Best CO2 Absorption Media

[T-J]

Since I live in the desert, I have to run a CO2 scrubber all summer (AC on, house is sealed up). I had been using Two Little Fishies CDX, then switched to BRS's bulk version of the media.

With the CDX, I was getting about 5-6 days before needing to replace the media.
With the BRS, I'm getting 2.5 - 3 days with the media.

Any suggestions on other brands and how long it might last?

My other option is to do a re-circ on the skimmer, but my lid (An Octopus) has several holes on it. I assume I have to pick a hole for the re-circ line and cover the others?

 

[Barnabie Mejia]

Curious about this too... right now my PH floats between 8.15 and 8.3. I would like to keep it around 8.3-8.5 and this is only for growth. I have an evaporative cooler so that helps me a bit, but out there in PHX you definitely need refridgerated air and sealed homes, TOO HOT for me haha

I have my skimmer pulling air from the out side but I think a scrubber would help me out a bit. I am thinking about putting a valve on mine (if I install a scrubber ) to help me pin the PH and it would only open when the air needs scrubbing....

either way I will be watching for more information on this stuff

 

[T-J]

Curious about this too... right now my PH floats between 8.15 and 8.3. I would like to keep it around 8.3-8.5 and this is only for growth. I have an evaporative cooler so that helps me a bit, but out there in PHX you definitely need refridgerated air and sealed homes, TOO HOT for me haha

I have my skimmer pulling air from the out side but I think a scrubber would help me out a bit. I am thinking about putting a valve on mine (if I install a scrubber ) to help me pin the PH and it would only open when the air needs scrubbing....

either way I will be watching for more information on this stuff

Yeah, in the summer if I don't put a scrubber on mine, it will never get anywhere near 8pH. Around 7.5-7.7ph.

 

[capted]

I have ice cap branded media in a ro style canistor and going on 2 months!! It is finally getting exhausted. Running outside air to it. Not sure how big your skinner is but mine uses 3/8" tubing and is rated for a 240 gal tank but is on a 120 gal. I also have shopmedvet's media that I will try next to compare. I have heard that brs media doesn't last long.

 

[T-J]

I have ice cap branded media in a ro style canistor and going on 2 months!! It is finally getting exhausted. Running outside air to it. Not sure how big your skinner is but mine uses 3/8" tubing and is rated for a 240 gal tank but is on a 120 gal. I also have shopmedvet's media that I will try next to compare. I have heard that brs media doesn't last long.

Unfortunately, there's no way for me to run outside air to my skimmer, hence the need for a scrubber.

Mine's basically the same setup: RO media canister with the absorbing media inside with a splash of water.

 

[vic5hands]

Curious about this too... right now my PH floats between 8.15 and 8.3. I would like to keep it around 8.3-8.5 and this is only for growth. I have an evaporative cooler so that helps me a bit, but out there in PHX you definitely need refridgerated air and sealed homes, TOO HOT for me haha

I have my skimmer pulling air from the out side but I think a scrubber would help me out a bit. I am thinking about putting a valve on mine (if I install a scrubber ) to help me pin the PH and it would only open when the air needs scrubbing....

either way I will be watching for more information on this stuff

Since I live in the desert, I have to run a CO2 scrubber all summer (AC on, house is sealed up). I had been using Two Little Fishies CDX, then switched to BRS's bulk version of the media.

With the CDX, I was getting about 5-6 days before needing to replace the media.
With the BRS, I'm getting 2.5 - 3 days with the media.

Any suggestions on other brands and how long it might last?

My other option is to do a re-circ on the skimmer, but my lid (An Octopus) has several holes on it. I assume I have to pick a hole for the re-circ line and cover the others?

Question are you running a Calcium Reactor? If you are like myself my PH drops when the Calcium Reactor come on? I’m using the Two Little Fishes Media and it’s lasting about a week. Can’t get the PH above 8.03

 

[lakai]

I also have shopmedvet's media that I will try next to compare.

I think its the same stuff as ice caps. I've found CDX to work better thats why it runs out so quick. It's possible that its due to its larger size it allows air be pulled out of the reactor easier.

 

[capted]

I think its the same stuff as ice caps. I've found CDX to work better thats why it runs out so quick. It's possible that its due to its larger size it allows air be pulled out of the reactor easier.

Good point. I never tried CDx.

 

[takitaj]

I run a recirc setup on an Octo skimmer. You don't have to, nor want to, block any other holes. Works great, sometimes too good and I have to open the valve and let in some room air when it hits 8.5.

I use the BRS media and have to change it maybe once a month in a 10" scrubber.

 

[T-J]

Question are you running a Calcium Reactor? If you are like myself my PH drops when the Calcium Reactor come on? I’m using the Two Little Fishes Media and it’s lasting about a week. Can’t get the PH above 8.03

Nope. My house is just that air-tight (spray foam insulation) that it crushes my pH during the summer.

I run a recirc setup on an Octo skimmer. You don't have to, nor want to, block any other holes. Works great, sometimes too good and I have to open the valve and let in some room air when it hits 8.5.

I use the BRS media and have to change it maybe once a month in a 10" scrubber.

Can you post a pic of your recirc setup?

 

[ScottB]

I use this but no longer recirculate as I was able to run a line outside. I get about 2-3 weeks but my outside air is crap; it comes from nearby NYC on prevailing southwest air flow.

Several folk around here use this, but I have not compared it to BRS.

Jorgensen Laboratories JorVet Soda Lime, 5 Gallon | Med-Vet International

JorVet soda lime is a high-grade granular product that effectively absorbs carbon dioxide that is produced as an anesthesia by-product. It is a mixture of calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 also known as lime plus a smaller amount of sodium hydroxide NaOH. Upon exposure to carbon dioxide CO2, the calcium...

www.shopmedvet.com

$116 plus $5 shipping. Used to be $99 not that long ago.

 

[SPS2020]

I also struggle with keeping pH elevated and have never hit 8.3. The max I've seen in a while is 8.22 and it is 8.19 at present. I use the BRS media in one of their normal sized media chambers with recirculation configured. I'm getting about three weeks out of one chamber full. Pictures on page 6 of my build thread.

 

[takitaj]

I can't get a pic right now but it's fairly straight forward. I drilled one of the holes big enough to accept an elbow I had left over from an old Rio pump and ran that hose to intake of the scrubber. The scrubber outlet tube goes to one of the intake muffler nipples and the other nipple goes to a valve so I can let in room air if pH goes too high. Octo skimmers have 2 inlets on the muffler.

 

[T-J]

I can't get a pic right now but it's fairly straight forward. I drilled one of the holes big enough to accept an elbow I had left over from an old Rio pump and ran that hose to intake of the scrubber. The scrubber outlet tube goes to one of the intake muffler nipples and the other nipple goes to a valve so I can let in room air if pH goes too high. Octo skimmers have 2 inlets on the muffler.

Sounds easy enough. I simply pulled the muffler off and connected the scrubber directly to the hose on the skimmer. Funny enough, it doesn't make a peep!

 

[takitaj]

One other note, I used a carbon reactor style Di canister from BRS. If you get the CO2 scrubber one the fittings and inlets are smaller. The Rector ones use 1/2" tubing instead of 3/8". Larger tubing means less restriction and 1/2" slips over the muffler nipples nicely.

I also have a 24v motorized ball valve and let the Apex control it automatically.

When pH starts not getting as high I know to change the media.

 

[takitaj]

This one https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-gfo-carbon-reactor-single.html

Not this one https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-universal-co2-scrubber.html

 

[BoxKing]

Ice Cap media here for the past month… not sure what I think about the quality bc I’m not sold on the Ice Cap Small CO2 scrubber, and if it was worth the money over the simple BRS canister version. I just bought a 7.5lb bag of the BRS media, so I will test this out, and most likely Ill toss the cheaply made, overpriced Ice Cap CO2 scrubber.

I run an airline from outside through the media, to my dual hose/inlet skimmer Maxspect Jump400 - My PH tops off at 8.2, and dips to 8.13 at night.

 

[Reef junky 305]

I run a reef octopus 300s regal version with a brs canister scrubber drawing air from outside....the media i use is from shop med vets it lasts 8 days before fully exhausted...

I also run a geo818 with second chamber to help with ph

Let me tell you that without the scrubber ph stays from 7.7-7.9

With the scrubber8.3-8.5

So I say the scrubber helps a whole lot

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

I too use this media:

Jorgensen Laboratories JorVet Soda Lime, 5 Gallon | Med-Vet International

JorVet soda lime is a high-grade granular product that effectively absorbs carbon dioxide that is produced as an anesthesia by-product. It is a mixture of calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 also known as lime plus a smaller amount of sodium hydroxide NaOH. Upon exposure to carbon dioxide CO2, the calcium...

www.shopmedvet.com

Couple of generic pics. I've since switched the setup to make it easier to change media. One of these days I'm going to order a larger reactor (better airflow) that the dual BRS one I'm currently using.

I manually drain the condensation out of the hose or pull the plug if pH gets too high. pH was 8.3-85 then I added a Geo 818 and max out at 8.2 on fresh media.
Longer hose and mounted the reactor on the outside of the stand.

 

[blasterman]

T-J

I have a running theory that soda lime pellets arent getting exhausted when they turn purple. I suspect its just the outside surface of the pellet that turns purple because the inside of the pellet doesn't contact air flowing over it. So. We might be dumping 90% good pellets in a landfill.

There's a way to prove this. Mix a tablespoon of exhausted media in a cup of water and measure the pH. If its actually exhausted pH won't go up much. If its not exhausted pH should climb to 13 or so. Obviously this requires a pH meter or probe.

If you try this and the test solution proves its not exhausted please PM me do I can start a thread on it. Were dumping tons of these pellets in landfills.