Re: [APD] RE: CO2 Saturation

["David Terrell" <Dave at terrellclan_com>]

When I built the thing I had the feeling that I was going to have to T it
off...I had a feeling the flow would be too high for the bubbles to stay in
the reactor long enough to dissolve and I think it's the best approach to
this problem.  We're planning on buying a house in the summer and I hope to
have more room then just the cabinet under the tank to work on.  Perhaps I
could make a nice counter space or something, I haven't decided and we don't
have a house yet for me to make plans in.  And of course it'll have to wait
until all the moving is done, etc.

I had posted the original question to the APD, wondering if the reactor
would be too short for the flow.  I guess the eventual answer is, it doesn't
matter what was said, the fact is the flow is too high to keep the bubbles
in the reactor.  Tonight I drilled a hole in the reactor and sealed in the
airline.  I plan to go out and get some parts, valves, T, etc, so I can get
this thing working at it's maximum capacity.  I guess it doesn't matter much
the size of the reactor, just that there is a good balance of flow.  In my
90G aquarium I wonder what the eventual bubble rate will be once I get it
all setup to achieve the 30ppm Tom has suggested, or at least close.  I
recall the first time I managed to get it to 15ppm, I was quite excited.
Now that I have the plant load, pmdd, and great lights it seems backwards to
be working on the CO2 last :-/  Oh well, all in good time.

500gph?  Nah, I just want enough circulation that would be optimal for the
tank.  I know people that have very little and even one guy that said he had
absolutely no filtration on his planted tank, though I don't agree that's a
good idea, I do know the lower rate won't hurt things too much.

Back to the pearling.  Is that something I really should be seeing, or is it
something I should wait to see after I get all this done with the reactor?

Thanks
-Dave

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "S. Hieber" <shieber at yahoo_com>
To: "aquatic plants digest" <aquatic-plants at actwin_com>
Sent: Friday, February 27, 2004 7:00 PM
Subject: Re: [APD] RE: CO2 Saturation


> With a reactor that short and narrow and that much water
> flow, that's probably the reason you're forever blowing
> bubbles ;-) The bubbles can't get out of the way of the
> strong water flow. Well, it looks a bit short in the
> picture to me.
>
> With that reactor and the amount of pump, I think I'd Tee
> off (or Y off) of the mainline [maybe put a ball valve on
> each line] and run one line to the reactor and the other
> straight back to the aquarium. Impact on your total water
> flow will probably be a wash but you can tame the water in
> the reactor this way.
>
> I'd drill a hole just big enough for an airline fitting in
> the reactor and epoxy the fitting in place. If you put the
> Tee (or Y) setup in place first, you won't have to shut
> down your pump while working on the reactor.
>
> Some like to use an airstone inside the reactor but I don't
> think it's necessary and they do clog up sooner or later.
>
> Alternatively, you could make a bigger reactor, larger
> diameter, and the flow in the reactor will be less likely
> to flush out bubbles.
>
> If you want to know if the water flow is working against
> you before you spend more money, then try clamping the
> existing water line into reactor and see what diff a slower
> water flow makes. You can used whatever is handy for a
> temporary "valve" -- a pair of vise grips, a C-clamp, an
> adjustable open-end wrench, you get the idea -- not ideal
> for long term but it should not hurt the vinyl tubing for a
> few hours or half a day or so.
>
> Just for an example, I'm running a QuietOne (old version)
> on my sump and it feeds a large reactor that maintains CO2
> in 150 g aquarium. But the pump goes to a manifold with a
> valve on each of four lines. Total pump output in this
> setup is roughly 800 gph -- that I have figured reasonably
> well. But only one of three lines in use goes to the CO2
> reactor - maybe roughly 150-200 gph to the reactor. I never
> really measured it, just turned the valves until it worked.
>
>
> Also, the 1' down and 1' back up sort of cancel each other
> out as far as gravity -- although both count towards the
> total length -- but mere length doesn't do much damage to
> the water flow unless the pipe is undersized. If you do the
> Tee (or Y) thing, you'll be adding length and some more
> turns but all more total diameter. So you can turn down the
> flow on the reactor line and leave the other line wide open
> to maintain your flow. YOu didn't have you heart set on
> exactly 500 gph, did you ;-)
>
> Good luck, good fun,
> Scott H.
> --- David Terrell <Dave at terrellclan_com> wrote:
> > Yup, well, at least that's what I think, it's at MOST
> > 500gph.  Heres a
> > picture:
> > http://www.terrellclan.com/reactor/3.jpg
> >
> > The pump is rated at 750gph, but with all the head above
> > it (1' to reactor,
> > down 1', up 1', up 1.5', up 2' = 5.5') it's probably
> > going at most 500gph,
> > probably closer to 400-450...
> >
>
> =====
> S. Hieber
>
> -  -   -   -   -   -   -   -
> Amano Returns
> to the AGA Annual Convention
> Nov 2004 -- Baltimore
>
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