Re: Aqua Medic CO2 reactor -- I am afraid of killing my fish

["Robert H" <robertph3 at attbi_com>]

>>I'm confused. Isn't the 500 the one with the spiral channel
that sits inside the tank and doesn't have a water flow
it just forces the CO2 bubles to travel the long length?<<

Thats correct. If hooked up properly, no water at all is pumped through the
reactor. A low flow rate pump drives water through the top of the
reactor..straight out...see that little turn valve at the top? The wider you
have it open, the more water goes thru. It is the pressure from this water
that then drives the CO2 bubble the length of the inner spiral tube. To fast
a flow rate will push too much CO2 at once through the reactor without it
dissolving. You will see large CO2 bubbles come out of the vent if this
happens. A slow rate and you will see one bubble slowly making its way down.

If you doubt if it is working or not, simply take a pH reading. This is what
you should be doing anyway. It's the only way to know how much CO2 is going
into your aquarium. Reading the directions helps too!

Robert Paul Hudson
http://www.aquabotanic.com
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