Chuck Gadd's C02 reactor Help!!

[MantisX]

I recently built a c02 reactor from Chuck Gadd's plans Chucks c02 reactor My problem is, I dont see any increase whatsoever in c02 saturation. My ph and kh is the exact same everytime I test it. Did I build mine wrong? Has anyone else had an experience like this?

Thanks

MantisX

[KyleT]

how long has it been set up for? Your won't see results right away. Give it a good 3-4 days.

Kyle

[Rex Grigg]

How many bubbles per minute is your DIY rig generating? How large is the tank? Is there a large bubble of CO2 inside the reactor?

[Laith]

Originally Posted by Fender963

how long has it been set up for? Your won't see results right away. Give it a good 3-4 days.

Kyle

3-4 days? how's that? When I inject CO2 into my tank I get the pH moving within the hour, sometimes less...

[malkore]

Kh should NOT change with Co2 injection...so lets be clear about that.

You shouldn't see the pH move much until you're going for a few hours. If you're seeing it move that fast Laith, you're shooting a hell of a lot of CO2 into the tank.

[Laith]

No, don't think I am.

I've got a KH of 4.5 and the CO2 system linked to a pH controller set to 6.8. When the pH gets up to 6.9, the solenoid opens and CO2 is injected (about 1 bubble per second). Within about an hour to an hour and a half, the pH is already reading 6.89 or 6.88.

It's not a huge drop in that time but the CO2 is definately already having an effect.

[KyleT]

Originally Posted by Laith

3-4 days? how's that? When I inject CO2 into my tank I get the pH moving within the hour, sometimes less...

Well I guess it depends, I just assumed he was using DIY CO2, why i assumed that I dont know. So tell us MantisX are you using DIY or pressurized?

Kyle

[dennx]

My pH is set for 7.0. When it rises to 7.1 the CO2 is injected at a rapid rate and within 15-20 minutes its back to 7.0. Should I adjust this process to inject at a slower rate (bubble count) or does it matter? ...it's the same amount of CO2, just injected at a faster rate, am I right?

[MantisX]

Hi all. I am using DIY c02 bubbling at a bubble per second. The reactor has been setup for about 5 days with no changes in ph at all. Id also like to add that my tank has an open top. The tank is a 10 gallon. Im about to just give up on it and ebay the powerhead and just let it bubble into the water. Either that or try a hagen ladder.

Thanks

[fedge]

man don't use a ladder go to my bell post eureka!.. that one is supperior!

[malkore]

sounds like the reactor isn't doing anything to dissolve CO2.
the hagen ladder is great for tanks up to about 20 gallons if your doing DIY. it's actually about a 95% dissolve rate, and if you have a little flow in front of it, the CO2 rich water is getting distributed throughout the tank.

[MantisX]

The ladder sounds like something id like to do, but the cheapest one I could find was 17.00 shipped. Does it really cost 7 dollars to ship this thing? I guess if I have to ill bite the bullet, because I really think my c02 levels are why my algae is getting out of control. I dont dose that much and the plants bubble, but I can tell they arent using everything I put into the water.

Thanks

[Momotaro]

Whoa! That is pricey.

You might want to put together a bigger order.

Mike

[glass-gardens.com]

The problem is your ordering a single item and getting nailed for the base shipping rate, the frog is right, order a few more items.