[greenfish4]

I am setting up a new tank after taking a break from the hobby for awhile. This will be a 240 gallon tank with a built in wet/dry filter in the back (uniquarium type thing) I have a pressurized co2 system from another tank millwakee regulator and ph controller set up. I am not sure how i should handle the injection into this tank, since in all my other tanks I have run a reactor inline with the return from the canister filter. I could try and use a reactor inline with the return pump in this system however there is limited space available there? I am open to any thoughts or ideas here.

 

[greenfish4]

sorry if this has been covered before I did a few searches but didn't turn up exactly what I am was looking for.

 

[bsmith]

Thats a HUGE tank so getting efficient distribution will be tough. An in tank diffuser is pretty much off the table. You could get an inline diffuser like calaqua or the atomic ones sold by Green leaf aquariums, a sponsor here.

What type of filtration are you using (I think you said but could you post a link to what is is or pics of your tank)? Are you using any circulation equip like power-heads?

 

[greenfish4]

Here is a link to the manufacturer, the picture they are showing there is not actually the way this one is set up, it is the same principle but with two overflows right and left side. One thought would be to use two return pumps with two reactors?
http://www.advanceaquatanks.com/uniqrectangle.html

 

[Kathyy]

For years I got reasonably good diffusion in a 150 then a 100 gallon tank just by sticking the CO2 line in the impeller of the sump pump. I would think a diffuser next to the pump intake on either side with the filter area well covered would work just fine if this system has good enough circulation overall. The tiny bubbles would be sucked into the pump and diffusers are quite small, right?

 

[greenfish4]

Yes, a couple of diffusers in the return part of the sump would probably work fine, I realize that I meant to say though was reactor. I was imagining that i could modify what i have done in the past (10" section of pvc with bio balls in it inline with pump) and try that. I would just have to play around with it based on space.

 

[Texiwi]

I have a similar tank, but a 100G. I am currently using an in tank diffuser, but are unhappy with the soda water look of a million tiny bubbles everywhere! Seeing your post reminded me of something;
Years ago on a different tank, a 120G that was using a canister filter I was using one of those inline reactors that contains a bunch of bio balls, kinda similar to a rex grigs set up, but with bio balls in the tube. It worked great as a reactor and I had good results with no bubbles in the tank.
I am wondering if you can perform a similar setup by plumbing the co2 line into the bottom of the bio ball area on these all in one tanks? The bio balls certianly do good job of trapping the gas and not letting it bubble up & out. Although one thing to consider is that the flow through the reactor is much greater due to the smaller tube area when compared to the bioballs in the back of the tanks.
Could you "gas the bacteria?" in the filter and cause a cycle in the tank? maybe not seeing as others plumb directly into the canister filter for the impeller to chop up...

Hmm

 

[greenfish4]

That is a perfect idea, I wonder if I should suspend the bio balls with a bit of plastic egg crate? I think it should work well. I have very little experience with diffusers (having always used reactors) is there a particularly good kind of diffuser? I don't think the impact to the bio filter would be a big deal (tank is so big and gonna have such a small bio load). I am now wondering how much return pump I should use on this tank? It is set up for three pumps but it doesn't seem like I am gonna need that much water moving around?

 

[Texiwi]

The bio ball reactor (for lack of a better description, I think that I got it from Dr Foster Smith) just had a fitting going in at the bottom, not diffuser at all, you might get away with using an air stone or similar perhaps?
I would be concerned about a diffuser getting clogged, I dont know if that would happen or not though... One thing with air stones is that they tend to disintergrate quickly in the CO2 gas.

 

[greenfish4]

I'm pretty sure there are some co2 specific diffusers out there made out of ceramic. I am really curious to see how it is gonna turn out with the gas moving one way and the water falling the other. When I visualize it I think it will work out pretty well. If it doesn't I can always put a small pump on the third return and run it through a reactor.

 

[Texiwi]

Hey Greenfish4!

Make sure to keep us updated on this, I am really curious to see how it turns out.
Running a small pump through a reactor is appealing in my eyes, as I think that the Rex Griggs style is better, especially when you consider the lack of fine bubble in the tank etc.
If you were to use a seperate pump could anybody reccomend something? I think that the biological filtration in these tanks is great, so having another filter running is probably overkill, maybe some kind of water polishing filter? I wonder who makes thoses, Fluval?

Thanks
​

 

[greenfish4]

I am actually starting to get pretty excited about this tank (the filter style gives me room to hide everything) I think my first attempt will be to use a diffuser under the bioballs and hopefully not have millions of tiny bubbles(the water has a long way to go from there to the return pumps) if that doesn't work or isn't efficient I think I will try and fit some griggs style reactors inline with the return pumps (i have built them before and they work well) if that isn't feasible I have some extra canister filters that I could hook up and use. i was also thinking of using a D.E. (diatomaceous earth) water polisher that I have to plum a reactor inline with. I really can't imagine that it would come to that. I think that the bio ball diffuser will work. If the co2 ladders are at all successful this should work quite well. I could always use layers of filter sponge in the bio balls if it seems like the bubble's are escaping.

 

[Texiwi]

Awsome, it sounds like you are on top of things!
All these posts has got me thinking about what to do with my tank now. I am currently running a GLA atomizer in the tank (many bubbles in the water column), I am waiting on a new bubble counter to come in, and once that does I might go the same route as you and install the diffuser in the bio ball filter area also.
One of the main attractors for me with these tanks is that all the equipment is hidden, so removing the diffuser from the 'tank' is a great way to go. Hope that it works out.......