Reactor Choices

[anonapersona]

let me guess, a studying engineer?

anona, an engineer who often over-techs

[STAT 007]

LOL. No, actually clinical psychology (previously pre-med).

[STAT 007]

For the record, to make a gravel vac-type reactor (like the one I bought) diffuse the CO2 better, remove and squeeze the bottom sponge in the large tube while holding it underwater to allow it to soak up water. Then replace it in the reactor. This will saturate the sponge and keep it from acting as almost a total barrier to water flow through it. After all, you want water to flow through it as the powerhead pushes it down, but you want the bubbles to stay above it and get smaller and smaller as they spin around. If the sponge hasn't soaked up water (it won't really do it on its own, even if it's being held underwater--it has to be squeezed and released), a ton of bubbles will show up as the water swirls instead of the few bubbles of pure CO2 that are dissolving.