lenght rex CO2 reactor?

[Raul]

I am setting a rex reactor and I am going to power it with a maxi-jet 900, I was going leave the 2" pipe at 2' will it matter or do i need to do it shorter?

Also I know some people put media on it, should I or just leave it open I was just going to put a sponge near the outlet.

[eklikewhoa]

Unless you can disassemble it I would not put media inside unless it is some super coarse stuff that won't clog or unless you are running a pre-filter.

your dimension sound fine.

[Raul]

well the only pre filter is also a sponge in the intake of the maxi-jet but well you are right eventually the sponge will clog with small particles, I will leave it without media and length of 2' plus the couplings will end up taller and see how it dissolves the CO2.

[Totenkampf]

the idea behind the reactor is to agitate the water so it mixes with the gas, not just to provide water volume. i have bioballs in my reactor and they dont reduce flow but they do create a turbulent water path. in your home made rex type reactor, use a pipe union at one end so that you can clean it out if need be but the best idea is to make sure that it is downstream from mechanical pre filtration. if you use just bioballs and no filter pads then most of the stuff that gets by the prefiltration should just travel on through the reactor.

2' sounds fine, thats twice is big as my aquamedic 1000 reactor. rex actually gets silly big on occasion but i think thats because he can.

[Raul]

well I went with 2' of pipe because that is what I found in HD and didn't wanted to cut it, so far I already hook it with the maxi-jet 900, and the ouput with a spray bar, I reduce the bubble count now to 1 bps for now and start monitor the PH and the drop checker I guess.

I assume with a reactor the BPS should be less than a ceramic diffuser?

[wesleydnunder]

Raul, I had bioballs in my Rex reactor too. At the top end I used a female adapter and a threaded reducer for the hose barb fitting so I could disassemble if needed. I made mine 30" tall and used a magnum 350 to drive it.

Mark

[Raul]

well in the near future I will get me some bio balls, the good thing is that with a saw I can cut it and then put threaded reducer for now I will leave it empty and see how it diffuses the CO2.

[Totenkampf]

your BPS would only change if you feel that you were losing CO2 outside of the water because it was bubbling to the surface of the water before being absorbed with the old diffuser. its always a good idea to reduce and then sneak back up on your target concentration. just remember that drop checkers take a while to register so its a lesson in patience.

[Raul]

Well I had the reactor running for a day and well it is dissolving the CO2, I wouldn't say 100% because I am seeing micro bubbles going out in the output hose, the only way I can see them is if I use a bright flashlight on it.

Now I have read that with this type or reactor I should not see any bubbles but the size that I am seeing are so tiny not sure if something of a concern, I will suspect that most of the CO2 is dissolved and some of those bubbles might still get dissolved in the tank I guess if I put some sort of media inside that might help on those micro bubbles?

I also just check PH and it is at 7~7.2 so I guess it is dissolved when yesterday it was around 7.6

[Totenkampf]

one note on installation, they run and mix better when the water flow is running counter current to the gas. in mine, the gas enters the top of the unit and then goes through a tube to bubble out in the bottom, im not sure why they didnt just come in the bottom in the first place. the water comes in the top and exits the bottom so that it is running counter current to the bubbles which are rising (assuming you have it mounted vertically and you should have it mounted this way). this adds another issue though in that it is possible for gas to build up in the top of the unit, depending on your flow rate. a higher flowrate or a bleed valve in the top going to a venturi installed upstream will solve this issue though

[Raul]

well I have it as you mentioned, water goes into the top and the intake for the CO2 is 2 inches below so I assume the gas if flowing counter the flow, now it is going to be hard to assume if there is some sort of pockets I burped it once yesterday to remove the air maybe I should try it again since it is already been a day of operation.

[Totenkampf]

did you use the bioballs inside?

[Raul]

No nada, but I will get me some sooner or later and add them, but I made the reactor completely sealed so I have to take it apart by cutting it and adding a coupler or do me another reactor.

Either way the bubbles are really micro can't really notice them, I followed the Rex directions where he doesn't add any media. I just assumed since it is 30" it would have enough distance to dissolve the CO2.

[Totenkampf]

well if its doing pretty well without media then i suspect you wont see any bubbles with some!

[Raul]

well meanwhile I order some bio balls, I added a female and male threaded coupler to the PVC and put some sponges inside to see how it does, I am sure the sponges will get dirty soon.