Co2 Scrubber question...

[clhardy5]

Been battling with low PH - due to CO2 levels in house....always goes down when my extended family is in, and will raise if I open the windows. In Colorado, it isn't always feasible to keep the windows open, so I decided to get the BRS scrubber. The scrubber and media (two little fishies) came in yesterday, and I got it hooked up. Ph is up to 8.04 (after averaging 7.8). My question is....

The instructions had me add a little water to the scrubber and then put the media tube in. Is this water something that I need to keep a eye on? ie....do I need to add it every couple of days - or is it once and done.

Colorado is such a dry climate....

TIA

 

[vabben]

I’m not sure if you need to keep adding the water. Personally I never add water to my scrubber.

 

[PeterC99]

Been battling with low PH - due to CO2 levels in house....always goes down when my extended family is in, and will raise if I open the windows. In Colorado, it isn't always feasible to keep the windows open, so I decided to get the BRS scrubber. The scrubber and media (two little fishies) came in yesterday, and I got it hooked up. Ph is up to 8.04 (after averaging 7.8). My question is....

The instructions had me add a little water to the scrubber and then put the media tube in. Is this water something that I need to keep a eye on? ie....do I need to add it every couple of days - or is it once and done.

Colorado is such a dry climate....

TIA

Very important to only add a very small amount of water in the scrubber. You put the water in when you start scrubber and shouldn’t have to add any afterwards.

If you recirculate the scrubber air through top of your skimmer cup (which I highly recommend because media will last along time), must make sure you don’t get too much water in scrubber.

 

[JoshKReef]

Humid air is important to make it function. When it dries, it may not work as well. People combat this by recirculating air (skimmer air is humid), or adding a humidity chamber on their intake to the reactor.

 

[capted]

Moisture helps the media. I have to add it every 3 days or so. Do not add too much and get the media wet or it will decrease the media operation. I also have my air intake plumbed outside to increase the life of the media. I just started that so I can't say how much longer it adds to the life of the media yet. Going on 3 weeks so far.

 

[Billldg]

I agree with @capted, I added a few teaspoons to the media very few days and it helped make the media last longer.

 

[jgirardnrg]

I also add water every few days... the humid air is part of the magic

 

[JoshKReef]

I use a reactor and have my media up higher with water under. When the air is pulled in, the water bubbles and makes the air humid.

 

[DangerDave]

I like to recirculate the skimmer air. I run it through an empty media reactor after the C02 scrubber, it traps some of the excess moisture. Before that I was getting a lot of water in the scrubber.

This is my usual experience:
Fish Room air- 3 days before changing media
Humidified air - 8-9 days before changing media
Wet media - 5-6 days before changing media

This varies slightly through the seasons…

 

[capted]

I like to recirculate the skimmer air. I run it through an empty media reactor after the C02 scrubber, it traps some of the excess moisture. Before that I was getting a lot of water in the scrubber.

This is my usual experience:
Fish Room air- 3 days before changing media
Humidified air - 8-9 days before changing media
Wet media - 5-6 days before changing media

This varies slightly through the seasons…

Wow, that's pretty fast. Even 9 days. I have heard that before though.

 

[DangerDave]

Wow, that's pretty fast. Even 9 days. I have heard that before though.

It’s an environment issue for me. There is a water heater in my fish room that causes the Ph to drop. I haven’t actually changed my soda lime in a few weeks. My ato pump broke, so the kalk stirrer is handling the duty for now. Usually I dose four gallons a day through the kalk stirrer. The scrubber and the extra kalk were pushing ph over 8.6, I like 8.2-8.4.

 

[capted]

It’s an environment issue for me. There is a water heater in my fish room that causes the Ph to drop. I haven’t actually changed my soda lime in a few weeks. My ato pump broke, so the kalk stirrer is handling the duty for now. Usually I dose four gallons a day through the kalk stirrer. The scrubber and the extra kalk were pushing ph over 8.6, I like 8.2-8.4.

Got it. I have a ton of people in and out which I believe causes my co2 issue. I also use a kalk mix but only in my ato.