Co2 Scrubber installed- WOW

[MichaelReefer]

Got my Co2 Scrubber set up over the weekend, and it's amazing to see the results of my PH with just a few days! (The red line was when I installed it). Cant wait to see the results on the coral!

 

[MichaelReefer]

 

[schuby]

What is that square thing hanging off the "Y" connector?

 

[MichaelReefer]

What is that square thing hanging off the "Y" connector?

Solenoid. Opens at 8.32

 

[capted]

I did the same thing but also ran the airline outside. Brought my ph up .3. From 7.9 to 8.2!! Media is a little over 3 weeks old now and hasn't depleted yet so still don't know how long it will last. I'm hoping it lasts a month or it can get expensive.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I did the same thing but also ran the airline outside. Brought my ph up .3. From 7.9 to 8.2!! Media is a little over 3 weeks old now and hasn't depleted yet so still don't know how long it will last. I'm hoping it lasts a month or it can get expensive.

I'm doing a recirculatory. So it goes into my Collection cup and sucks it back into the media. I actually cant seem to get 8.3, but get around 8.25ish. Compared to barely getting above 8 before, and at night dropping down to nearly 7.8

 

[capted]

I'm doing a recirculatory. So it goes into my Collection cup and sucks it back into the media. I actually cant seem to get 8.3, but get around 8.25ish. Compared to barely getting above 8 before, and at night dropping down to nearly 7.8

Yeah, I get 8.25 also. Never 8.3.

 

[Billldg]

Just remember to add a couple of teaspoons of RO/DI water to the reactor vessel every few days to help make the media last longer.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Just remember to add a couple of teaspoons of RO/DI water to the reactor vessel every few days to help make the media last longer.

Oh that often? Thanks for letting me know. I thought the few tablespoons lasted the life of it.

 

[Billldg]

Oh that often? Thanks for letting me know. I thought the few tablespoons lasted the life of it.

Oh No, I learned the hard way. Open the container after a few days and it will be bone dry. You have to keep the media slightly moist to make it last. I was going thru media every 1.5 weeks...OUCH!!! After I started to add a few teaspoons every couple of days it extended it to 3 weeks. Every situation is different, so how long it will extend it for you is unknown, but it will help extend it some.

 

[bmeily]

I'm doing a recirculatory. So it goes into my Collection cup and sucks it back into the media. I actually cant seem to get 8.3, but get around 8.25ish. Compared to barely getting above 8 before, and at night dropping down to nearly 7.8

I am planning on doing this too on my next build. One question. Looks like no matter what air is going through your media. Don’t people normally put the Y on the other side? So when the valve opens it bypasses the media. If it opens now just takes room air through the media instead of skimmer air. Also if the media gets wet the ph will go way up then solenoid opens and it’s still sucking from media.

 

[MichaelReefer]

I am planning on doing this too on my next build. One question. Looks like no matter what air is going through your media. Don’t people normally put the Y on the other side? So when the valve opens it bypasses the media. If it opens now just takes room air through the media instead of skimmer air. Also if the media gets wet the ph will go way up then solenoid opens and it’s still sucking from media.

The picture is kind of deceiving. The hose with the Y is going to the cap.

 

[Cjeippert]

The picture is kind of deceiving. The hose with the Y is going to the cap.

I thought Solenoid is supposed to go on the line going into the skimmer pump to suck in outside air cuz it is shorter distance. Program to bypass reactor at 8.3. Looks like there are many options to fix the pH

 

[PeterC99]

Got my Co2 Scrubber set up over the weekend, and it's amazing to see the results of my PH with just a few days! (The red line was when I installed it). Cant wait to see the results on the coral!

Great job on the scrubber!

 

[Dkmoo]

The picture is kind of deceiving. The hose with the Y is going to the cap.

If I understood your tubing correctly, isn't this design very wasteful for the media? Looks like your Y feeds into the scrubber and takes both skimmer cup air (recirculating) or outside air (high co2) so what the system is doing is when pH is under 8.3, solenoid closes so it recirculating. This is very efficient on removing co2 and preserving the media bc effectively you are only scrubbing in-tank co2. When it goes over 8.3 it opens and you are sucking in outside high co2 air but its still going to the scrubber so you are basically relying on the inefficient method to let some co2 thru to lower ph under 3. This is both an ineffective method of lowering pH by increasing co2 (bc its still going thru scrubber) and also an expensive method bc you are burning thru the media.

I thought Solenoid is supposed to go on the line going into the skimmer pump to suck in outside air cuz it is shorter distance. Program to bypass reactor at 8.3. Looks like there are many options to fix the pH

This, by putting the solenoid on the other side, you avoid the weakness of the current design and is generally more effective. When 8.3 goes above 8.3, the solenoid will bypass scrubber so you save media and can bring down the pH much faster then it will resume recirculating .

Oh that often? Thanks for letting me know. I thought the few tablespoons lasted the life of it.

If you are recirculating you dont need to add more water, the skimmer air is humid enough. If anything, on the skimmer to scrubber in tube, you should have a moisture capture instread bc the problem is often too much moisture going into the scrubber

 

[Flameback Pair]

I just bought a CO2 attachment to my skimmer cup from Fish Of Hex. He custom 3D prints them for you just send in your collection cup lid. Very affordable. Goes between your lid and cup with a barbed outlet on the outside. He also includes little plugs for holes if your lid has vent holes to plug some or all. You put a hose on the barbed outlet for recirculating CO2 reactor to add moisture.

Bubble Magus Curve 7 Co2 Attachment

My personal lid attachment turns any skimmer into a recirculating Co2 scrubber.

fishofhex.com

 

[Cjeippert]

If I understood your tubing correctly, isn't this design very wasteful for the media? Looks like your Y feeds into the scrubber and takes both skimmer cup air (recirculating) or outside air (high co2) so what the system is doing is when pH is under 8.3, solenoid closes so it recirculating. This is very efficient on removing co2 and preserving the media bc effectively you are only scrubbing in-tank co2. When it goes over 8.3 it opens and you are sucking in outside high co2 air but its still going to the scrubber so you are basically relying on the inefficient method to let some co2 thru to lower ph under 3. This is both an ineffective method of lowering pH by increasing co2 (bc its still going thru scrubber) and also an expensive method bc you are burning thru the media.


This, by putting the solenoid on the other side, you avoid the weakness of the current design and is generally more effective. When 8.3 goes above 8.3, the solenoid will bypass scrubber so you save media and can bring down the pH much faster then it will resume recirculating .



If you are recirculating you dont need to add more water, the skimmer air is humid enough. If anything, on the skimmer to scrubber in tube, you should have a moisture capture instread bc the problem is often too much moisture going into the scrubber

This is my problem. Humid skimmer lid air builds too much condensation in reactor. The foam on the inside of lid in air tube blocks air making the pump work too hard and chug up and down. Water goes right through the foam as well. I just ordered a brs reactor and pre filter sponge like the picture shown in this thread. Hope it works. I also have a skimmate locker so the skimmer cup is empty. But the air tube still sucks the foam and condensation into media reactor.

 

[Cjeippert]

I just bought a CO2 attachment to my skimmer cup from Fish Of Hex. He custom 3D prints them for you just send in your collection cup lid. Very affordable. Goes between your lid and cup with a barbed outlet on the outside. He also includes little plugs for holes if your lid has vent holes to plug some or all. You put a hose on the barbed outlet for recirculating CO2 reactor to add moisture.

Bubble Magus Curve 7 Co2 Attachment

My personal lid attachment turns any skimmer into a recirculating Co2 scrubber.

fishofhex.com

I would like to see more skimmer companies put overflow safetys like float switches in collection cup. Probably can add optional recirculating air tubes , skimmate lockers, etc… heck even design a CO2 reactor to the side

 

[Flameback Pair]

@Cjeippert yeah I agree the sky’s the limit they just have to implement. I’ve seen a stock skimmer cup lid with built in compartment for scrubber media but I thought couldn’t hold much. It’s a start in the right direction.

 

[Dkmoo]

This is my problem. Humid skimmer lid air builds too much condensation in reactor. The foam on the inside of lid in air tube blocks air making the pump work too hard and chug up and down. Water goes right through the foam as well. I just ordered a brs reactor and pre filter sponge like the picture shown in this thread. Hope it works. I also have a skimmate locker so the skimmer cup is empty. But the air tube still sucks the foam and condensation into media reactor.

You can do a very cheap diy moisture trap with a Mason jar or even a Chinese food soup container like me. Works like a charm

Also can do a reverse funnel on top of the skimmer cap so foam will never get sucked in