# TIRED of buying CO2 reactors!



## Sean W. (Oct 12, 2013)

Why dont you want to build your own, for like $8?

check out my build


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## bluesand (Nov 3, 2014)

Build yourself a cerge reactor.


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## Nlewis (Dec 1, 2015)

EddieX said:


> Unfortunately I do not have the time and patience to build something of my own, and I don't wish to trial and error with different styles; this would be a last resort for me.[/I]


If this is the case, it may be time for you to find a new hobby.


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## Fissure (Jun 29, 2014)

If you do not want to build your own get an Aqua Medic 1000 reactor. Also tried most things and ended up with these on both my tanks 110L and 500L. Works great, same thing as what Sean W built up there but the balls inside are stacked in such a way that there is less flow restrictions from the reactor.


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## nel (Jan 23, 2016)

I would recommend Sera reactor 1000, I have it, it's not blocking the flow and not even little bubbles reach my tank, everything dissolves.


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## Fissure (Jun 29, 2014)

Have to disagree with Nel, tried a Sera 500 on my smaller tank and it did constrict the flow quite a bit though this might have been from the 12/16 to 16/22 mm hose adapters. Anyways the fans on mine made quite a bit of noise which resonated through the tank stand where it was attached. Also the lack of a bleed valve was irritating, having to turn the entire unit upside down and risking hoses twitching/coming loose. Ended up in the bin


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## EddieX (Dec 17, 2014)

bluesand said:


> Build yourself a cerge reactor.


I will consider this. Is there a set of instructions for one with parts listed that I could go out and get?



Fissure said:


> If you do not want to build your own get an Aqua Medic 1000 reactor. Also tried most things and ended up with these on both my tanks 110L and 500L. Works great, same thing as what Sean W built up there but the balls inside are stacked in such a way that there is less flow restrictions from the reactor.


Never seen this one, this also looks promising. Does the CO2 get backed up at the top or does the flow and balls do a good job of chopping the CO2 before that happens?



nel said:


> I would recommend Sera reactor 1000, I have it, it's not blocking the flow and not even little bubbles reach my tank, everything dissolves.


I've heard mixed reviews about this one and it looks similar to my current ISTA Turbo one.



Fissure said:


> Have to disagree with Nel, tried a Sera 500 on my smaller tank and it did constrict the flow quite a bit though this might have been from the 12/16 to 16/22 mm hose adapters. Anyways the fans on mine made quite a bit of noise which resonated through the tank stand where it was attached. Also the lack of a bleed valve was irritating, having to turn the entire unit upside down and risking hoses twitching/coming loose. Ended up in the bin


That is definitely the problem I have now with my current one as well.



Sean W. said:


> Why dont you want to build your own, for like $8?
> check out my build


Where did you get the plastic tubing? I'm not opposed to building something like this, just need to find all the non Home Depot parts.


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## gmannel (Sep 1, 2016)

I too use the Sera Flore Active CO2 Reactor, in a 135 gal I use the 1000 model and have no probs at over 200 bubbles/min. I had room so mine is underwater in tank powered by a Cobalt 1200 power head so totally silent. The 500 would be way more than adequate for your size tank


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## mik778866 (Aug 22, 2014)

EddieX said:


> I've tried most if not all of the ebay/amazon ISTA reactors, ceramic diffusers out there. Nothing works.
> 
> .[/I]


Just out of interest. How has the ceramic diffuser failed you?

Sent from my ALE-L02 using Tapatalk


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

I built mine from parts I got from menards. A Rex Grigg style is not complex and it works welll. It is just a pipe that water flows from the top to the bottom, with co2 being added close to the top of the water stream. I can post a picture of mine if you would like. PVC is great. The nilocg one is great and it is the exact design that I used to build mine.


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## Fissure (Jun 29, 2014)

EddieX said:


> I will consider this. Is there a set of instructions for one with parts listed that I could go out and get?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have not encountered this in neither of my setups. Only thing that gets trapped is air when I do filter maintainance but this is easy to remove using the bleed valve on the top of the reactor.


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## Immortal1 (Feb 18, 2015)

@EddieX - you say your have a Hope Depot available. They should have everything you would need to build a Cerges Reactor. I can certainly help you with a parts list and construction details if you would like. If so, can you give me a Zip Code or some other address for the nearest Home Depot to you? I should be able to see on their web site what products they have available.


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## EddieX (Dec 17, 2014)

gmannel said:


> I too use the Sera Flore Active CO2 Reactor, in a 135 gal I use the 1000 model and have no probs at over 200 bubbles/min. I had room so mine is underwater in tank powered by a Cobalt 1200 power head so totally silent. The 500 would be way more than adequate for your size tank


That Sera Flore 500 looks almost identical to the Ista Turbo I have so my fear is I would encounter the same problems. The 1000 looks quite a bit longer though.



mik778866 said:


> Just out of interest. How has the ceramic diffuser failed you?
> Sent from my ALE-L02 using Tapatalk


I have a 55G long and I found that the ceramic diffuser was not covering all the corners of my tank and also because I didn't like the Sprite look that much. I'm sure it would work great on a smaller tank though.



sohankpatel said:


> I built mine from parts I got from menards. A Rex Grigg style is not complex and it works welll. It is just a pipe that water flows from the top to the bottom, with co2 being added close to the top of the water stream. I can post a picture of mine if you would like. PVC is great. The nilocg one is great and it is the exact design that I used to build mine.


If you can post a picture I would greatly appreciate that.



Fissure said:


> I have not encountered this in neither of my setups. Only thing that gets trapped is air when I do filter maintainance but this is easy to remove using the bleed valve on the top of the reactor.


Thanks for the information. Did you do any modifications to it? A quick search and I found some people ended up sawing off part of the connection barbs and removing the bio balls.



Immortal1 said:


> @EddieX - you say your have a Hope Depot available. They should have everything you would need to build a Cerges Reactor. I can certainly help you with a parts list and construction details if you would like. If so, can you give me a Zip Code or some other address for the nearest Home Depot to you? I should be able to see on their web site what products they have available.


I'm not sure if Home Depot Canada will have the same supplies as the US one but my postal code is L1K0C3. That would be great if they had parts I could pick up and do it. Thanks.


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## Fissure (Jun 29, 2014)

EddieX said:


> That Sera Flore 500 looks almost identical to the Ista Turbo I have so my fear is I would encounter the same problems. The 1000 looks quite a bit longer though.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I tried both with and without the bioballs, without bioballs to much CO2 for my taste escaped the reactor. The CO2 kinda "sticks" to the fins on the bioballs and thus have a harder time escaping. But the bioballs fit into the reactor in such a way that there is a "canal" in the middle, guessing this is to not restrict flow to much or it is maybe just a lucky coincidence.
Though I have to mention that on my large filter there is some of the smallest bubbles that escape every now and then but it's nothing that irritates me though.
On my smaller canister there is no bubbles escaping I would guess that for my large filter I would need a twice as long reactor for no CO2 bubbles to escape and that is to big for my cabinet anyways.
You could build a reactor like the Aqua Medic pretty easily yourself to your own wanted length I guess.

Now when I think of it the only mod I have done is cutting the CO2 hose inside the reactor to 1/3 of its original length. It releases the bubbles almost at the bottom and I see no good reason for this.


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## joebob296 (Sep 30, 2016)

Sean W. said:


> Why dont you want to build your own, for like $8?
> 
> check out my build


Do you need a check valve to stop the water from entering the tubing after the bubbles come out?


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## Sean W. (Oct 12, 2013)

joebob296 said:


> Do you need a check valve to stop the water from entering the tubing after the bubbles come out?


yes, you need a check valve in the Co2 line.


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## Immortal1 (Feb 18, 2015)

EddieX said:


> I'm not sure if Home Depot Canada will have the same supplies as the US one but my postal code is L1K0C3. That would be great if they had parts I could pick up and do it. Thanks.


Whole house filter - Store SKU 1000164571 (description does not list input/output thread size - assuming 3/4")
Schedule 40 PVC Male Terminal - Store SKU 1000100886 (you will need 2 of these to thread into the filter)
Schedule 40 PVC Tee, 3/4"x1/2" - Store SKU 1000166796 (you will need 1 of these for the cO2 injection point)
Schedule 40 PVC Female Adapter - Store SKU 1000100873 (you will need 2 of these for threaded hose hookup)
Schedule 40 PVC pipe (did not find a listing but I am sure they have it)
You will also need to 2 hose barbs that have 3/4" thread on one end and the correct size barb on the other end that matches your tubing from our canister filter (likely 1/2" or 5/8")

Schedule 40 PVC 3/4" 90 degree glue in elbows (did not find the SKU for these but I am sure they have them. You will need 2 of these if you add the ball valve. Optional.
Schedule 40 PVC 3/4" Tee, glue in. You will need 2 of these if you add the ball valve. Optional.

Optional
Ball Valve 3/4" PVC threaded Schedule 40 - Store SKU 1000425059 (you will use 1 of these. You will also need 2 more of the Male terminals if you go this route)
or you could go with this valve if you are ok with gluing the piping to the valve - Store SKU 1000425063 

Will get you a picture in the next post...

Bump: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/1100089-60-120-high-tech-community-planted-tank-journal-3.html
Scroll down in this thread for pics of the piping used to build this cerges reactor. I typically add the bypass with the ball valve on mine (top picture). In some cases it is not needed (bottom picture).


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