Co2 scrubber

[nstuber3956]

I recently bought some 2little fishes CO2 media to try out. I made a diy reactor out of some stuff I have around the house. It's for my 60 gallon cube. I got everything hooked up and my ph went up just like I wanted to. The problem is it only lasted 2 days. I checked on the media and it was depleted. Now I used about half of the 750ml jar so ruffly 300-350 worth of media. Should it deplete that fast or is it just not good Media? I was going to buy brs but wanted to try this first to see how long it would last. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

It really helps to have humid air coming in through the reactor. On my Biocube I was using a BRS dual reactor, and i'd get one tube exhausted in about 5 days. When I plugged the input line into the skimmer collection cup, I started to get 13-15 days on each canister

 

[Makomek]

That mean you have very high co2 in your house. I burn through 750ml in a week so now I hook my skimmer air intake from the outside and save a lot of miney that way. I doubt brs is any better.

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

Same - drilled through the side of the skimmer cup, siliconed in an elbow, hooked up the intake hose for the co2 skimmer and now get two and a half to three weeks out of the media. pH level rose from average 7.9 to 8.15

 

[nstuber3956]

Thanks everybody I guess I'll try outside air first.

 

[nstuber3956]

Can one of you guys take a pic of the line attached to you skimmer? I just wanna see what else I'm looking at if the line outside doesn't help. Thanks

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

I also have a smart skimmer optical shutoff switch hooked up as a safeguard just in case my skimmer overflows:

I have the line providing air to the skimmer connected at the bottom, bypassing the silencer.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

I did the same as above, but I drilled the hole in the skimmer lid rather than the collection cup

 

[nstuber3956]

Thanks guys I'm going to try outside air first. I don't want to have to modify my skimmer if I dont have to

 

[Sierra_Bravo]

I did the same as above, but I drilled the hole in the skimmer lid rather than the collection cup

I had it that way to start, but that placed the inlet too close to the neck and I was picking up foam into the hose. I moved it to where it is now and do not have a problem anymore.

 

[Reef of Fillory]

I had it that way to start, but that placed the inlet too close to the neck and I was picking up foam into the hose. I moved it to where it is now and do not have a problem anymore.

I was using an aquamax cone skimmer which had an angled deflector, so no foam would get to the area that I used, only if it overflowed

 

[mitch91175]

If you can get outside air and it resolves your issue, it will obviously save you money. I did the solenoid like BRS has in their video on my frag tank and it extend the life of the media by limiting the amount of air that goes through the CO2 scrubber. I use mine to keep my pH above 8. I am fine with 8-8.2 on the frag tank. Could go higher but that works for me.

You can also buy you scrubbing media in bulk to save as well.

Here is one source for bulk purchase: https://www.shopmedvet.com/product/soda-lime-5-gallon-JOR553B

It should last you a good while. Also setup you air intake so your air flows through a container with water in it. It will help keep it humid and extend the like as well.

You can use any container that you can drill 2 holes in the top, one for the line to the CO2 scrubber and the other for an intake of air.

 

[GrizFyrFyter]

I put a CO2 scrubber on my 170g tank and had the same results.

I can't get my Skimmer intake outside, bare bottom tank, house is mostly closed up and too many fish.

I just refilled the scrubber and hooked a solenoid up to the Skimmer to bypass the airflow from the scrubber if the pH goes over 8.1 to prolong the media life.

 

[nstuber3956]

I ran a line outside and it seems to have helped. Now it's just a wait to see for how long.

 

[Jwheld]

Thanks guys I'm going to try outside air first. I don't want to have to modify my skimmer if I dont have to

A small enough hose or reducer from the canister should fit through the existing holes on skimmer without modification.

 

[Toolman]

Are there any limitations on how long of a tube I can run to get fresh air from outside to my skimmer intake? I would probably need to run about 25 ft of tubing. Is that too far?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Are there any limitations on how long of a tube I can run to get fresh air from outside to my skimmer intake? I would probably need to run about 25 ft of tubing. Is that too far?

Depends on the diameter, and whether you are pumping it through, or passively allowing it through. You don't want the air flow to a skimmer to be significantly restricted.

 

[Toolman]

Thankyou. The tubing is 10 mm ID. It will be passively. If a pump is needed, what would you suggest?

 

[AquamanE]

Depends on the diameter, and whether you are pumping it through, or passively allowing it through. You don't want the air flow to a skimmer to be significantly restricted.

@Randy Holmes-Farley -Sorry I don’t understand the difference between pumping it through and passively allowing it through. Are Co2 scrubbers not attached to the intake of the skimmer pump? And what is attaching the line from the skimmer pump to outside considered? Pumping or passive?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

@Randy Holmes-Farley -Sorry I don’t understand the difference between pumping it through and passively allowing it through. Are Co2 scrubbers not attached to the intake of the skimmer pump? And what is attaching the line from the skimmer pump to outside considered? Pumping or passive?

The difference is just that the suction of a skimmer inlet is limited, and a too long of thin inlet line will reduce the air flow through it. If you pump the air, you are partly or completely offsetting that slow down (assuming you can pump fast enough).

I don't have a pump in mind, but for most skimmers it may need to be high air flow.