DIY Reactor w/ Eheim 2215 Classic??

Welcome to TPT! This forum is a great source of knowledge and discussion.

Well, i have a 2217 running on my 75g, along with a 2075 (also Eheim), and i feel that it is just barely enough flow for my tank. I can't imagine that a solo 2215, even supplemented with the AC110, will be enough, if you plan on a heavily planted tank. Add to that a DIY reactor, and your flow will diminish. This also is variable depending on the media inside the filter.
I'm sure that you'd be able to "drive" the reactor with your filter. But you will probably dissatisfied with the flow. Add another 2215, and you'll have better results. I'm assuming your going to ditch the AC 110? With all the splashing that HOB units produce, you'd definitely have some problems keeping your CO2 concentrations steady.

If you can, reduce your lighting until you get your CO2 situation worked out. With the amount of light that 3 T5HO bulbs produce, you will most definitely need to add CO2 and fertilizers, in order to keep algae from getting out of hand, especially if the only biomass you have from plants are Anacharis and Vals. Can you turn off individual bulbs, or perhaps remove them from the unit? Even with 2 bulbs, you'd still need to supplement CO2 and ferts.

I currently am running an inline CO2 diffuser (a Boyu), but am researching the Cerges reactors to achieve some better efficiency. So, i can't advise on the amount of cleaning involved.

Uh Oh! LOL

Guess I might need to stop looking into this. I hope not but I need to stop the blood flow of money pouring out of my veins at some point! I bought my stuff not intending to head in this direction at all! For filtering, I'm not inclined to sell what I have or buy much more. Before I do that, I would just have to toss the plants as they give up on me or something. That would really be horrible because I love the look but I can't keep hitting reset and throwing money at this system. My fish, lighting, etc... has really been one of those scenarios that causes someone to pull the plug and put everything on eBay. It's been real bad on many levels but I've fought this far so maybe there is hope.

This was a tank that was going to end up being a Discus tank but as much trouble as I'm having as-is, I'm done with that thought. I know the HOB isn't best, but from what I read, it isn't bad if it isn't "splashing". I keep my water near the top. The filter lip enters the water and there is no splashing. The 2215 spray bar is about 1-1.5" below the surface and exits horizontally, which ripples the water to the front but doesn't splash or break the surface. With the AC110 and 2215, 1/3 or more of the back of of my aquarium is a water entry point from filters (HOB on left and canister on right and the bowfront tends to bring both toward the center) so it is surprising to hear that I don't have enough flow. The water sure seems to churn all around. In fact, my HOB is cranked down all the way. 500 gph max from it and 164 gph from the eheim. I can turn the entire tank's supply over 9-10 times/hour. No good for Co2 or plants then? Will I just loose it all? If it is an okay filter setup, would a diffuser be a better choice since I don't have enough filter for a reactor?

Right now, I'm only running 2 of my T5HO bulbs. It is a Catalina aquarium unit with 1 switch for 2 lights and 1 switch for a 3rd, independent light.

From memory...and a frazzled one at that, I have (forgive spelling. still learning my plants):
Java Fern
Lace Java Fern - less than 1wk old
Anubius Nana - less than 1wk old
Anubius (of some other variety) - less than 1wk old
Anachris
Baby Tears
Dwarf Baby Tears
Brazillian Pennywort - less than 1wk old
Jungle Val
A short blade-grass plant sold to me as jungle val but isn't
dwarf hairgrass
Cardinal Plant
Kleiner Bar Sword - less than 1wk old
Longiplumulosus (or something like that) - less than 1wk old
And yes, hair algae of some sort which is why I got the excel. No other algae at all.

Fish (again spelling?):
Orange Von Rios
Black Phantom Tetras
Harlequin Rasboras
Cory's
Bristlenose Plecos
Dwarf Guarmis
Betta
Ghost Shrimp
4 Nerite Snails + lots of the little ones that surprised my after my 1st plant purchase.

Will be getting more fish as I progress.


So, am I doomed?

BTW... days of research on Regulators, etc... and now it sure seems like finding one on eBay is NOT going to be as easy as I expected. Just another Doh! moment for me.

jerry1 said:

Uh Oh! LOL

Guess I might need to stop looking into this. I hope not but I need to stop the blood flow of money pouring out of my veins at some point! I bought my stuff not intending to head in this direction at all!

Click to expand...

Same thing happened to me! I just resigned to the fact that this hobby costs a lot of money. It does taper off and level out after you reach a more advanced level... :smile:

jerry1 said:

This was a tank that was going to end up being a Discus tank but as much trouble as I'm having as-is, I'm done with that thought.

Click to expand...

From my experiences with a planted tank, I'd think that keeping Discus would be a cinch after reading about their care (haven't kept them)!

jerry1 said:

500 gph max from it and 164 gph from the eheim. I can turn the entire tank's supply over 9-10 times/hour. No good for Co2 or plants then? Will I just loose it all? If it is an okay filter setup, would a diffuser be a better choice since I don't have enough filter for a reactor?

Click to expand...

Supposedly Eheims rate their filters with media inside, and most other manufacturers rate theirs without media. So the 500 gph for the AC110 is exaggerated, and the 164 for the 2215 is a more real-world rating. Higher flow (not necessarily turnover), is better for keeping CO2 distributed to all parts of the tank. But if you're not running CO2...

jerry1 said:

Right now, I'm only running 2 of my T5HO bulbs. It is a Catalina aquarium unit with 1 switch for 2 lights and 1 switch for a 3rd, independent light.

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I'd suggest you go with one bulb until you start injecting CO2. Your plants won't die. They just won't grow as quickly.

jerry1 said:

So, am I doomed?

BTW... days of research on Regulators, etc... and now it sure seems like finding one on eBay is NOT going to be as easy as I expected. Just another Doh! moment for me.

Click to expand...

You're not doomed, lol. Just keep learning and asking questions. Just take it slowly and be prepared for everything to not work out like you planned, every time. Plants will die. Fish will die. Take it in stride and keep going.

There is a member on here, Left_C. PM him and ask about regulators. He's got a keen eye for finding the good deals on Ebay.

Good luck!

Well, I'm going to give this a try. I picked up some 2" parts for my DIY reactor. I will likely get the Sumo PBK to save time because I'm having a hard time finding everything quickly otherwise. Still having a hard time finding a good deal on a regulator. I emailed Left C so hopefully I hear back from him (his PM box is full).

If the reactor kills my flow too much, I will have to decide how to proceed. Either keep my HOB to see how it goes and get a power head or something like that to move the water... or bite the bullet and get another canister.

If I get another canister, any suggestions on the model? I am familiar with the Eheim Classic since I already have the 2215. My AC110 blows it out of the water for flow rate...both in specs and visually, it is a flow monster. My fish surf off that thing! Therefore, I would think I would need more than another 2215. Maybe 2217? Something else? I have no point of reference since this is my first system.

Thanks again.

Hi Jerry, I kind of have the same set up as you. I have a 90 gal, eheim 2217. I built a DIY reactor (Rex Grigg, www.bestaquariumregulator.com) and plumbed it inline after the outflow of my eheim. Before this, I had a bubble ladder, DIY yeast bottle , and failed miserably. I learned my lesson by reading more info on this forum. I know the cost for a pressurized tank, reg, etc can be costly but I can tell you it will make you more successful. The DIY reactor by rex grigg will cost a few bucks and easy to make should save you some money and I never have to clean it. I also made a DIY bubble counter with an old nalgene bottle too.

I think your 2215 is enough to filter and saturate the co2 but instead of going out and buying more filters to get flow, just pick up a couple of rio powerhead to circulate the flow in the in the tank. I've found that good co2 saturation is important but just as important is to distribute that co2 around the take for the health of your plants and to keep algae at bay -- stagnant water = algae.

jerry1 said:

Well, I'm going to give this a try. I picked up some 2" parts for my DIY reactor. I will likely get the Sumo PBK to save time because I'm having a hard time finding everything quickly otherwise. Still having a hard time finding a good deal on a regulator. I emailed Left C so hopefully I hear back from him (his PM box is full).

If the reactor kills my flow too much, I will have to decide how to proceed. Either keep my HOB to see how it goes and get a power head or something like that to move the water... or bite the bullet and get another canister.

If I get another canister, any suggestions on the model? I am familiar with the Eheim Classic since I already have the 2215. My AC110 blows it out of the water for flow rate...both in specs and visually, it is a flow monster. My fish surf off that thing! Therefore, I would think I would need more than another 2215. Maybe 2217? Something else? I have no point of reference since this is my first system.

Thanks again.

Click to expand...

Jerry, your getting real close getting all the equipment you'll need. I don't think you need another filter. I think your 2215 if fine, just a couple of power heads to circulate. The diy reactor should totally dissolve the co2.

I found 3 things to be successful...lighting (enough but not too much), good co2 levels and saturation, feeding your plants through the EI method or liquid ferts. Lighting and feeding is the easy part, getting your co2 just right is a little harder. Good luck my friend.