standard OD for airline tubing - 3/16" maybe?

Just take a piece with you to the hardware store and find something that'll fit. I do recommend using brass over nylon, however. And make sure you put a check valve on the CO2 line right off of the reactor as well.

 

[dmoney87]

Yeah, I don't remember the standard OD for airline tubing - 3/16" maybe?

Just take a piece with you to the hardware store and find something that'll fit. I do recommend using brass over nylon, however. And make sure you put a check valve on the CO2 line right off of the reactor as well.

So I just built me one of these but Im confused. Isent the whole reason for the bioballs inside to create turbulance to chop the co2 bubbles up? it seems like to me those balls dont do much thrashing around to be creating any turbulance at all..

-davE

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

the balls dont move but the water and CO2 is forced through them so its turbulent which gives the CO2 more time to diffuse

 

[dmoney87]

ohh ok I gotcha, well mine is all built and ready to go.. just waiting on the rest of the co2 equiptment. Ill post pics in my thread " 75 big bad gallons of .. " of it.

davE

 

[marchmaxima]

I would be very interested to see pics of the setup.

 

[SparKy697]

Wow, who knew that this old thread would come alive again?


I will try to try and answer a couple of the questions.

The glue I used was nothing fancy. I chose to use the clear primer instead of the purple stuff. It's the same product but the clear looks better. I'm not sure about green glue, I've never seen it.

The hose barb was the smallest one I could find at Lowes. I want to say it was made for a 3/16" hose.

As far as the bio-balls go, they create a longer path for the bubbles to go. What you are doing is trying to keep those bubbles in contact with the water as long as you can.

Hope some of this helps.

 

[dmoney87]

I would be very interested to see pics of the setup.

pretty easy and cheap.. see how it works once I the rest of my equiptment..

-davE

 

[dmoney87]

Wow, who knew that this old thread would come alive again?


I will try to try and answer a couple of the questions.

The glue I used was nothing fancy. I chose to use the clear primer instead of the purple stuff. It's the same product but the clear looks better. I'm not sure about green glue, I've never seen it.

The hose barb was the smallest one I could find at Lowes. I want to say it was made for a 3/16" hose.

As far as the bio-balls go, they create a longer path for the bubbles to go. What you are doing is trying to keep those bubbles in contact with the water as long as you can.

Hope some of this helps.

yeah thanks spark for the um the thread and saving me some cash

-davE

 

[marchmaxima]

Nice work Dave. How much d'ya reckon you spent on it all up?

 

[dmoney87]

Nice work Dave. How much d'ya reckon you spent on it all up?

thanks march,

probably more on gas going to go get the parts .. but no definatly under 30$.. the most expensive was the bag of bioballs.. since they wouldent let me just buy the handfull i needed, so now I have a huge bag of them left over..

dave

 

[marchmaxima]

Perhaps put them on the buy/swap/sell forum. Who knows! you might get a bite from someone who needs some.

 

[Lordrip1]

A big thanks to the Creator and Contributors of this tread, I just finish building my co2 reactor, and I am looking forward to using it.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

I'm getting ready to built a DIY external heater/CO2 reactor all in 1. Have 1/2 the parts and plan on building 2-3 of them. I dont have the idea finalized quite yet but have a good idea with a couple choices yet to be made.

Thanks again for ideas in this thread

 

[Drewbie]

Is it possible to use this with DIY Co2 Generators.

Wife will not allow the pressurized ones in the house as it scares here

 

[neilanh]

I doubt that the yeast systems would build up the pressure needed to operate efficiently with this system. But, I've never tried it, so I dunno.

 

[SparKy697]

I tend to agree with Neilan. Is your wife afraid of it exploding? Or is it the idea of a co2 leak?

Honestly these are very safe systems. It may be worth your while to try and convince her of that.

 

[gzeiger]

So does this require a canister filter to operate? Could I put this on a tank otherwise serviced with a cheap HOB, and get some smaller dedicated pump to run the reactor?

 

[jrp1588]

sure you could. It just needs something to move the water

 

[SparKy697]

You are on the right track!

In my opinion that is the best way to run this type of reactor. There is no free lunch, adding a reactor will slow down the flow through a canister anyway.

Go for it!

 

[neilanh]

Not a HOB, but a waterpump would do it