DIY Co2 Scrubber

[calli]

Hey All,

I am just in the middle of making a DIY Scrubber and I have a question about the RO canisters that people typically use. I see people using the DI resin insert for the co2 media and I don't know if I want to use that. Seems it would be just as easy to dump the media from the blue clear canister when used up.

I have seen most people use 2 canisters and one of them is set in line first to catch the moisture, which I will have setup. Then from that canister I have flipped the lid around to bring the air into the output of the lid and down a 1/2" PVC pex line to the bottom of the canister so the air will need to travel through the PVC pex line then up through the media then into the skimmer inlet.

Do I really need this DI resin canister in the setup or will this work just fine? Thoughts?

 

[calli]

For some reason I can't edit my post, but I thought about this a bit further and the di canister is actually the way to go. The air will properly flow through the media rather than the bottom up. Also, it would be very tricky to fill with that 1/2" Pex pipe to stay put while you fill it and get the lid on. Needs to be easy to change the media.

 

[Woodyman]

Hey All,

I am just in the middle of making a DIY Scrubber and I have a question about the RO canisters that people typically use. I see people using the DI resin insert for the co2 media and I don't know if I want to use that. Seems it would be just as easy to dump the media from the blue clear canister when used up.

I have seen most people use 2 canisters and one of them is set in line first to catch the moisture, which I will have setup. Then from that canister I have flipped the lid around to bring the air into the output of the lid and down a 1/2" PVC pex line to the bottom of the canister so the air will need to travel through the PVC pex line then up through the media then into the skimmer inlet.

Do I really need this DI resin canister in the setup or will this work just fine? Thoughts?

You don't necessarily need it, but it's more efficient in the canister as you force the air into the canister and all the way through.

Without you could end up with some bypass.

 

[calli]

You don't necessarily need it, but it's more efficient in the canister as you force the air into the canister and all the way through.

Without you could end up with some bypass.

That's crazy as you posted, I thought of this a bit further. LOL took me to post it up to really think it through, but I hope that anyone searching this topic finds this here. lol

 

[Woodyman]

That's crazy as you posted, I thought of this a bit further. LOL took me to post it up to really think it through, but I hope that anyone searching this topic finds this here. lol

Yep right as I was hitting post the orange box appeared to say there was an additional post!

 

[calli]

Yep right as I was hitting post the orange box appeared to say there was an additional post!

thank you!

So do you run a scrubber like this? and anything else to look out for from your experience?

 

[Woodyman]

thank you!

So do you run a scrubber like this? and anything else to look out for from your experience?

No not personally. I've set one up for a buddy at his place, but I don't need one at mine.

There's many ways to do it, recirculate, pull from outside or the room.

The main thing to worry about is just keeping the media dry. Wet media won't help with your CO2 problem, it doesn't do anything if it's wet. Other than that just ensure you periodically check for obstructions.

 

[calli]

No not personally. I've set one up for a buddy at his place, but I don't need one at mine.

There's many ways to do it, recirculate, pull from outside or the room.

The main thing to worry about is just keeping the media dry. Wet media won't help with your CO2 problem, it doesn't do anything if it's wet. Other than that just ensure you periodically check for obstructions.

Yeah I was just reading this too. I think I will put filter floss in the moisture chamber as well. If it gets too bad I can run a line outside but its 20' away, and its 5/16" ID hose.

 

[Woodyman]

Yeah I was just reading this too. I think I will put filter floss in the moisture chamber as well. If it gets too bad I can run a line outside but its 20' away, and its 5/16" ID hose.

If you have kids, watch out for rogue Legos... Or anything small enough to fit I guess. My buddy had a few fall out when cleaning out the canisters once.

Floss wouldn't hurt.

If you do notice moisture problems you could also fill a canister with desiccant to dry the air first.

 

[calli]

If you have kids, watch out for rogue Legos... Or anything small enough to fit I guess. My buddy had a few fall out when cleaning out the canisters once.

Floss wouldn't hurt.

If you do notice moisture problems you could also fill a canister with desiccant to dry the air first.

I also read somewhere that you can put a y fitting on the line back to the inlet and on one of the split tubes put tape and a pin hole. Said it helped with moisture in the lines.

don’t know if this would work but worth a try too.

 

[Woodyman]

I also read somewhere that you can put a y fitting on the line back to the inlet and on one of the split tubes put tape and a pin hole. Said it helped with moisture in the lines.

don’t know if this would work but worth a try too.

Not sure. If you had moisture problems it probably wouldn't hurt to try, but I couldn't tell you if it would work or not.

 

[gbroadbridge]

Not sure. If you had moisture problems it probably wouldn't hurt to try, but I couldn't tell you if it would work or not.

You want your co2 media to be fed noist air as it funtions better and last longer. If you want to dry the air for ozone or something do it after the scrubber

 

[calli]

You want your co2 media to be fed noist air as it funtions better and last longer. If you want to dry the air for ozone or something do it after the scrubber

Thank you. I think I will stick with the filter floss in that chamber and just watch it.

I have a “window” if you will, between the two canisters so I’ll see if this works to show the moisture before the media.

 

[piranhaman00]

Let me know how the filter floss works. Having a similar issue with recirc

 

[calli]

Let me know how the filter floss works. Having a similar issue with recirc

I should know by morning.

I also wonder if I should open the other holes in the skimmer lid maybe. I have them all covered but one that I draw from.

 

[piranhaman00]

I should know by morning.

I also wonder if I should open the other holes in the skimmer lid maybe. I have them all covered but one that I draw from.

How did filter floss work?

I added a moisture trap but it doesn’t help much, lots of moisture still getting into media

 

[calli]

I think it’s doing okay. I don’t see moisture on the output line back to the skimmer.
The media is in that media canister and I can’t see moisture on the inside, so I think it’s okay.

when I pull the canister out I’ll check today.

 

[piranhaman00]

I think it’s doing okay. I don’t see moisture on the output line back to the skimmer.
The media is in that media canister and I can’t see moisture on the inside, so I think it’s okay.

when I pull the canister out I’ll check today.

So you filled the first canister with floss entirely and the second contains the media?

 

[calli]

So you filled the first canister with floss entirely and the second contains the media?

Yes, Its not totally full, just loosely filled. But, by first it's the canister that is first in line coming back from the top of the skimmer, then to the media one, then to the venturi.

 

[piranhaman00]

Yes, Its not totally full, just loosely filled. But, by first it's the canister that is first in line coming back from the top of the skimmer, then to the media one, then to the venturi.

Yup got it thank you I’m going to give this a try!