[essabee]

Can you just go on increasing the CO2 into your reactor and expect all of it to be dissolved? I think not. Once you have achieved the limit any excess will start to accumulate and you would need to burp the reactor.

Has anyone tried to add an automatic burper/CO2 limiter to their DIY reactors??

 

[_NE_]

You will reach a point where the reactor / flow will limit the co2 from dissolving.

I find the burping method to be the wrong way to solve it, you will not get more co2 in the water by burping it, if you add more co2 than what will be dissolved turn down the co2 flow.
If you don't get enough dissolved co2 either the reactor or the pump is limiting your dissolvement.

 

[Rex Grigg]

A properly designed reactor will be able to handle dissolving any amount of CO2 that one would consider normal in a tank.

 

[tazcrash69]

IME there are 2 major factors when building a reactor:
1) length, how far a bubble can rise in the reactor
2) flow, if it's too fast, it comes out of the outflow as tiny bubbles before it gets dissolved, if it's too slow It will just rise to the top before it gets dissolved.


FWIW diameter will effect #2,
adding Bio-balls will effect both.
1) the bubble will no travel longer through twists and turns,
2) they will slow the flow.

 

[esarkipato]

If the gas buildup in the reactor is purely co2, then I don't think an "automatic burper" should be necessary. The excess gas will be dissolved eventually when the co2 shuts off. If you maintain the exact same BPS all day and night, 24/7, then you may have problems. If your bubble count exceeds the ability of the reactor to dissolve co2, and you aren't AT LEAST turning the co2 off at night, then I suggest you do so. Once the bubble counter turns off, the air pocket of gas in the reactor will diminish to zilch. If you are worried about the co2 being dissolved into the water during the plants respiration, put an air bubbler on a timer that disrupts the survace of the aquarium and increases gas exchange.

Conversely, maybe you are getting oxygen or other gases trapped in the reactor, which don't dissolve so easily. In that case, check for leaks!

 

[crazy loaches]

Yes you can exceed the capacity of a reactor, and yes some have been made with burp holes. I dont beleive these burp holes had anything to do with increasing their co2 dissolving capacity, more like a failsafe so whatever pump was in the system didnt run dry due to gas buildup. They make little dinky reactors for small tanks, you wouldnt expect them to be able to maintain 30ppm in a few hundred gallon tank though. I think the internal venturi mister built from Tom Barrs design had a burp hole incorporated into it, I cant remember for sure, will have to do some searching here.

Edit>yeah it did have a burp hole. http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/35198-barr-internal-venturi-co2-reactor.html?highlight=internal+venturi

 

[alanzhao]

IME there are 2 major factors when building a reactor:
1) length, how far a bubble can rise in the reactor
2) flow, if it's too fast, it comes out of the outflow as tiny bubbles before it gets dissolved, if it's too slow It will just rise to the top before it gets dissolved.


FWIW diameter will effect #2,
adding Bio-balls will effect both.
1) the bubble will no travel longer through twists and turns,
2) they will slow the flow.

exactly, that's why I made my reactors at least 20" tall and 2" wide body. The new ones feature open-able body to add bio-balls for more CO2 dissolving capacity.