External Pump

[scottca]

Hi All,

Im looking for an External Pump to power a co2 reactor, I cant use my existing external pump as I have a fluval vicenza which has the pump connected directly through the bottom of the tank.

I cant seem to find one anywhere - I just want an external pump to pull water, pass it through the the reactor and back into the tank (about 3/4 metre high). Also need to be able to vary the output if possible. Trying to find one as cheap as possible if I can, but im having problems finding one thats not really big and powerfull.

Can anyone suggest anything? I have found a few options but you can only vary the output flow when you submerge the filter, to save space and look better, would prefer it if it were external

Thanks all,

Craig

 

[waterdrop]

Hi Craig,

I have no experience to offer but I did happen to have a tab opened to eheim and they have a lot of pumps:

http/www.eheimparts.com/client/homepage.aspx

http/www.eheim.com/pumps.htm

~~waterdrop~~

 

[scottca]

Thanks Waterdrop, I have also found a JBL Pump

http/www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/fish/filters...her_pumps/19465

But they dont seem to have an adjustable flow Just worried that it will be too much for what im trying to create and so I wont be able to throttle the flow back

 

[waterdrop]

I guess if worse came to worse you could dedicate a small external filter to just the reactor function but it probably wouldn't work because the smaller ones are the very ones that don't have any flow rate adjustability. I see your problem. One can even think of things that get kludgier and kludgier to tame the flow but that's not really what you want. Sorry.

 

[scottca]

Thanks

I did look into the small external, but like you say, unless you spend quite a bit of cash they dont have an adjustable flow...

Can you attach a tube to a powerhead output, go out the tank, through the reactor and back in again? wouldnt be too much of a drop in height? Not sure if they are powerfull enough though?

on second thoughts, is there any reason I couldnt remove the intake filter type piece of a powerhead and attach a tube, as long as I keep it primed isnt that as good as an external filter? or is that not possible? the powerhead here:

http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/Minjiang-MJ-803-Aqua...7QQcmdZViewItem

Says it will pump a couple of metres high, although i dont think its an adjustable flow, I have seen some that do have that feature

Anyone know how much flow I need in a Co2 reactor? im presuming its quite a bit (not sure why though?)

Thanks again,

Craig

 

[scottca]

ok, I have pretty much realised that I cant find an external pump where I can control the flow so will have to go without the flow control,

problem is im not sure what kind of lph I would need to run a co2 reactor, it would push the water about 3/4 metre high before going back into the tank - does it matter if the reactor has a fast or slow throughput of water?

 

[waterdrop]

I thought the only purpose of flow in a co2 reactor was to break co2 bubbles into smaller and smaller bubbles via repeated movement and impacts within the reactor. For instance, if you make a homemade reactor with a couple of captured plastic bio-balls then the plastic thingies will dance around in the current and bash up the bubbles. Anything like this is bound to be a lot better than, say, a bubble ladder. So you could just watch the bubbles and make your own judgement. (granted, your problem is trying to know before-hand)