How To Use The Co2 Reactor?

[dingweding]

i would like to buy one of these, but i was a little confused now it work

can i put it outside the tank or it has to stay inside the tank?

if it is outside the tank, i think i should connect the outlet of the filter to the top of reactor,
thus the water flow will blow the co2 bubble down , and the bubble will be trapped in the reactor. then connect the bottom of the reactor to spray bar of the filter?


if it is inside the tank, i still connect the top to the filter outlet, but i can leave the bottom of reactor unconnected?

or, i can use a seperate powerhead, connect the outlet of power head to the top of the reactor, leave the bottom of the reactor and inlet of powerhead unconnected?

Many thanks

 

[fifefish]

Im sure it has to be situated inside the tank.
heres the way to connect it if you are using an external filter.

the blue block is the filter, the blue line is the outflow tube,
the pink line is the inflow tube, the bright green block is the co2 reactor.
and the green block is the co2 cylinder,

you can connect the reactor to a powerhead, all you need to do is connect the outflow to the top of the reactor

cheers
Fifefish

 

[dingweding]

Thanks a lot for the help.
But i have a question, if i use the external filter, i should connect the bottom of the reactor to the spray bar.
as the spray normally located as the top of the water surface, does that mean most co2 is going to escape to the surface then? will it be better if i move the spray bar to the bottom of the tank?

thx

 

[fifefish]

it is best to move the spray bar under the surface of the water to prevent loss of CO2 but it does not need to be right at the bottom of the tank..

 

[keenonfish]

Surely the idea of this design is that you can install inside or outside (preferably) the tank! In fact I can't see a good reason to install inside really as it is an inline design.
I would think the flow of water would be enough to stop a significant amount of / if any co2 accumulating at the top.

 

[dingweding]

so, does that mean a power head is simplier? just connect the power head outlet to the top of reactor, leave the inlet of the power head and the bottom of the reactor unconnected.

i never use power head b4, does it has to locate above water surface using a tube to suck water in? or i can just leave it in the water, as i already have a fiter, this powerhead just for co2, thus i can ingore the inlet of it?

 

[dingweding]

any suggestions? no

 

[aaronnorth]

it just connects onto your filter outlet pipe, like fifefish has shown, excpet it is supposed to be outside the tank.

if you use a powerhead, it should connect to the bottom (outflow tube) as the water must go in through the inflow. The CO2 bubbles as they are injected then rise against the opposite direction of the water, giving them a longer contact time to dssolve.

 

[dingweding]

it just connects onto your filter outlet pipe, like fifefish has shown, excpet it is supposed to be outside the tank.

if you use a powerhead, it should connect to the bottom (outflow tube) as the water must go in through the inflow. The CO2 bubbles as they are injected then rise against the opposite direction of the water, giving them a longer contact time to dssolve.

no, i disagree. the co2 bubble is very light, commen sense it will stay at the top of the reactor, thus i should connect the power head to the top of the reactor.

but i do not know what should i do with the inlet of power head, as my power head has no inlet, it is totally exposed, i think i should connect it with some sort of tube, and just leave it like that. BTW, should i put the powerhead in the water or outside the water? thx

 

[aaronnorth]

it just connects onto your filter outlet pipe, like fifefish has shown, excpet it is supposed to be outside the tank.

if you use a powerhead, it should connect to the bottom (outflow tube) as the water must go in through the inflow. The CO2 bubbles as they are injected then rise against the opposite direction of the water, giving them a longer contact time to dssolve.

no, i disagree. the co2 bubble is very light, commen sense it will stay at the top of the reactor, thus i should connect the power head to the top of the reactor.

but i do not know what should i do with the inlet of power head, as my power head has no inlet, it is totally exposed, i think i should connect it with some sort of tube, and just leave it like that. BTW, should i put the powerhead in the water or outside the water? thx

exactly, it will stay at the top of the reactor, therefore having a longer contact time with water giving a higher rate of dissolving. That is the whole idea of reactors!

powerheads go inside the tank.

 

[dingweding]

thx, so i am right this time

connect the outlet of powerhead to the top of the reactor. the water will flow downside, and co2 is trapped at the top of reactor.

leave the bottom of reactor unconnected, thus the water will come out from there

 

[aaronnorth]

thx, so i am right this time

connect the outlet of powerhead to the top of the reactor. the water will flow downside, and co2 is trapped at the top of reactor.

leave the bottom of reactor unconnected, thus the water will come out from there

yes, initially i though you were going to have the powerhead sucking the water through the top, (rather than blowng into it) which is where i got confused