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RE: Dupla Reactor

Thanks for the advice Tom (more below)

>Their reactors are worth about 20% of the cost. Customer wanted it
>though........(his 160$). We have pump dedicated to the reactor. I think you
>may need to remove the "T" and connect with as large as hose as the output
>of the pump to be used.

[Gordon] Dupla reactors do seem rather over-priced but they're the only ones I
can seem to find down here, plus I'm too lazy to try and build my own. I was
actually thinking of getting rid of the 'T' connector and hooking the powerhead
directly up to the reactor, I'll try that out and see how it goes.

>I would suggest using spray bars along the back lower wall of your tank.
>They will be hidden back there and also have a good even current.

[Gordon] I already have a spray-bar which is utilized with my Eheim 2227 filter,
I've point the output holes 45deg towards the bottom to minimize surface
agitation. The spray-bar is positioned on the side wall of my tank and not on
the backwall, the design of my hood prevents me from mounting the spray-bar
along the back of the tank.

>I assure you, you DO NOT 300-400gal/hr blasting through
>a 70 gallon tank in addition to your filter nor through a reactor. This will do
>more harm than good for your plants. If your running it through the reactor
>with this pump also(?) you should only need a Maxi jet or close (around
>500liter/hr at most) and direct the output if going directly into the tank
>downward or along the back wall. You need the CO2 rich water flowing up
through the plants rather than blasting all over the back and escaping to
>the surface.

[Gordon] Sounds like I don't really need the powerhead then, my filter has a
pump output of 1050L/hr which when added to the 1500L/hr pump output of the
Powerhead, gives me 2550L/hr of water turnover. That makes it about 10x of tank
volume turnover in a hour and does sound very excessive.

>A slow gentle current will produce better results ......at
>least the tanks I have done. I would also dare to say that most successful
>aquatic gardeners don't have high current tanks. I t took me some time to
>get rid of the notion that more current is better. This is/tends to be a
>fish only tank notion, not a planted tank notion.  A turnover rate of 3-4
>(tank volume) times an hour is plenty in most cases.

[Gordon] I must of gotten confused along then way, or been mislead. I recall
reading from different sources that a good circulation of water is needed in a
planted-tank to keep the plants healthy, however 'good circulation' =/= 'strong
current' it seems.

>Perhaps this helps, perhaps you didn't want to hear this<G>.

[Gordon] Yes, your right I didn't want to hear this. <sigh> Well better to know
now then to wonder later on where all my CO2 is going. :-)

Cheers,

Gordon