DIY spray bar/diffuser

mittzgame · 02-04-2008, 10:19 PM

I'm in the process of setting up a planted (around 60 Vals) 125 gallon cichlid tank. It's my first time using/injecting CO2. I was thinking about using a 3/4" X 18" piece of PVC for a spray bar, the first 6" wouldn't have any holes and would be filled with a sponge followed by a small layer of polyfill. The remaining 12" would have 1/8" holes every 3/4's of an inch. The CO2 would be injected just before the spray bar with a check valve within an inch of the junction to prevent water from backing up into the CO2 line. The canister filter would be pushing around 210 gph at that head space. It would be great if I could get some feedback about this idea to see if it would work or if there are improvements I could make. Thanks

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lemuj · 02-04-2008, 10:37 PM

aren't you going to sacrifice a lot of waterflow doing that? Why not just buy a powerhead and attached a spray bar and set-it-up the way you plan it...just a thought... better yet , why not just make yourself rex's reactor, that way it won't be visible as well, less clutter inside the tank..

mistergreen · 02-04-2008, 11:19 PM

look up diy co2 reactor in this forum.

And I just insert my CO2 line into my canister intake line... The CO2 diffuses inside my canister.

mittzgame · 02-05-2008, 12:24 AM

I thought about inserting the CO2 line into the intake but I read that there have been issues with impellers being damaged. Using the spray bar as a diffuser would seriously reduce water flow but it would be one of four filters on the tank so I would be fine with that. I'm new to the CO2/planted tanks thing so I have no idea what a rex's reactor is, is there a link to an article about it? I checked out some DIY reactors and diffusers but I'm trying to keep as much clutter out of the tank as possible so the rex's reactor sounds like it could do the trick.

mittzgame · 02-05-2008, 12:33 AM

n/m got the link for the reactor

lemuj · 02-05-2008, 01:28 AM

well here's the forum about it... and he has the link over there as well, on how to make one...

mittzgame · 02-05-2008, 07:51 PM

Thanks, I'll look them over!

02-04-2008, 10:19 PM	#1 (permalink)
mittzgame Newbie (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Enfield, CT Posts: 4	DIY spray bar/diffuser I'm in the process of setting up a planted (around 60 Vals) 125 gallon cichlid tank. It's my first time using/injecting CO2. I was thinking about using a 3/4" X 18" piece of PVC for a spray bar, the first 6" wouldn't have any holes and would be filled with a sponge followed by a small layer of polyfill. The remaining 12" would have 1/8" holes every 3/4's of an inch. The CO2 would be injected just before the spray bar with a check valve within an inch of the junction to prevent water from backing up into the CO2 line. The canister filter would be pushing around 210 gph at that head space. It would be great if I could get some feedback about this idea to see if it would work or if there are improvements I could make. Thanks

02-04-2008, 11:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
mistergreen Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 2,457	look up diy co2 reactor in this forum. And I just insert my CO2 line into my canister intake line... The CO2 diffuses inside my canister. __________________ Algae happens.

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02-04-2008, 10:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
lemuj Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Posts: 49	aren't you going to sacrifice a lot of waterflow doing that? Why not just buy a powerhead and attached a spray bar and set-it-up the way you plan it...just a thought... better yet , why not just make yourself rex's reactor, that way it won't be visible as well, less clutter inside the tank..

02-05-2008, 12:24 AM	#4 (permalink)
mittzgame Newbie (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Enfield, CT Posts: 4	I thought about inserting the CO2 line into the intake but I read that there have been issues with impellers being damaged. Using the spray bar as a diffuser would seriously reduce water flow but it would be one of four filters on the tank so I would be fine with that. I'm new to the CO2/planted tanks thing so I have no idea what a rex's reactor is, is there a link to an article about it? I checked out some DIY reactors and diffusers but I'm trying to keep as much clutter out of the tank as possible so the rex's reactor sounds like it could do the trick.

02-05-2008, 12:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
mittzgame Newbie (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Enfield, CT Posts: 4	n/m got the link for the reactor

02-05-2008, 01:28 AM	#6 (permalink)
lemuj Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, Canada Posts: 49	well here's the forum about it... and he has the link over there as well, on how to make one...

02-05-2008, 07:51 PM	#7 (permalink)
mittzgame Newbie (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Enfield, CT Posts: 4	Thanks, I'll look them over!