Air Pump CO2 Scrubber

[GrumpyGuy84]

Has anyone setup a CO2 scrubber by originating at an air pump, though the CO2 scrubber, then out an air stone in the sump? Don’t have room for a skimmer and thinking this might work ... looking for others experiences.
Current tank is a 40 AiO tank with a UV Sterilizer, filter sock, bio media and probes which fill all my available areas except overflow into where my pump is. My Ph stayes pretty consistent at Ph 8, but I’ve been chasing 8.3. My Alk is 8, Calc is 468, MG is 1575 (due to AquaForest reef salt). Water temp stays a steady 78.5. Fish wise, I’ve got two clowns, two hippos and a damsel. Coral wise I have a clove and star polyp, two different zoa’s, a torch and a scoly. The only thing I can think of to raise my Ph is to add a CO2 scrubber, but I don’t have room for a skimmer in my tank to do that. Any recommendations on how to raise Ph given my constraints?

 

[Scorpius]

I thought about doing this myself but never did. They make larger air pumps for koi ponds if you need something large.

 

[GrumpyGuy84]

It’s for a small 40 Gal AiO tank, so I’m worried about micro bubbles having a larger effect on probes, etc

 

[Scorpius]

It’s for a small 40 Gal AiO tank, so I’m worried about micro bubbles having a larger effect on probes, etc

FYI, a ph of 8.0 is nothing to worry about. Now if you're consistently around 7.8 and below is when I'd work on raising it.

 

[GrumpyGuy84]

FYI, a ph of 8.0 is nothing to worry about. Now if you're consistently around 7.8 and below is when I'd work on raising it.

I should have clarified. It’s holding at 8 right now cause I am dosing Kalkwasser. Normally it fluctuates between 7.6 and 7.8, with it usually being on the lower side.

 

[AZMSGT]

Airstones in sumps end up with way to many micro bubbles in the system.

 

[GrumpyGuy84]

Airstones in sumps end up with way to many micro bubbles in the system.

That’s exactly my concern. Even putting the air stone in the tank, again worried about micro bubbles.

 

[stacksoner]

Alita makes a great pump that pulls air

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If bubbles cannot be removed before they enter a return pump, just outside air to the sump air chamber, if it is reasonably closed, may help as there will be gas exchange there (assuming some turbulence in the water). Big bubbles are better than none, so just an underwater tubing end may help.

 

[LardLad]

I have a DIY CO2 scrubber that is driven by a Whisper 60 air pump feeding into my DIY updraft algae scrubber. I think this is the best place to put them because you never see any actual bubbles in your display and you get the immediate benefit of a raise in pH. Plus the algae grows like crazy.

 

[Steven Garland]

You could also put it in the overflow side of your tank,maybe add a sponge down stream to break up the micro bubbles.