Aqua Medic 1000 Co2 reactor ????

[MalawiMadness]

Hello,

I'm wondering if anyone can help me get this Co2 reactor working properly. I have it installed vertical inline with my wet/dry filter pump. I'm using a Rio 1900 for my return pump. The problem is Co2 isn't leaving the reactor. Do I have an undersized pump issue or some other issue? I have a pressurized Co2 setup hooked into a Ph controller. I'm new to Co2 injection and any help would be aprreciated.

Thanks,
Larry

[SparKy697]

Can you provide some specifics?

What size is the hose on the suction side of the filter, the one that the reactor is in? What size id the hose leaving the pump?

What comes to mind is that if you are moving water too slowly through the reactor, like you would in a bigger tube, there may not be enough velocity to grab the co2 and shove it downward through the reactor. Can you place the reactor in the suction line for the pump?

[travis simonson]

Larry,

I've got this reactor as well. When you say CO2 isn't leaving the reactor, do you mean that a pocket of CO2 is building up inside the reactor? I've had this happen before and the fine folks at AquaMedic have actually built in a bleed valve on the reactor to release any gas build-ups. This has always worked for me. Here's a picture of where the bleed valve on mine is located (boxed in white):



If you haven't already tried this, it may work for you. Hope this helps and let us know if you're still having problems. I can always use mine to try to duplicate your issue

[MalawiMadness]

Hello,

1/2" od tubing on discharge side of a sump pump. I have a bleed valve on the reactor and let all the air out upon startup. What appears to be swirling bubbles in the top halve of the reactor. Is this just water movement I'm seeing or is this co2 bubbles that can't make the full travel of the reactor and out to the tank. I was thinking that maybe the sump pump isnt large enough to force the co2 out. Maybe I just don't understand the concept of this reactor. I have a rena xp3 canister filter running in the aquarium as well. Hope this info helps to understand what I am seeing.


Thanks,
Larry

[Purrbox]

It sounds to me like you're just seeing CO2 bubbles that haven't fully dissolved yet. Since it isn't an instantaneous process and more CO2 is always being added, it would make sense that you're seeing some bubbles at the top of the reactor.

[rkilling1]

Originally Posted by MalawiMadness

Hello,

1/2" od tubing on discharge side of a sump pump. I have a bleed valve on the reactor and let all the air out upon startup. What appears to be swirling bubbles in the top halve of the reactor. Is this just water movement I'm seeing or is this co2 bubbles that can't make the full travel of the reactor and out to the tank. I was thinking that maybe the sump pump isnt large enough to force the co2 out. Maybe I just don't understand the concept of this reactor. I have a rena xp3 canister filter running in the aquarium as well. Hope this info helps to understand what I am seeing.


Thanks,
Larry

You are dissolving the CO2 into the water, therefore you may not see any bubbles making into the tank.

Inorder to guage how well your reactor is working and to see if you have enough CO2 entering the tank, you need to measure the amount of CO2 in your tank.

One way is to measure the pH and KH. You can use those numbers to determine your CO2.

[Lonewolfblue]

You don't want the pump to blow the CO2 out of the reactor. As long as you don't have a CO2 buildup at the top of the reactor and you see CO2 bubbles in the reactor swirling around, you are fine. The CO2 should stay in the reactor so that it will disolve in the water.