DIY CO2 reactor

[jbradt]

Hey peeps,

I've seen a few threads asking about DIY CO2 reactors, so I thought I'd put my build up here. I went with an internal model using a powerhead and the big end of a siphon.

I attached the output of the powerhead so it pushes water into the siphon tube. I melted a hole in the siphon tube and put an airstone inside attached to the CO2 line through the hole in the side of the tube.

The bubbles come out of the airstone and try to float up through the current provided by the power head. I put a sponge at the bottom of the contraption so most of the bubbles stay in the reaction chamber. So far it seems to be working well and only the tiniest of bubbles escape into the water column. I can only assume that means the efficiency is pretty good.

Always happy to answer questions and get feedback!

 

[Lab_Rat]

Looks neat JB! Can you make me one?

 

[jbradt]

Looks neat JB! Can you make me one?

If this one works out well, I'm going to make an inline one... :grinyes:, you should wait for that model to come out!

ps.. The only thing that cost a significant amount was the power head. I think I spent about $35 total and invested about an hour of time. The biggest drawback to it is that it's relatively big and a little hard to hide in the tank, but hopefully it'll help the vals grow and hide itself.

 

[ghengis]

That's always been my worry with this design, that it is quite obtrusive inside the tank. It's a very efficient system though, to be sure.

Nice build, j and great pics too. Thread should almost be a sticky, I'd reckon

 

[jbradt]

That's always been my worry with this design, that it is quite obtrusive inside the tank. It's a very efficient system though, to be sure.

Nice build, j and great pics too. Thread should almost be a sticky, I'd reckon

Thanks, ghengis! I've been looking at it all night and I think I've come up with a couple ideas to make it a little smaller and hopefully easier to hide. :grinyes: Of course, I'm hoping that within a couple weeks, the results will be worth building an inline one that I can then hide behind the tank... :headbang2:.

 

[jbradt]

If this one works out well, I'm going to make an inline one... :grinyes:, you should wait for that model to come out!

ps.. The only thing that cost a significant amount was the power head. I think I spent about $35 total and invested about an hour of time. The biggest drawback to it is that it's relatively big and a little hard to hide in the tank, but hopefully it'll help the vals grow and hide itself.

I should note that the price I quoted included an AquaClear 20 power head. for the diffuser chamber itself it was under $12.

Dang... title should read "diffuser" instead of "reactor"... maybe a mod could change it for me?