Best CO2 Absorption Media

SWherrey · Jan 5, 2022

ScottB said:
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.

So are you scrubbing outside air?

ScottB · Jan 5, 2022

SWherrey said:
So are you scrubbing outside air?

I was. I actually quit with the scrubber and went to a kalkwasser stirrer, driven by my APEX DOS. Second best thing I've done for that system. 8.25 to 8.45 and cut my two part dosing in half.

GradientHurdle · Feb 3, 2022

blasterman said:
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.

Never thought of that but very good point!

ZoWhat · Feb 3, 2022

Best way to reduce CO2 in your house is to divorce your spouse and send all your kids to Boarding School....leaving you alone in the house as the only heavy-breather....

reeftivo · Feb 3, 2022

i use jorvet in the 5 gallon carboys. 104 on ebay. i get several months out of a jug and i find it works better than the BRS brand.

I run mine through a BRS dual reactor with the first cannister (a shorty-no cartridge) 3/4 filled with filtered water and the second full size cannister filled with the pellets.

SPS2020 · Feb 4, 2022

reeftivo said:
i use jorvet in the 5 gallon carboys. 104 on ebay. i get several months out of a jug and i find it works better than the BRS brand.

I run mine through a BRS dual reactor with the first cannister (a shorty-no cartridge) 3/4 filled with filtered water and the second full size cannister filled with the pellets.

Do you leave it in the jug after opening? I assume just put the cap back on tight and no issues with premature spoilage? My jug just arrived. ;-)

Sleeping Giant · Feb 4, 2022

T-J said:
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.

How about a line to outside?

reeftivo · Feb 4, 2022

SPS2020 said:
Do you leave it in the jug after opening? I assume just put the cap back on tight and no issues with premature spoilage? My jug just arrived. ;-)

just leave it in the jug and tighten cap. no spoilage

Stuff works good and i don't have to pack it tight

SPS2020 · Feb 7, 2022

reeftivo said:
just leave it in the jug and tighten cap. no spoilage

Stuff works good and i don't have to pack it tight

Thank you, sir! I'm looking forward to spending less (in the long run) on Soda Ash versus BRS individual vacuum packed bags.

reeftivo · Feb 7, 2022

blasterman said:
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.

just an FYI, i pulled about 20 or so pellets from my reactor last night during a media swap and cracked them in half to see if they were purple all the way through and they were. when mine need changing my pH drops pretty quick. when mine are exhausted my pH will drop to between 7.8 to 8.02. With fresh media, the system runs at 8.28 to 8.35.

i get about 7 tp 9 days from a BRS cannister.

piranhaman00 · Feb 21, 2022

Bump,

I see lots of negative reviews of brs media , anyone using it?

((FORDTECH)) · Feb 21, 2022

Everyone here who is spending all this money and time with co2 media if you plan to stay in hobby for long haul should look into installing an EVR in there home. I no longer need co2 media and have solid ph of 8.3-8.46 all day. Along with the added benefit of me and my family breathing healthier air. We all know the high inside co2 lowers ph in our tanks but the high co2 is also not healthy to breath. This was the easiest selling point to my wife.

SPS2020 · Feb 21, 2022

piranhaman00 said:
Bump,

I see lots of negative reviews of brs media , anyone using it?

I was until about two weeks ago when I switched to MedVet. Ordered a 5 gallon container from them via eBay for $110 shipped (IIRC). The color change is more dramatic than BRS and seems to be slightly better at elevating and the length of time between replacement. Note that it is only slightly better; you're not going to see any huge difference. However, the cost factor should be where you see the difference.

I agree with @((FORDTECH)) that this should be considered a short term approach to an EVR installation.

Sean Clark · Feb 21, 2022

I have been purchasing carbon offsets to naturalize my homes CO2 production. I have yet to see a benefit to my tank. Maybe I miscalculated and need to buy more carbon offsets.

piranhaman00 · Feb 21, 2022

((FORDTECH)) said:
Everyone here who is spending all this money and time with co2 media if you plan to stay in hobby for long haul should look into installing an EVR in there home. I no longer need co2 media and have solid ph of 8.3-8.46 all day. Along with the added benefit of me and my family breathing healthier air. We all know the high inside co2 lowers ph in our tanks but the high co2 is also not healthy to breath. This was the easiest selling point to my wife.

What did that cost?

((FORDTECH)) · Feb 21, 2022

piranhaman00 said:
What did that cost?

You can get top of the line units that are sized for houses up to 4-5,000sqft for under 2,000 then plus Installation. I installed mine myself saved on that. I’d assume 2-3,000 for install. I paid 1,200 for mine and have 2,500sqft house. So 4-5k installed. Seems like a lot but what is a good price tag to breath clean air ? Plus has 10 year warranty

((FORDTECH)) · Feb 21, 2022

piranhaman00 said:
What did that cost?

But this is done for duel purpose first and mainly to breath healthy air!!! Second is to raise ph which actuall does a great job of this as it removes the co2 and other air born contaminants from your house

((FORDTECH)) · Feb 21, 2022

This is what I bought

TR200 - S&P TR200 - Energy Recovery Ventilator (200 CFM)

S&P TR200 - Energy Recovery Ventilator (200 CFM) - To protect the two most valuable investments of your life, your home, and your family, improving indoor air quality is key. With S&P's TR (total recovery) Series for all climates, stale room air is exhausted, and the fresh outdoor air is brought...

www.supplyhouse.com

piranhaman00 · Feb 21, 2022

((FORDTECH)) said:
You can get top of the line units that are sized for houses up to 4-5,000sqft for under 2,000 then plus Installation. I installed mine myself saved on that. I’d assume 2-3,000 for install. I paid 1,200 for mine and have 2,500sqft house. So 4-5k installed. Seems like a lot but what is a good price tag to breath clean air ? Plus has 10 year warranty

((FORDTECH)) said:
But this is done for duel purpose first and mainly to breath healthy air!!! Second is to raise ph which actuall does a great job of this as it removes the co2 and other air born contaminants from your house

((FORDTECH)) said:
This is what I bought

TR200 - S&P TR200 - Energy Recovery Ventilator (200 CFM)

S&P TR200 - Energy Recovery Ventilator (200 CFM) - To protect the two most valuable investments of your life, your home, and your family, improving indoor air quality is key. With S&P's TR (total recovery) Series for all climates, stale room air is exhausted, and the fresh outdoor air is brought...

www.supplyhouse.com

Yes I understand I was just curious, much cheaper than I imagined, I will look into in the coming years,

((FORDTECH)) · Feb 21, 2022

piranhaman00 said:
Yes I understand I was just curious, much cheaper than I imagined, I will look into in the coming years,

I was spending 60-80$ a month on media between two 250 gallon systems when I made this decision. The way I see it about 1.5 years and it pays for itself and with the added health benifit.