CO2 scrubber with outside airline

[Gtinnel]

How I do it

Not sure I’m positive what I’m looking at. Is it just a recirculating scrubber on a skimmer? If I’m right that is a very unusual looking, I’m assuming diy, skimmer.

 

[GarrettT]

Not sure I’m positive what I’m looking at. Is it just a recirculating scrubber on a skimmer? If I’m right that is a very unusual looking, I’m assuming diy, skimmer.

Separate container to catch any skimmate that gets through the line. It’s so the media doesn’t get soaked.

 

[Gtinnel]

Separate container to catch any skimmate that gets through the line. It’s so the media doesn’t get soaked.

Ah okay. I noticed the skimmate container but didn’t realize it was for the scrubber, even though the line is coming from below the scrubber.

 

[Gatorpa]

For me I still haven’t ordered any of the Jorvet soda lime. I procrastinated on purchasing it and now I can’t find it for as cheap as I did when I posted this thread. I did just find another bag of BRS media that I bought at the same time as the first bag, and I just put it in the scrubber about an hour ago. I’m trying to decide if I want to stick with BRS media and assume the first bag(s) were from a bad batch.

I recently ordered a big 16 kg container from Ebay as the small bag I bought worked well

 

[Gtinnel]

I recently ordered a big 16 kg container from Ebay as the small bag I bought worked well

I may get the bucket but I am still wanting to try out a smaller bag first. I’m hoping to eventually catch the same 12 lbs for $40 that I found before.

 

[LOVEROCK]

I may get the bucket but I am still wanting to try out a smaller bag first. I’m hoping to eventually catch the same 12 lbs for $40 that I found before.

What brand ? Woah that is cheap let us know too !

 

[Gtinnel]

What brand ? Woah that is cheap let us know too !

It was the JorVet stuff that you can buy on eBay. When I first made the post they had four 3 lb bags for $40, which honestly is only slightly cheaper per pound than the 5 gallon jug that most people buy.
If I ever find it for that price again, I doubt I will, I will post it on here if I remember.

 

[Gtinnel]

So just to update I put the other bag of media, that I got from BRS when I bought the first bag, into the scrubber and with this media I see an obvious difference in pH. My pH is now staying at 8.0-8.3.
I am now more than ever convinced that something was wrong with the first bag of media that I bought.

 

[DanATL]

Any update on how that has worked out?

Sorry for the lack of a reply. I have to say option 1) is not working out very well at all. That is skimmer recirculating output to empty canister to media canister to skimmer input. The media still gets way too wet. I've tried switching the in/out on the empty canister too but no help. I never get any actual skimmate in the empty canister so that is good. I've just pulled the skimmer recirculating feed to the empty canister(option 2). I suspect that will run just fine without wetting the media but less of a pH bump.

 

[DanATL]

Update to my different configurations. I now have outside air going to a canister with 2" of water, which goes to the canister with the soda lime, which goes to the skimmer intake. This solves all the problems: 1) media stays dry, 2) pH is consistently in the 8.2 to 8.3 range. I was using BRS soda lime but just got a big jug of the Jorvet. I can't tell the difference so far. Media lasts about 7-10 days. My wife did ask why there is a tube sticking out of the stucco on the front of the house!

My tank is in my small home office and the CO2 level is likely high due to me being in there all day with the door closed. Opening the window helps some but between cold, heat, humidity, and Atlanta pollen there are not many days where that is practical.

 

[t5Nitro]

Any issues running a big reactor with a lot more media? Not sure if this would cause greater swings in pH when new vs exhausted, or would it simply last longer between media changes?