THE BEST WAY to implement a CO2 scrubber!

[TheLost]

I would be very interested to see O2 in the gas loop compared to O2 when not recycling.

I built an airtight acrylic box this weekend for the project. It has two 1/2" bulkheads mounted on each side with 3/8 barbed fittings the hoses will connect to.

I'm just waiting on the 3/4" rubber grommet that will hold the O2 sensor and a few electronic bits from Digikey. I've mounted a Raspberry Pi Zero on the box next to a small OLED display. The Pi will send the readings to a database ever few minutes so I can compare different setups.

I also purchased a CO2 sensor just for giggles. I'm curious to see how high the CO2 is in my den compared to other places in my house.. I have have picked the wrong place for my Tank

 

[TheLost]

The Y alone would make the media last longer.

And again I never claimed it didn't work, just that I don't buy into the theory, and that there is no real data behind it. And if you look at my response a few post back, I said if I were to try it again I would basically do what you have said. I think the y and the split air will have more of an affect on making the media last longer then the recirculating. But anything's possible.

The point of my post was to just say "I'm trying to put data behind my decision to use it or not"...

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I built an airtight acrylic box this weekend for the project. It has two 1/2" bulkheads mounted on each side with 3/8 barbed fittings the hoses will connect to.

I'm just waiting on the 3/4" rubber grommet that will hold the O2 sensor and a few electronic bits from Digikey. I've mounted a Raspberry Pi Zero on the box next to a small OLED display. The Pi will send the readings to a database ever few minutes so I can compare different setups.

I also purchased a CO2 sensor just for giggles. I'm curious to see how high the CO2 is in my den compared to other places in my house.. I have have picked the wrong place for my Tank

My prediction/expectation is that the O2 peaks above normal air levels during the day with photosynthesis and drops below normal air levels at night with respiration. We'll see...

 

[Miller535]

I built an airtight acrylic box this weekend for the project. It has two 1/2" bulkheads mounted on each side with 3/8 barbed fittings the hoses will connect to.

I'm just waiting on the 3/4" rubber grommet that will hold the O2 sensor and a few electronic bits from Digikey. I've mounted a Raspberry Pi Zero on the box next to a small OLED display. The Pi will send the readings to a database ever few minutes so I can compare different setups.

I also purchased a CO2 sensor just for giggles. I'm curious to see how high the CO2 is in my den compared to other places in my house.. I have have picked the wrong place for my Tank

I will be interested to see your results. Although I have looked into measuring CO2 before, and it's not easy, and generally the sensors and meters are considered not reliable. At least that is what I read.

 

[aarbutina]

IMO, a solenoid valve restricts too much flow. I've used both and electric ball valves are much better. Highly recommend them.

Agree. I just added an electronic ball valve to my set up. Works great.

To add a little bit more to that. I have a 3/8" tube coming off of the skimmer intake. This is split into a Y. Off one side of the Y I run a piece of tube to my CO2 Scrubber and off the other side I run to the electronic ball valve. I have my Apex programed to open the ball valve when the pH is greater than 8.4 and then it closes again once the pH drops below 8.35 (normally opens and closes once a day). Doing this I have been able to regulated by pH between 8.2 and 8.4. Before implementing the ball valve I was swinging from 8.2 to close to 8.6 on a daily basis (especially after I replaced the scrubbing media). Liking the new set up very much.

This is the valve i am using in case you are interested:

 

[hmmmmm]

Loved the idea of this since BRS mentioned it. Definitely using it once my new system is up. But in the meantime.. I'm settings up a nano because I got itchy not having a tank up and running. I've already got the media so thinking of adding it to the nano skimmer, just for kicks & giggles. It's a tunze 9001. Any issues with using this on a smaller scale? I would think it would use a smaller canister for the media anyway so principles are the same?

 

[USMA36]

Is there a benefit to running a co2 scrubber and an outside airline? I have an outside airline now but my ph is still 7.9 during The day and 7.75 at night. I’d rather not connect to my skimmer cup because it’s not the best skimmer and randomly overflows. Will using a mason jar or the like filled halfway with water help keep the incoming air humid enough?

 

[Miller535]

Is there a benefit to running a co2 scrubber and an outside airline? I have an outside airline now but my ph is still 7.9 during The day and 7.75 at night. I’d rather not connect to my skimmer cup because it’s not the best skimmer and randomly overflows. Will using a mason jar or the like filled halfway with water help keep the incoming air humid enough?

Running a co2 scrubber using outside air would make the co2 media last longer. BUT both the longer air line and the co2 scrubber itself choke off some of the air going to your skimmer which COULD affect it's effectiveness.

 

[Dr. Jim]

You can buy canisters with 3/4" inlets and outlets which won't cut down the flow as much as the more common 3/8" openings (like BRS sells). Here is my setup with two canisters for CO2 media followed by a carbon filter (to remove fumes, etc. since I have it piped to outside air):

Purchased on Amazon:

 

[ajjw0828]

You can buy canisters with 3/4" inlets and outlets which won't cut down the flow as much as the more common 3/8" openings (like BRS sells). Here is my setup with two canisters for CO2 media followed by a carbon filter (to remove fumes, etc. since I have it piped to outside air):

Purchased on Amazon:

Nice! What’s your ph at?

 

[Dr. Jim]

Nice! What’s your ph at?

At the moment I am dealing with some aquarium problems which are affecting my pH, so I will just tell you how my pH changed when I made the changes last Spring:
First, I just set up a 1" pipe running to a window. (Could have used 3/4" or maybe 1/2", in retrospect). pH jumped up from about 7.90-8.10 to about 8.15-8.35. I added a scrubber but it never worked well (media never became exhausted). I suspect there must have been some leaks, probably because I tried modifying two BRS 3/8" canisters by boring the holes larger and gluing 5/8" tubing in the holes. Since my pH was high enough without the scrubber, I just stopped using it until recently when my pH suddenly dropped. This is when I bought the new canisters I showed in the photos. But I haven't been using them long enough to see any media turning blue yet.

My point of the post was that there may be some benefit to using canisters that can take a 3/4" hose (rather than the more common 3/8" tubing).

 

[Miller535]

At the moment I am dealing with some aquarium problems which are affecting my pH, so I will just tell you how my pH changed when I made the changes last Spring:
First, I just set up a 1" pipe running to a window. (Could have used 3/4" or maybe 1/2", in retrospect). pH jumped up from about 7.90-8.10 to about 8.15-8.35. I added a scrubber but it never worked well (media never became exhausted). I suspect there must have been some leaks, probably because I tried modifying two BRS 3/8" canisters by boring the holes larger and gluing 5/8" tubing in the holes. Since my pH was high enough without the scrubber, I just stopped using it until recently when my pH suddenly dropped. This is when I bought the new canisters I showed in the photos. But I haven't been using them long enough to see any media turning blue yet.

My point of the post was that there may be some benefit to using canisters that can take a 3/4" hose (rather than the more common 3/8" tubing).

That makes a lot of sense, making the air inlet larger.

 

[living_tribunal]

Just implemented this a week ago. I was going through my media easily 5-7 days. First two days, PH would go to 8.2, then drop to 8, then by the 5th to 7th day back down to 7.6
I just set it up so that it's pulling air from the skimmer and it's been 8.1 - 8.2 for a week straight. So far so good. Saving me tons of money!

It's weird, instead of looking forward to Spring for the nice weather, I'm looking forward to spring so that I can open windows and raise my PH!

I’m about to set this up with a reef octopus. Did you just stuff the co2 scrubber air inflow tubing into one of the holes of the skimmer cup lid? Or did you do something more formal (expanding the hole and put a fitting in it)?

Also, did you close off the remaining holes of the skimmer cup lid? I was thinking about using those to calibrate the amount of outside air getting into the co2 scrubber circulation in case ph gets too high. I will most likely get a t fitting to handle excessively high ph but do want a simple solution to start until I have a better understanding of how this all works.

 

[piranhaman00]

Hello, bump this great thread I have a question that I hope can be answered!

I run a life reef skimmer but I would like try to use a spare skimmer pump and hook that up to a scrubber. The pump would not be attached to anything just pumping water around the sump and drawing in air through a scrubber, however my main skimmer will still be running pulling in normal air. Would this have any benefit?

 

[Maxx]

I suspect you would see some benefit, but not nearly what you would see by making your LifeReef a scrubber instead. It will still work as a skimmer, just not as well.
IIRC, the the LifeReef skimmers are venturi driven and require a large AC pump to power.

I recently purchased a FishofHex CO2 scrubber attachment for my little system and it made a huge difference. pH was chronically low, and I was running through CO2 scrubber media about every 2 weeks. I've been using it since Mid December and I'm about 2/3rds of the way through the first canister of CO2 scrubber media, and pH is routinely up at 8.2-8.3 depending on time of day.

I just looked on his website and did not see an attachment for your skimmer. Honestly, I dont know if your LifeReef would work as a recirculating CO2 scrubber....I posted the link to the custom made version. You'll have to send in your skimmer cup/lid for him to measure and print up.

I'm skeptical of gadgets per se, but this works.

Another option for you to consider would be possibly sell the LifeReef, buy a newer DC driven skimmer, and go with the CO2 scrubber ring from fish of hex, (name is weird, but it works man...seriously. I assume the name comes from a comic book that was turned into a movie Jonah Hex? I dunno...anyway)...

The initial cost will eventually be paid back by lower energy bills from no longer needing a massive AC pump pulling 300 watts to drive that skimmer.

Venturi skimmers work, but they cost money to run...the newer DC options are punching above their weight and drawing more air at the top end AND can be dialed in exactly right for your tank's needs. Plus you save money long term.

Just a suggestion

 

[piranhaman00]

edit

 

[CactusReefer]

This is a recent set up, I have struggled with low pH for several years now.

I was getting 7.7 to 7.9 prior to scrubbing.
Now I see 8.1 to 8.22
I'm using the BRS mini reactor for a water trap as it has a deep well area under the media holder

 

[inmar]

U mnie tak to wygląda,działa u mnie już prawie dwa miesiące,ale szybko zużywa się wapno sodowane, 1 litr wytrzymuje około 10 dni a miałem nadzieję,że będzie dłużej.To niewiele więcej niż w normalnym filtrze Pacific Sun CO2 Scrubber.U mnie akwarium 1200 litrów,odpieniacz Aquaforest 250.

 

[WestMI-Reefer]

Need help setting up my co2 scrubbing system! How do I connect the bare wire to the solenoid?

Need help! How to Motorized ball valve to Apex power.

Hey reefers! Im looking to control my ph via the co2 scrubber off the skimmer with a 3 way motorized ball valve. Got the bare wire to 0-10v port on the apex eb832. How do I actually wire this?? I have the diagram but still very unsure of what needs to be connected and how.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[joanropi17]

Odd it would be that loud especially if the tube coming into the jar was below the water's surface. Maybe try a larger diameter tube coming into the jar. That would allow more air to enter the jar and should create less resistance.

What kind of water did you use in that jar? Freshwater or Destiled water?