[rdmustang1]

My two main tanks have been going crazy with plants. I've been using clippings to help them fill in but there have been so many I started giving them to friends. Now my friends have so many plants that I have clippings and nowhere to put them. I can't throw them away so I'm starting a "grow out tank." The tank will be basically dedicated to clippings that I'll try and sell and other plants that might need some extra light or nutrients. I'm also planning on putting the PFR culls from my 12l in to keep the new shrimp high quality but keep a lower quality tank too.

The tank isn't anything special. I picked it up at the Petco $1/gal sale. The lights are the old 4x 48" t5ho from my 190. I built a make-shift regulator and picked up a full 20# CO2 tank for $40. Filtration is also make-shift until some other parts come in. I'm planning on having 2x sponge filters. One powered by a powerhead and the other powered by a pump that has a Rex Griggs reactor attached. Substrate is Eco Complete (I'm a big fan and got a great deal at Petco). Doing EI dosing just like my other tanks.

I did my weekly cleanup on my 190. It was a little larger than normal but not much. Here is a pic of the new tank and clippings:

Current stats:
Tank: 40b (from Petco's $1/gal sale)
Substrate: 80# Eco Complete
Lights: Reused 48" Fishneedit 4x t5ho (this will hopefully be changed to 4x 36" to actually fit the tank)
CO2: Pressurized from make-shift air products regulator & old parts, 20# CO2 tank
Ferts: EI Dosing
Filtration: Emperor 280 (will be replaced)

 

[rdmustang1]

So I knew my in-tank diffusor wasn't going to cut it. I can't stand wasting CO2. It did a good job but there was still some (10-20%) CO2 wasted.

I also knew I wanted to not use a HOB filter. I really wanted to use sponge filters as they're best for shrimp and I will be having shrimp in this tank.

So my solution was to fit an internal pump to the sponge filter and incorporate a Rex Griggs style reactor.

The results...

Reactor built and glued:

Reactor painted with Krylon Fusion spray paint:

The pump pumps water out of the tank where CO2 is injected. The CO2 pumps down the reactor, then back up and into the rear of the tank.

What do you think?