DIY CO2 reaction chamber

To: Aquatic-Plants at actwin_com
Subject: DIY CO2 reaction chamber
From: bickford at ipa_net (Jay Bickford)
Date: Mon, 12 Feb 1996 22:01:50 -0600

>
>From: Bob Woolley <macaw at tiac_net>
>Date: Sun, 11 Feb 1996 19:42:56 +0000
>Subject: CO2 Reactors
>
>I'm constructing a cO2 reactor similar to the high priced ones sold by 
>Dupla, Sandpoint, etc. I have it rigged so far so water enters the top 
>and exits the bottom. CO2 will enter the bottom, thus creating a counter 
>current flow. Is it necessary to have some kind of vent at the top to 
>release trapped gas??
>- -- 
Bob,

I built a DIY CO2 reactor as well, and it is very similar to the Dupla
reactor "S". I had the incoming water coming in the top, and the outflow at
the bottom. The CO2 is injected into the incoming water just before it
enters the reaction chamber. I tried it first without a venturi, but I found
the water wanted to back up the CO2 tube, so I added one later and that
solved the problem. I filled my reaction chamber with Fluval ceramic pre
filter media to break up the flow of the water through the chamber. The
chamber did fill to about 1/2 full of CO2 at a high CO2 flow rate, but I
never saw a need to bleed it off, as that would just be wasting CO2. It
worked just fine,(after I got all the leaks plugged) but I did discontinue
its use after about a month.

 I was using a power head to run it, and I had all these hoses running from
the power head, to the reaction chamber hung on the back of the tank, and
then back into the tank again. To tell you the truth, I thought it was ugly,
and a little too noisy as well. Now I just inject the CO2 into the inlet of
my Aquaclear 300, and it does the job just as well, and it is much quieter.
When and if I ever get my trickle filter set up, I'll get out my DIY CO2
reaction chamber and set it up as well.

Regards,

Jay Bickford

Fort Smith, Arkansas