In-line Equipment

[Zimmanski]

So I finally made the switch from the awful ribbed hoses to vinyl hoses for my fluval 406 and now I'm looking forward to some in-line equipment. The hose is 5/8 ID and 3/4 OD and tank is 75g

For starters I'd like to get an inline diffuser. Are there and really good brands? Pros and cons? GLA is out of stock on theirs, how often do they restock or is there better? Any first hand experience?

Second, I really want an inline heater, leaning towards a hydor but am unsure. Same questions as the diffuser I guess.

Any other in line stuff? I know this is a lot of questions but I'd like some help and didn't know where to post this, since diffuser I figured planted section would get more responses. Thanks in advance! AA has always given me the best advice.

 

[armymp327]

if your going for a diffuser, i would recommend a reactor instead as it wont cause the smoky water effect and will dissolve the co2 into the water almost 100%, the aquamedic 1000

Freshwater Planted Aquarium Care: AquaMedic CO2 Reactor 1000

is probably the best one you can buy, however its not cheap and you can make one yourself for much cheaper if you are DIY capable

if you still want to stick with a diffuser then i think the in-line ones from up aqua on ebay might be a good bet, GLA basically uses the same thing but charges 400 % more for one lol.

 

[Billbug68]

I've been running the hydor inline heater for a few months, and so far so good. I love it. Out of sight, out of mind, and keeps the tank evenly warm. As far as the reactor, I built a DIY one, but saw a drastic reduction in flow... It's too bad, as it worked extremely well, but I needed the flow so went back to a glass diffuser. I'm not sure if you'll see the same problem on the 406, I'm running a 106.

 

[Zimmanski]

Thanks for the info guys! I am DIY capable but I think the reduction in flow would be worse for my tank than some co2 mist so an inline diffuser is probably the route I'll take. Can't be any worse than the in tank diffuser right? Glad someone else has the hydor heater too, I was a little worried since I saw a couple bad reviews, but I guess even the best equipment will get a couple bad ones right?

 

[aqua_chem]

There are two major DIY reactor designs. The traditional Reg Grigg style reactor that people most commonly think of, and the Cerges reactor that uses a modified water filter housing. Minimal DIY skills are needed for either. The Cerges reactor is actually fairly widely claimed to have minimal impact on flow, although no one seems to know why. There's a fairly massive thread on it over in the DIY forums of PT that you should check out (I would link, but its a bit of pain on mobile and it should be very easy to find).

As far as inline goes, atomizer or get out, in my option. I've used both the Ebay cheap version and GLA's more expensive inline atomizer. They both worked fine, and they look identical, but I swear the GLA one made a better mist when I first got it. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Old Scales]

Zimm,
I was just going out the door to get tubing and elbows and other "stuff" to rig my Coralife UV external sterliizer but I stopped to check AA first. Glad I did. I have a Fluval 206 inside my 30g stand and wanted to rig in line also. I was stopped by those goofy hoses also. How did you fit the hoses to the Fluval end fittings? Did you use special ordered ones or did you cut away and use the original ones. Your help will be GREATLY apreciated. Thanks, OS.

 

[Billbug68]

Zimm,
I was just going out the door to get tubing and elbows and other "stuff" to rig my Coralife UV external sterliizer but I stopped to check AA first. Glad I did. I have a Fluval 206 inside my 30g stand and wanted to rig in line also. I was stopped by those goofy hoses also. How did you fit the hoses to the Fluval end fittings? Did you use special ordered ones or did you cut away and use the original ones. Your help will be GREATLY apreciated. Thanks, OS.

You can get the appropriate size clear vinyl tubing at The Home Depot. I believe the Fluval is 5/8" INSIDE DIAMETER. However I forced 1/2" on mine.

 

[Zimmanski]

Zimm,
I was just going out the door to get tubing and elbows and other "stuff" to rig my Coralife UV external sterliizer but I stopped to check AA first. Glad I did. I have a Fluval 206 inside my 30g stand and wanted to rig in line also. I was stopped by those goofy hoses also. How did you fit the hoses to the Fluval end fittings? Did you use special ordered ones or did you cut away and use the original ones. Your help will be GREATLY apreciated. Thanks, OS.

I had some extra hose end adapters made by fluval from when I DIYed my spray bar(super cheap) then got just regular vinyl hoses from Home Depot ($5) then used some PVC glue(safe for human water supplies $6) to attach to the hose and a 97 cent hose clamp for added protection from leaks. The end that connects to the canister valves connected just like the standard fluval hoses would then I left enough ribbed hosing to make the bends around the tank since the vinyl hose will link if bent that much and attached it the same way, I don't suggest using hose clamps on anything that has the ribbed tubes in it, the ribbed will kink and crack and you're more likely to have a leak. The fluval 304 305 and 306 use 5/8" inside diameter and 3/4 outside diameter hoses but I think the 106/206 uses like 13mm ID hose so you'd have to look that up. It was pretty simple, sounds harder than it is. I'll post pictures to help when I get back home.

 

[Zimmanski]

Aquachem, so you're saying the inline atomizers are better in your opinion the the DIY reactors? I'm leaning towards the in line from up aqua or GLA, I already have enough equipment outside my stand, I'd rather not have a big DIY tube outside as well. Atomizer and diffuser mean the same thing right? Or is there a difference?

 

[Old Scales]

OK Thank You! Yes Please post some pic's. Sounds like the answer to my problem. OS.

 

[aqua_chem]

I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. What I intended to say was that as far as inline diffusers go, you should get an atomizer. There are some non-atomizer inline diffusers available that I personally wouldn't mess with. As far as which is better, reactor vs atomizer, that's a tougher question. I'm inclined to think that an atomizer might be a little better, but the 7-Up tank is a bit much for some people , and understandably so. It's certainly not worth going atomizer just because you want "maximum growth" or whathaveyou, but the aversion to an unsightly reactor outside the tank is as good a reason as any.



You can boil the ends of tubing to get them onto larger size barbs if you have to, or take a heat gun to them for maximum stretch.

 

[Zimmanski]

I'm sorry, I wasn't clear. What I intended to say was that as far as inline diffusers go, you should get an atomizer. There are some non-atomizer inline diffusers available that I personally wouldn't mess with. As far as which is better, reactor vs atomizer, that's a tougher question. I'm inclined to think that an atomizer might be a little better, but the 7-Up tank is a bit much for some people , and understandably so. It's certainly not worth going atomizer just because you want "maximum growth" or whathaveyou, but the aversion to an unsightly reactor outside the tank is as good a reason as any.

You can boil the ends of tubing to get them onto larger size barbs if you have to, or take a heat gun to them for maximum stretch.

Ahh okay, thank you! I was unaware an inline diffuser and an inline atomizer were different.

OS- here's some quick pictures I took of the vinyl hoses and adapters. I suggest flipping the ribbed hose around at the u-bends like I show in the last couple of pictures, less chance of leaks that way and no need for hose clams on the ribbed part. I can take more pictures and explain in more detail later if needed, took these during the five minutes I was home after work and now on my way to a family dinner haha

 

[Old Scales]

OK I see what I was wondering about on the rubber ends. I got the confidence to do the cutting now. Great! This saves me putting in a subm. pump and tubes inside the tank. I can keep the UV Sterl. under the cabinet and out-a-sight. Thank You so much Zimm!
Later, OS.

 

[Zimmanski]

OK I see what I was wondering about on the rubber ends. I got the confidence to do the cutting now. Great! This saves me putting in a subm. pump and tubes inside the tank. I can keep the UV Sterl. under the cabinet and out-a-sight. Thank You so much Zimm!
Later, OS.

No problem! Hope it goes well for ya!

 

[Old Scales]

Hey Zimm & gang!
Thanks to you I got the in line UV rigged and working. NO LEAKS. LOL That big ol Coralife unit should zap anything patho that trys to ruin my little fishy's world. I cleaned the Fluval cann while I had it out and put in Purigen for the first time. I rinsed the packet a good 3 min. but it still milked up the tank. WIll this flocc out or will it only get gone with PWC's? Thanks again, so much for your help! Luck & Later, OS.

 

[Zimmanski]

Hey Zimm & gang!
Thanks to you I got the in line UV rigged and working. NO LEAKS. LOL That big ol Coralife unit should zap anything patho that trys to ruin my little fishy's world. I cleaned the Fluval cann while I had it out and put in Purigen for the first time. I rinsed the packet a good 3 min. but it still milked up the tank. WIll this flocc out or will it only get gone with PWC's? Thanks again, so much for your help! Luck & Later, OS.

Glad to hear it! I haven't tried purigen yet so I'm reall not sure. Someone else will have to comment on that one but I would think that it would settle or get filtered out but PWCs never hurt