# CO2 Reactor with Sump?



## Sean W. (Oct 12, 2013)

How many gallons is your tank?


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Sean W. said:


> How many gallons is your tank?


65 gallons.


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## Sean W. (Oct 12, 2013)

Having a reactor from the return pump would be just fine.

This is how you would have it set up










Here is a video showing how I made my reactor. Having the reactor before the UV sterilizer would be what I would do. The Co2 wouldnt effect the sterilizer at all and this way the Co2 would spend more time in the return tube deffusing before it get sent to the tank

This is where I would link the Youtube video, but Youtube is broken. Ill post the link to my video as soon as I can.

*EDIT* youtube is back





The trick to having Co2 with a sump is keep splashing in the sump to a minimum. Try to have a smooth of transitions as possible, surface agitation ( intake to the sump ) will really be counter productive. Thats why sumps in (hightech) planted aquariums aren't commonly used. Canister is really the better way to go.

The reason you want the water to go into the reactor from the top, with the reactor being vertical is because you inject the Co2 at the top of the reactor, the Co2 bubbles will want to rise but the current of the water will be pushing down. So in a balanced reactor, the two forces, bubbles floating up and water pushing down, the Co2 will remain at the top of the reactor until each bubble is diffused enough to lose buoyancy and get forced down through the reactor then up to the tank.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Sean W. said:


> Having a reactor from the return pump would be just fine.
> 
> This is how you would have it set up
> 
> ...


Great little drawing there! Very informative. 
Would I need to get a more powerful pump if I choose this route since it will be taking more twists and turns and meeting more resistance on the return route? 

I'm still figuring out my sump plumbing, so i'll keep that in mind about minimizing splashing. 

So this is what I'm aiming for? (I spread stuff out for the sake of drawing in 2D)









Also, here are some photos of the sump I have. This is the first time I am running a sump, so I honestly don't know exactly what I'm doing (doing a lot of reading though). I'm not sure what the random lid piece is (it is on in the first photo and off to the left in the second). I'm guessing I can put some sort of filtering pad in the recessed area above the holes above the bioballs...correct me if I'm wrong with any of this. Not really sure how to minimize splashing or anything. 



















EDIT: Cool video. What a cheap solution! How did you determine the ideal length of the reactor? Is there some ratio to consider when doing this?


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## Sean W. (Oct 12, 2013)

Your drawing is much better than mine haha, but that looks like a good setup to me.

unfortunately, the type of sump you have is called a " drip tower " style. Might as well be called splash tower. The area where the bio balls is where the water rains down over them and then collects in the bottom, spilling over your bevel(<not sure if thats the right word/spelling haha) into the pump compartment then back up into the tank.

This isnt a deal breaker, it will just force you to crank the Co2 up higher to get a desired level of Co2 dilution. I recommend getting the largest Co2 tank you can get your hands on that still fits under your tank. I got a 20lb tank from craigslist for free for my 110 gallon. Id suggest nothing less than a 5lb tank for you. The nice thing about 5lb tanks is that any respectable liquor store will be able to fill them, for people with kegerators.

btw, here is a video showing how I built my reactor






That " random piece of plastic lid thing " is the lid you drill a hole in and screw a bulk head into so that when the water flows into the drip tower it doesnt splash everywhere under your stand.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Sean W. said:


> Your drawing is much better than mine haha, but that looks like a good setup to me.
> 
> unfortunately, the type of sump you have is called a " drip tower " style. Might as well be called splash tower. The area where the bio balls is where the water rains down over them and then collects in the bottom, spilling over your bevel(<not sure if thats the right word/spelling haha) into the pump compartment then back up into the tank.
> 
> ...


Ah! Splash tower -_-
I was looking at 5 or 10lb tanks. I can regularly find 10lb tanks on craigslist for $50 or under (no luck with free ones, though). The 5lb might be easier to get refilled. 

Also, that makes total sense about the random piece of plastic. It came with a bulkhead and I was wondering where that went. A little strange that it isn't pre-drilled though, I would think...

I like your little DIY reactor. Definitely a cheap alternative to store-bought ones (most of the ones I've come across are $50 or more). I'm not especially equipped to do my own stuff though (all I own is a standard drill set with a million bits and such). It would be interesting to see a step-by-step guide to it, though that would be pretty time consuming for you to make! 

I'm not sure if you saw the question, but I was wondering about whether or not I would need a more powerful pump with all these in-line additions before the water finally makes it back to the tank. Right now I have a Sicce Syncra 3.0 which is rated up to 714 g/h (though the chart puts it at like 600ish at 1m head).


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## Sean W. (Oct 12, 2013)

mmcgill829 said:


> Ah! Splash tower -_-
> I was looking at 5 or 10lb tanks. I can regularly find 10lb tanks on craigslist for $50 or under (no luck with free ones, though). The 5lb might be easier to get refilled.
> 
> Also, that makes total sense about the random piece of plastic. It came with a bulkhead and I was wondering where that went. A little strange that it isn't pre-drilled though, I would think...
> ...


The cool thing about that little reactor that I made is that a drill is all that it requires to make. That and PVC glue. The clear acrylic tube is just a large aquarium siphon/vacuous thing, then just find threaded plugs that fit in the ends and find the right barbs that screw into the plugs. easy peasy. PVC glue the plugs into the ends of the tube, then use nylon tape, wrap the threads of the barbs and screw them in. Then drill the top with a size too small for the brass plug, then just muscle the plug into it, then back it out,wrap its threads with nylon tape and put back in. done.
You dont have to use clear acrylic like I did, you could just use a strip of PVC pipe ad cut it to length, same thing just find the plugs that fit and screw barbs into it. 

as far as the pump and flow rate, ive read that a pump that does 6x turn over is a good place to start. I dont know what kind of fish you are going to get, or what kind of scale you are aiming for, if you are getting small fish then I would say 6x turn over is too much and they will be getting blown all over the place.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Sean W. said:


> The cool thing about that little reactor that I made is that a drill is all that it requires to make. That and PVC glue. The clear acrylic tube is just a large aquarium siphon/vacuous thing, then just find threaded plugs that fit in the ends and find the right barbs that screw into the plugs. easy peasy. PVC glue the plugs into the ends of the tube, then use nylon tape, wrap the threads of the barbs and screw them in. Then drill the top with a size too small for the brass plug, then just muscle the plug into it, then back it out,wrap its threads with nylon tape and put back in. done.
> You dont have to use clear acrylic like I did, you could just use a strip of PVC pipe ad cut it to length, same thing just find the plugs that fit and screw barbs into it.
> 
> as far as the pump and flow rate, ive read that a pump that does 6x turn over is a good place to start. I dont know what kind of fish you are going to get, or what kind of scale you are aiming for, if you are getting small fish then I would say 6x turn over is too much and they will be getting blown all over the place.


I may just give it a try! If it doesn't end up working out, I've only wasted a little bit of money and can just buy a pre-made one. If I do get it to work, then I've saved money and have some satisfaction of making something myself! Then all I really need is a CO2 tank and a good regulator, which honestly would end up being not terribly expensive to add a very good CO2 system. 

What other components do you have in your co2 system? Do you use a drop checker to monitor CO2 levels? Do you have anything set up on any sort of timer to turn off CO2 at night? 

Looking back at the specs of the pump and thinking a little harder, the head will be higher than 1m. The top of my tank will sit about 5ft above ground, so that would reduce the gph to about 500ish. I was just worried if I would lose any power by lengthening the travel between the sump and the tank by adding all of these in-line things. I'm not sure how much resistance these things add. But if I'm already on the high end, these in-line things may slow things down a tid bit, but I don't know. 

To start, I really just want to get a planted tank established for a while, maybe throw in a school of tetras, but eventually I'd like to add some discus after everything is settled. I'm taking my time putting together everything I need to get started because I'd like to do it right the first time, especially since mistakes can quickly become expensive (such as improper lighting).


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## rballi (Mar 4, 2010)

Remember though that running a pump through your reactor will certainly be too much flow and just push bubbles it into your display. I have a 4 foot reactor because I wanted to do something similar and avoid bubbles, but I still got them. 

What you have to do is put in a bypass from the pump directly to the display. This will also give you flexibility of how much flow you want going through the reactor vs going straight to the display.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

rballi said:


> Remember though that running a pump through your reactor will certainly be too much flow and just push bubbles it into your display. I have a 4 foot reactor because I wanted to do something similar and avoid bubbles, but I still got them.


Even though I have a UV sterilizer in-line and will put it after the CO2 reactor?



> What you have to do is put in a bypass from the pump directly to the display. This will also give you flexibility of how much flow you want going through the reactor vs going straight to the display.


So you're saying install a bypass valve with one line going directly to the display and the other going through the co2 reactor then uv sterilizer and then to the tank? I'm guessing I can adjust how 'open' the valve is on either size to adjust flow rates? 

Any suggestions on the type of valve? I'm not very familiar with plumbing...


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## Sean W. (Oct 12, 2013)

Other components that you need in a CO2 loop are the regulator, check valve and a bubble counter. thats it for the loop, people say that a bubble counter isnt needed, but I like having so I can visually see and adjust the flow. For example, 3bps isnt enough, so Ill up it to 5pbs and see what that does.

Also, I do use a drop checker, again, people say you dont need a drop checker, but you dont need a drop checker like you dont need a speedometer in your car. Its not imperative to the operation of your car, but its nice to know how fast youre going.

same principle with the drop checker as the bubble counter. when it turns green you know youre in the ball park of where you need to be. from there you adjust it untl the fish are at the top of the water gasping for air, then back it back down a bit.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Sean W. said:


> Other components that you need in a CO2 loop are the regulator, check valve and a bubble counter. thats it for the loop, people say that a bubble counter isnt needed, but I like having so I can visually see and adjust the flow. For example, 3bps isnt enough, so Ill up it to 5pbs and see what that does.
> 
> Also, I do use a drop checker, again, people say you dont need a drop checker, but you dont need a drop checker like you dont need a speedometer in your car. Its not imperative to the operation of your car, but its nice to know how fast youre going.
> 
> same principle with the drop checker as the bubble counter. when it turns green you know youre in the ball park of where you need to be. from there you adjust it untl the fish are at the top of the water gasping for air, then back it back down a bit.


I was looking at something like this: 




With that, all I'd need is a tank, tubing, and a drop checker, no? 

EDIT: I feel like going this route and buying the pieces separately will result in a better quality system at a lower price point than complete systems at the LFS. My LFS has a system with a pretty small tank (can't even be 1lb) that is complete, but costs upwards of $300. 

Also with the drop checker, would it be better to have that on the main tank or could it be put on the sump?


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Any thoughts on my above message?


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

mmcgill829 said:


> I was looking at something like this: DICI Aquarium Co2 Dual Gauge Solenoid Regulator Silver:Amazonet Supplies
> 
> With that, all I'd need is a tank, tubing, and a drop checker, no?
> 
> ...


Still looking for an answer to this question. I'd like to go ahead and put together a decent CO2 system pretty soon. Already have a reactor planned out, but need to know about the rest!


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## Sean W. (Oct 12, 2013)

That regulator looks like it would do just fine. Just make sure its threaded for a proper Co2 tank, not a paintball tank. With that regulator, all you would need is a tank, drop checker ( and 4dKh fluid and PH reagent ), a check valve or two and tubing. Correct.

The drop checker would go inside the show tank, cause you need to know the Co2 levels in the tank, where the plants are, not in the sump, where there is no plants 

ive found that Harbor Freight usually has good prices on Co2 tanks. maybe before you decide on a tank size, call the liquor stores around you to see if they refill Co2 tanks, and if so whats the largest they would fill.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Sean W. said:


> That regulator looks like it would do just fine. Just make sure its threaded for a proper Co2 tank, not a paintball tank. With that regulator, all you would need is a tank, drop checker ( and 4dKh fluid and PH reagent ), a check valve or two and tubing. Correct.
> 
> The drop checker would go inside the show tank, cause you need to know the Co2 levels in the tank, where the plants are, not in the sump, where there is no plants
> 
> ...


It says it can handle most sizes of co2 tanks. So I don't know. 

Also it says it includes a built in check valve. Is that enough?

I've found a few co2 tanks for 5lb at about $50. 

Also yeah, I need to check around to see who will fill them in my area. There's one confirmed place about 30 mins away that folks in my area on here use so that's worth checking into.


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## Mark Allred (May 3, 2013)

mmcgill, +2 on diverting flow for your reactor. My pump on my 65 is pushing 750 gph. I teed off the pump discharge to a PVC ball valve, then to a Sera 1000 reactor. The reactor discharge hose dumps into my sump directed into my Rio 3100 suction. Until recently I had a home built Rex Griggs type reactor on this and the efficiency was lacking, plus it was huge. I put a lot of CO2 into it due to high flows and wet/dry (trickle) filtration. In a nutshell, I have two tanks, a 125 and 65, running CO2 from one 20 lb. cylinder. Both aquariums are running high flow wet/dry filters. I change out my CO2 tank every two to three months, so I am comfortable with the 35 to 50 cents a day the gas is costing me. ? Hard to beat a sump IMO.


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## Coralbandit (Feb 25, 2013)

I run separate pumps for my 2 reactors in my sump.
They allow water to exit under the intake to my sump return pump(jeboa 12,000) since it has 1 1/2" intake.
I have a ph controller in my sump(last section before reactors) and DC in my tank.I set my controller according to DC color.
All good regulators should have a check valve built in I think?
You still want one so no water ever gets back to solenoid.
I ran 4 reactors(2 in series) for a while but think I get better saturation letting just a little get chopped up again in my jeboa.


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## flight50 (Apr 17, 2012)

Mmcgill, check out the link in my signature. Go to my post #37. I have a video of a cerges reactor (one of the best diy reactors and commonly used) on my setup with a bypass. You can do something very similar as the bypass will work on anything that has high flow going thru the reactor.

Are you planning to use your UV full time on your setup? They only work for algae spores, parasites, viruses, etc. that are in the water column. Otherwise the things that you plan to eliminate will bypass the UV. Some use it as they see the need but they can be costly from the initial price to the bulb replacements. Marine wise they are great but planted tanks, don't use them often. I am not saying that you can't use it, I am just saying to it doesn't have to be in place or even used 24/7.

Oh and the technical name for the splash tower is actually a Wet/Dry filter. I will be using them as well. However I will be using bio bale and/or plastic kitchen scrub pads though. They both have a lot more surface area per sq. inch than bio balls. My whole project is part of the link in my signature so use what ever you can for reference.


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## Ruxl (Dec 14, 2013)

I run a 65 with a 20gal as a sump/refug with a cerges style reactor. Here is a picture from ~6 months ago:










I don't run a bypass and have a mag 9.5 running into the cerges. I get some bubbles into the tank, but am running an uncountable amount of CO2 through the bubble counter.

On the UV front - I had some nasty green water a few months back and picked up a modest sized UV filter. Ran it in the back of the display tank for ~6 weeks and haven't needed it since. In my opinion it is something to have and keep available, but not needed to run 100% of the time.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Ruxl said:


> I run a 65 with a 20gal as a sump/refug with a cerges style reactor. Here is a picture from ~6 months ago:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks like a great setup!! I'll have to look into the cerges. As far as the UV goes, I will eventually be adding livestock to the tank. Maybe installing it with a valve to redirect to it and use it if needed but bypass if not might be the best option. That way it's always connected and can be used, but can also be switched off it needed. Not sure if that's a practical setup though, or how I could set it up properly.


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## Mark Allred (May 3, 2013)

My first CO2 injected, wet/dry sumped aquarium in 1999. 130 gallon ?


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

flight50 said:


> Mmcgill, check out the link in my signature. Go to my post #37. I have a video of a cerges reactor (one of the best diy reactors and commonly used) on my setup with a bypass. You can do something very similar as the bypass will work on anything that has high flow going thru the reactor.
> 
> Are you planning to use your UV full time on your setup? They only work for algae spores, parasites, viruses, etc. that are in the water column. Otherwise the things that you plan to eliminate will bypass the UV. Some use it as they see the need but they can be costly from the initial price to the bulb replacements. Marine wise they are great but planted tanks, don't use them often. I am not saying that you can't use it, I am just saying to it doesn't have to be in place or even used 24/7.
> 
> Oh and the technical name for the splash tower is actually a Wet/Dry filter. I will be using them as well. However I will be using bio bale and/or plastic kitchen scrub pads though. They both have a lot more surface area per sq. inch than bio balls. My whole project is part of the link in my signature so use what ever you can for reference.


That reactor looks GREAT! To be honest, it looks better than many of the ones you can buy, and I'm guessing it was much cheaper for you to build. I have no earthly idea how to build one, nor do I really have any equipment to build one (about as complex as my 'tools' get are a power drill and a hand saw ha!). Maybe I can find someone on here that would make me one...haha.


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## Ruxl (Dec 14, 2013)

mmcgill829 said:


> That reactor looks GREAT! To be honest, it looks better than many of the ones you can buy, and I'm guessing it was much cheaper for you to build. I have no earthly idea how to build one, nor do I really have any equipment to build one (about as complex as my 'tools' get are a power drill and a hand saw ha!). Maybe I can find someone on here that would make me one...haha.


Keep in mind both a cerges and a griggs reactor can be built with solely a hand saw.

The cerges in the picture I posted was ~$35. $25 for filter at home depot/lowes and another $10 or so in PVC pipes/fittings. I made all the cuts with a basic multi purpose hand saw.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Ruxl said:


> Keep in mind both a cerges and a griggs reactor can be built with solely a hand saw.
> 
> The cerges in the picture I posted was ~$35. $25 for filter at home depot/lowes and another $10 or so in PVC pipes/fittings. I made all the cuts with a basic multi purpose hand saw.


Oh! Hm! Where'd you get instructions for it?


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## Ruxl (Dec 14, 2013)

mmcgill829 said:


> Oh! Hm! Where'd you get instructions for it?


http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showpost.php?p=6987650&postcount=770

Since mine is directly on the output of my return pump I didn't put the valves before/after like in that post, but if you ran a seperate loop for the reactor they would be beneficial.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Ruxl said:


> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showpost.php?p=6987650&postcount=770
> 
> Since mine is directly on the output of my return pump I didn't put the valves before/after like in that post, but if you ran a seperate loop for the reactor they would be beneficial.


Thanks for the link!


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## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

That sump is a wet/dry tower. Just stick a ceramic diffuser in the area below the bioballs and seal the dry side with duct tape. You now have a giant CO2 reactor. That's what Tom Barr does.

I prefer simplicity over complicated plumbing setups. In the case of having a sump, it's easy to keep all your hardware in the sump.

On my 48G I have a simple sump where the overflow drops into one side of a 20G long tank where a CO2 diffuser is under the hose. Then just two pieces of poret foam and a return pump. I have no problem dropping my pH 2 points in a few hours.

What is your kH?


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Overfloater said:


> That sump is a wet/dry tower. Just stick a ceramic diffuser in the area below the bioballs and seal the dry side with duct tape. You now have a giant CO2 reactor. That's what Tom Barr does.
> 
> I prefer simplicity over complicated plumbing setups. In the case of having a sump, it's easy to keep all your hardware in the sump.
> 
> ...


That's a really clever idea. Would it be practical in a heavily planted tank?


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## Devi (Dec 31, 2014)

Created an account to ask this question. I recently came into possession of a JBJ 45 gallon rimless. It is an all in one tank. No sump. I have five low tech planted tanks, three of which use CO2, but just with a small 16g bottle and a diffuser. I have two questions, can the CO2 be in the back chamber, or does it have to be in the main display? What equipment do I need to keep a tidy CO2 reactor? I would like a nice regulator and tank that fits below inside the stand. I have been online, looking at paintball, homebrewing, and I have NO CLUE what I am looking at. Please help! Sorry if I highjacked the thread just seemed to be the right place, sort of.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Devi said:


> Created an account to ask this question. I recently came into possession of a JBJ 45 gallon rimless. It is an all in one tank. No sump. I have five low tech planted tanks, three of which use CO2, but just with a small 16g bottle and a diffuser. I have two questions, can the CO2 be in the back chamber, or does it have to be in the main display? What equipment do I need to keep a tidy CO2 reactor? I would like a nice regulator and tank that fits below inside the stand. I have been online, looking at paintball, homebrewing, and I have NO CLUE what I am looking at. Please help! Sorry if I highjacked the thread just seemed to be the right place, sort of.


From what I've gathered on here, it seems the most cost-effective way would be to get a 5lb co2 tank (or larger depending on your stand space), regulator with correct valves, and either a very high quality diffuser or a reactor (depending on how you have your filtration setup). Many on here rave about DIY reactors, but if that isn't your thing there are some not very expensive reactors out there (sera flore is one i've seen with decent reviews). I've personally looked into paintball setups and they get pretty expensive in the long term with frequent tank fills. 

If you have a basic HOB filter, then I'd guess the diffuser would be the way to go. Ceramic seems to be the way to go with these. You'll obviously get better CO2 usage if it's being directed right into the main display where the plants are. 

Not an expert on this by any means, but from this forum and all the answers and advice I've been getting it seems these are some of the takeaways.


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## flight50 (Apr 17, 2012)

mmcgill829 said:


> Oh! Hm! Where'd you get instructions for it?


Here is the main cerges thread that started it all.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=110100&highlight=cerges
And here is the Rex Griggs Reactor. 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22296&highlight=cerges
The Rex Griggs is probably the second most commonly used diy reactor. Some still use it as others have went with the cerges. I will be using both actually as a comparison. I will use the (4) cerges on my racks and a Rex on my 125g plant growout tank.

As mentioned, both are fairly inexpensive to build and only requires cutting pvc to length. Try to limit metal fittings if you can. Nylon, pvc, plastic... can be found in some stores and online. If your using a compression fitting, your pretty much have to use a brass fitting though. For the cerges, if you guy locally, I recommend taking the filter apart in the store, and try out all the pvc fittings until you get a snug fit without glue. For me, cpvc couplings was a perfect fit. Regular pvc was too loose.


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

Devi, Tom Barr duct tapes the wet/dry tower on his sumps to keep in the CO2 which turns the wet dry into a big reactor. How about using a CO2 diffuser next to your pump's intake so most of the tiny bubbles go into the intake and making sure the sump area is as closed off as possible? If water enters that section from below this would work nicely. From the photo posted on Marine Depot of a JBJ 45 it looks like this would work out well.

I have made a Rex Grigg and a Cerges reactor. Since they both went into sumps I didn't need to be sure they were completely water tight and both were very easy to build with very few tools. Both worked fine but the Cerges is much neater looking as basically the up tube is inside the filter casing where the tubing on a Grigg is likely quite messy looking. I have had 2 pumps in the sump for several years now and really like it that way. The main pump isn't restricted by any add ons and the small one could be restricted if need be to help the reactor work better.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

flight50 said:


> Here is the main cerges thread that started it all.
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=110100&highlight=cerges
> And here is the Rex Griggs Reactor.
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22296&highlight=cerges
> ...


A shame that cerges post doesn't have photos anymore. Those would be useful for dummies like myself when it comes to DIY stuff like this.


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## Devi (Dec 31, 2014)

So Kathyy if I put the the diffuser pretty much right in-between the two pumps it will shoot the CO2 into the tank? AH HA! That is a good deal. I suppose I can rig some sort of top for that area, water level might make it difficult. A nice piece of glass cut to size should do the trick. Although there are some cords that will stick out. 

I have not yet read the posted articles, so I might answer this next question myself, is there a regulator that can be timed to shut off? Like on after lights are on for an hour, off before lights turn off at a set time kind of thing? 

The five gallon sized tanks would work well because I can get them filled at the liquor store, I get lost when it comes to the regulators. 

Thank you all for the help.

Bump: On this site is an ad for this place. Free shipping to the states. Is this any good, I can fill this tank @ paintball center. http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections/complete-co2-systems/products/complete-paintball-aquarium-co2-system-for-tank-up-to-250l


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## Coralbandit (Feb 25, 2013)

Devi;
the solenoid does need to be plugged in.Many have them on timers to run with lighting.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

I ended up getting a sera flore 500 reactor since I really don't know what I'm doing when it comes to DIY. I also ordered a GLA Pro co2 system with a 5# tank, so I suppose I'll see how it all winds up working out when I get thing started up soon. 

The reactor wasn't terrible expensive (about $40 shipped), so even if it doesn't wind up being the best thing ever, it's not the end of the world. 

After doing a lot of reading about different regulators and such, it seems the GLA ones get a lot of praise, so I took a big gulp and ordered one. I just went ahead and ordered the whole system since it comes with pretty much everything I need. Just have to hook it up to the reactor, plug it in, and fiddle with the bps rate. 

I will, of course, need to pick up a decent drop checker here soon. It will help me initially figure out a good routine to get everything on -- bps rate, when to set my timer to shut it off, etc.

Bump: Any tips appreciated, btw!


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## Ruxl (Dec 14, 2013)

Some folks on here sell drop checkers for cheap, or you can hit up the bay and get them. GLA has some very nice ones, but they are $$$. If you are willing to put in a little work, I would recommend getting 2 drop checkers with calculated dKH per http://dropcheck.petalphile.com/. This will increase their accuracy. It recommends some crazy small amounts of baking soda, I used 5x the recommended amount and then diluted down the mixture 1/5.

Try your best not to come in with a preconceived bps when you start working on it. The best thing you can do is use your fish as the indicator. Once you know your limit you can lock in your bps, PH, etc. and go from there.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

Ruxl said:


> Some folks on here sell drop checkers for cheap, or you can hit up the bay and get them. GLA has some very nice ones, but they are $$$. If you are willing to put in a little work, I would recommend getting 2 drop checkers with calculated dKH per http://dropcheck.petalphile.com/. This will increase their accuracy. It recommends some crazy small amounts of baking soda, I used 5x the recommended amount and then diluted down the mixture 1/5.
> 
> Try your best not to come in with a preconceived bps when you start working on it. The best thing you can do is use your fish as the indicator. Once you know your limit you can lock in your bps, PH, etc. and go from there.


Yeah, definitely. I think I'll actually end up getting a controller, now that I've done some reading up on them.


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## mmcgill829 (Dec 22, 2014)

I ended up getting a GLA regulator and tank. Now to just get a drop checker...


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## Kathyy (Feb 22, 2010)

Put the CO2 on the tank as soon as your CO2 tank is full! You don't need a drop checker to run CO2, just turn up the gas slowly as I am sure you have read many times here and watch the fish. Only time the drop checker helps me is I see it is blue when gas should be on and know the tank is empty!


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## kabendixen (Jan 27, 2015)

*uv light*

Some things to consider, maybe this was mentioned but didn't read everything from the beginning so bear with me...

As far as the reactor is concerned slowing the water down so the bubbles can rise is important, so a larger diameter reactor is better. Try to visualize if a bubble will rise or just shoot through the tube given the flow you are pumping. You want the bubble to remain in the tube till is nearly dissolved.

And as far as the UV light is concerned I would tee off the pump and put a flow control to the uv light. This way you can send only a small amount of flow through the uv light, not all of it. Often times if the flow through it is to fast the radiation time is to short to do any good. Depends what you are trying to kill. I learned this when I was trying to kill saltwater ich and I was just giving them a tan.


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