Co2 reactor question

[blizowman1]

I am running pressurized co2 on my 90g tank with a DIY reactor with bioballs in it......I run the working pressure at about 25-30 I think and I cnt count how many bps...... When my co2 kicks on I can hear the co2 in the reactor, but I get little little little co2 bubbles coming out of my spray bar..... I know that can't be to much escaping but am wondering if its normal for some to escape? I thought it was supposed to completely dissolve. Am I doing something wrong and how do I fix it cause I want the optimum co2 levels in my tank and it seems like if I try to raise it anymore than where it's at ill end up wasting more than is going to be used.

 

[Billbug68]

Is the reactor on the inflow or outflow line?

 

[aqua_chem]

Why can't you count your BPS? Just too high? What size tank is this?

 

[blizowman1]

It's a 5lb co2 tank. On a 90g heavily planted tank. And the reactor is on the outflow....... Yea I can't count the bps cause it's just to fast lol

 

[Billbug68]

I'm not positive on this, as far as which is better,( I'm sure aqua will chime in) but when I ran mine, I had it on the inflow and never had any bubbles in the tank.

 

[aqua_chem]

You really shouldn't run in on the intake. Rex Grigg style reactors cause a fairly noticeable amount of resistance. On the outflow, this simply reduces your flow rate by a bit. On the outflow however, you break one of the rules of powerheads, that is, nothing should come before it. They're designed to push, not pull, and if you have resistance on in inflow, you can reduce the life of your pump.

It is entirely possible to overwhelm the capacity of your reactor. Is there a reason you're injecting that much? You should be able to get away with much less on an inline system with a reactor, even on a larger tank. How many bubbles do you have coming out? Your water is flowing top to bottom right?

 

[blizowman1]

Yes my water flow is top to bottom.... I've just been trying to get the right level of co2 in my tank and where I'm at have just now been able to get my drop checkers to turn a green to lime green color. I also know that a drop checker really isn't as helpful as people believe. The amount of bubbles coming out is minimal but they're there, I just didnt know if it was normal. I've been trying to get my tank balanced out. I've got it to where the BBA has either stopped growing or it grows so slow I just haven't realized it yet.... And GSA on my glass and my anubius

 

[aqua_chem]

The usefulness of a drop checker varies by how well it's used and by who you talk to. CO2 is much more complicated than some make it out to be, and some people think that a green DC means more than it actually does, but in this case were just trying to gauge throughput, so it works well enough. It's certainly better than the pH/co2/KH method if used correctly, ie, good fluid, solution, placement, etc.

Do you have much surface agitation? Have you checked for leaks?

 

[dragonfisher33]

can you post the setup of the co2 reactor so that we can check it out?

 

[blizowman1]

I've got a pic of the reactor setup in the first post..

And yes I do have surface agitation cause on one side I have the spray bar from my canister which is pretty much pointed straight to the front of the tank, and on the other side I have a HOB aquaclear 70 running and I run topless so towards the end of the week the water has evaporated about a inch or a little more which creates more agitation from the hob..... I want to replace the aquaclear with another canister but can't afford to make any changes right now

 

[blizowman1]

That's how the reactor is set in my stand and the output goes to the top of the reactor and the bottom of the reactor goes to the spraybar.

I don't have any leaks cause my tank has started lasting me longer now than it ever did with an atomizer at like 4-5 bps

 

[blizowman1]

No more answers??