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Re: wet/dry filter



> I'm confused.

Again?:-)

> What difference in efficiency does it make
> to have the CO2 reactor output feed into the sump pump
> suction side rather than go directly into the aquarium?

Just a few:

1# Most folks want the CO2 junk out of the tank.
2# Returns from the main sump pump have far more flow and dispersion
ability(Better mixing or CO2 enriched water into tank).
3# It's simpler than the the direct in tank method
4# You lose less flow due to head pressure and tube length
5# Less potential for leakage (Everything is in the sump)
6# If the reactor capacity is exceeded, the sump return pump will give
another stage to dissolve the CO2.

> Is
> this your recommendation for gravel tube type reactors or
> all CO2 reactors?

? Now you are confusing me and yourself:-)
I think you are thinking about internal type reactors which are generally
unsuitable for sumps since the levels vary and most reactors are often out
of the water completely.

Gravel vac tubes need to submersed which would mean the height of the water
level would need to be equal to the sump level. This design would not have
much directional output either allowing more mixing with the already rich
CO2 water. This would reduce the effectiveness of the set up.

You want to have the CO2 poor water come in, have CO2 added, returned to the
tank without any mixing. Feeding the reactor's output directly into the sump
pump's return does this. Most folks have their return in the form of a
downward pointing spray bar or output with far more current than the CO2
pump's flow.  
 
> With an external reactor, I don't see why feeding directly
> into the tank would be less efficient.

See above. If you want to have an external reactor with a powerhead in the
tank, well I suppose, but a well designed sump style reactor has far less
flow restriction, there is no return tubing that needs to come up and return
back into the tank, the sump style reactors simply fall out the bottom and
have a directional output. Very little backpressure is produced with this
design, actually, the minimal possible amount and still have directional
output. 

> Or is this a recommendation for feeding a CO2 gas line
> directly into the sump suction side?

No.
 
> Scott H.

Regards, 
Tom Barr