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Simple to build DIY CO2 Reactor
I thought I would share with all of you the CO2 reactor which I am
using on my 55g tank. It is very easy to build yet it will, within
reason, dissolve all the CO2 you bubble into it. I built the reactor
around an old 4"W x 12L" x 7"D Supreme filter box. Obviously
you can use anything similar in size or you can buy the box from MOPS
for about $11.
Using a 3/4" siphon, water is siphoned into one end of the box and
pumped out the other end using one of those mini submersible pumps. I
keep mine set on the low end(13g/hr). The plumbing back into the tank
is simply a short piece of tubing from the pump pushed into another
3/4" siphon. I cut the siphon tube so it returned the water a few
inches below the surface of the water.
The CO2 is dissolved by trapping it under a 3"W x 8"L x 1"D tray. The
tray is a desk drawer organizer made by Rubber Maid. To keep the
tray floating correctly I wedged a 1/2" x 1/2"x2" piece of styrofoam
into each end.
The tray is large enough so that all the CO2 you
bubble in will be dissolved and your PH will be affected by the
bubbling rate. In time, regardless of your CO2 source, air will
collect under the tray. Although has little effect on the dissolving
of the CO2, some people may mistake this for trapped CO2 and believe
they could reduce the bubbling rate which is not true. Occasionally
I release the trapped air although I don't believe this is really
necessary.
In addition to being easy to build the reactor has a few other
advantages. First it looks good as you only have a small siphon tube
showing in the back corner of the tank. It also adds some gentile
circulation to the tank. I found that I could keep a reasonable
amount of CO2 in the tank while I was getting my CO2 cylinder
refilled by filling the tray with CO2 from my CO2 powered bicycle
tire pump.
Finally you will have some protection from an excessive
CO2 bubbling rate because at some bubbling rate not all the CO2 can
be dissolved.
Jim Spencer Sayre, PA
jrs at cyber-quest_com
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