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Re: Sandpoint [now Dupla] CO2 Setup



From: Mike Bateman <vandi at well_com>

> No where do I see a specification for the water flow rate thru the
> Dupla reactor.  Have you read anything specific?

No. I wonder why they even include instructions for all the good they
do.  How are those holes on the side of the Reactor "S" supposed to
regulate the amount of CO2 that gets dissolved?  Of course, compared
to the Aqualine-Bushke CO2 reactor instructions (all in French), the
Dupla instruction pamphlet ain't so bad.  I managed to break the A-B
reactor before I got it working (dropped it on the floor and the hard,
brittle plastic tabs that hold the top on broke off <sigh>).

> The documentation mentions that a pump must be used to achieve a high
> water throughput.  It doesn't, however, mention what high throughput
> means.  I can only guess what rate I'm passing water thru the reactor
> but my guess would be somewhere between 150 and 200 gallons per hour.
> It seems that anything slower causes the reactor to slowly empty of
> water completely and CO2 bubbles escape the reactor through the
> output.  If completely fill the reactor with water, with the current
> water flow rate, the water level drops to around the number 3 mark and
> stays there.

I don't think we're moving that much through the reactor, although
I've never measured it.  I had the same problem you are seeing until I
added a little restriction to the outlet of the reactor.  I took a 2
foot long piece of vinyl hose (5/8" maybe - whatever fits over the
damned metric outlet port) and made a vertical loop in it.  The open
end of the loop is under water in the trickle filter sump and is
positioned near the buckhead fitting so almost all the CO2-laden water
gets sent directly to the aquarium.  The reactor will drain when the
pump is off but will quicky fill with water and stay filled when water
is flowing again.  I can see 1" or so of CO2 bubbles at the top when
the solenoid is on, but no CO2 gets out the bottom.

George in Dreary Colorado Waiting For The Freezing Rain To Turn To
Sleet And Snow By Early Afternoon.