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OK I just set up a dual bottle CO2 unit in our adopted 75 gal.

The canister is an Eheim wet dry canister. I'm concerned that the action of the filter that make it a wet dry unit will defuse my efforts.

Any ideas if I have something to worry about?

My CO2 test kit is in the mail, but I didn't want to wait.

Last edited by Shannen at 22-Feb-2005 13:33

Hi Shannen,
I'm assuming that the wet/dry filter is separate from the
DIY CO2 system. It sounds like you have a wet/dry
canister, in which case the can is "sealed."

Just be sure that the output of the filter is below the
surface of the water, and does not rile or agitate the
surface.

As an aside, 30 gallons is about the normal, largest,
tank that one uses a DIY CO2 system on. Larger tanks
require several of the 2 liter bottles, connected in
series, and several other bottles ready to be mixed and
put in place as the in use ones run down. It gets to be
a real chore to provide enough CO2 to a large tank to
see any difference. IF you are going to use CO2 injection
in that 75 gallon tank, you will want to go to a bottled
gas system.

Frank



-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Yes this is a sealed canister, I'm not sure of the manner that it is wet/dry. I was just concerned that what ever action this filter uses to make it a wet dry would make my efforts vane. [link=this is the filter I'm talking about]http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3639&amp;inm=1&amp;N=2004+22778+113565" style="COLOR: #000080[/link]

I know multiple bottles are needed, I have a pressure/float gages set up on the lines, so I know when to get the new mix ready.

A bottle type injection is in the plans for future use I just assumed seeing as how one 2 ltr with double the amount of mix in my 40 has made a noticeable dif, this would help.

I'm going on the idea that something is better than nothing. I'm currently making another dual bottle setup for my 40 to feed directly into the HOB filter intake as it does now.

Yeah I had to reposition the spray-bar, Jamie had it pointing up to the surface, creating a lot of agitation.

As always, thanks Frank!

Shannen

The best way to find out is to measure your CO2 by pH and KH tests. But it does sound that a lot of CO2 will escape because the

Exchange of oxygen and CO2 is accomplished by means of displacement through the specially designed breathing tube

. This was found on the link you gave us.

The best thing for you to do might be to construct an inline CO2 reactor. I'm sure you can google a DIY for one, and I've seen moondog's before.

Last edited by mattyboombatty at 21-Feb-2005 17:03

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

yeah, I got some ideas. Meh a project for another weekend.

OK now I'm getting annoyed. The day after I made this set up for Jamie's 75, I liked it so much I made the same for my 40. Well the 40 was bubbling within an hr.

I waited until last night for the 75 to bubble and still nothing. I replaced the mix and mixed it identical to how I did the set up for the 40. I even added another bottle to the setup making a total of 3 DIY yeast plumbed into this 75 gal tank. This morning? Nothing!

The only dif between the 2 tank's set ups is how deep the CO2 line has to go before entering the filter intake tube.

In the 75 the tube goes all the way to the bottom of the tank before entering the filter inlet tube. In the 40 it's at about halfway.

Could the added pressure of the depth be preventing the mix from having enough pressure to reach the bottom of the tank?

If it's not working when I get home, I'm gonna have to break out with a soap bubble mixture to look for leaks in the system.]

Any other Ideas?

Thanks

Shannen

My guess would be a leak, with 3 2L bottles, I'm sure there would be enough pressure to get to the bottom of the tank.

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

me too, I suspect it is the secondary drip bottles I used, they are common water botles and the lids do not hold down tight. I did however pressure check them before hooking them up. I will bypass them and see if this helps.

I'll keep ya posted..

Hi,
I believe we addressed this in the chat room, but for
others that read this thread, you do not want to put
the output of the CO2 generator into the filter input.
It can fill the filter with air and lock up the filter.
The output from the CO2 generator should go into the
filter output hose and then into the tank.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

OK problem solved, not only were the drip bottles crap, but another thing I did dif was on the 75 I used a plastic bonding (yeah right) super glue.

On the 40 I used some of the left over marine epoxy that I used to rebind the corners on the plastic frame of my 55.

Guess who won the hold ability prize. The epoxy was the way to go.

I know bulkhead fittings would have been better, but I was actually at the LFS when I was struck with this idea. So I grabbed what they had. End to end tubing connectors, and yes I got the silicone tubing, it's cheap too.

You know me Frank; I always try to push some sort of limits.

Thanks for mentioning that Frank. I believe you of course, about the canister. My HOB has been running yeast like this for almost a yr, and the only problem I have is when it stops, sometimes I have to lift and reseat the filter tube to make it get going again.

After our conversation I came up with the idea of feeding the output line into the large gravel vac tube that we don't use full of bio balls to act as a reactor. The only reason (and correct me if I'm wrong please) that I am even considering feeding it into the filter intake for now, is I could swear that I had read that (again correct me if I'm wrong) you had mentioned that the only people that didn't run into many problems with feeding the line into to intake on a canister are people with ehiems. This is an ehiem. Might have been another respected member tho&#8230;.

Even still I will get far better results out of the CO2 if injected into a reactor being fed by the outlet tube.

The float valve, well that is a dif story, I'll get on that later, once my experiments with it are done and over with.

Thanks for the input!

Hi Snannen,
I think you are confusing me with someone else. I've never
mentioned any filter by brand. Nor have I ever advised
placing the output of a CO2 system into the input line of
any filter. I have always suggested that if the filter
is going to be used as the source of water flow, that the
output of the CO2 line go to the output of the filter.

If you are going to use the pump of the filter to "kill two
birds" that is move water through the filter and the CO2
reactor, then the water should exit the filter and enter the
reactor and then flow back into the tank where it exits the
return tube, under the surface and is directed towards the
bottom of the tank.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

oops, sorry. *scratches head* I know I read someone here say that..

I'll get on the new reactor this weekend.