AM Reactor 1000 vs UP Aqua Atomizer

jonny_ftm

Guru Class Expert
Mar 5, 2009
821
2
16
Sorry, mistake on topic

You just look on ebay for CO2 atomizer
 
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jonny_ftm

Guru Class Expert
Mar 5, 2009
821
2
16
It rocks in my nano, look in signature.
I'm ready to change my AM1000 for the Atomizer on the 60 gal too. Filmed the bubble counter with my camera to count precisely the bubble number. Changed the drop checker liquid and made a photo with its tint to compare.

Should do the change this week and monitor drop checker/bubble count and especially plants growth/healt without modifying other things. Hard to be sure no other factors present, but the tank is 18 months old and very stable/consistent except the fact I recently moved from 50% weekly WC to monthly WC which affected plants in a visible manner as I reduced my dosing too. I won't change anything in my routine but CO2 injection
 

MrFish

Junior Poster
Jul 9, 2007
8
1
1
I switched back to the reactor as i didnt have enough time to monitor everything.
Not sure but it looked like the atomizer went well and the plants did grow well. I couldnt distinguish between pearling and settled co2 bubbles.
Still plan to use the atomizer when i rebuild the 3 ft at the end of the year :)
 

jonny_ftm

Guru Class Expert
Mar 5, 2009
821
2
16
Sorry, the test won't happen :-(

I have to change home, yet another time. Wasn't expected this soon after just one year. Professional necessity.
I'm stopping the 60gal tank this time and will give all my fish plants.

I will restart a Tanganyika African cichlids tank, no plants, no CO2, no ferts, high flow to avoid syphonning, so should be lower maintenance overall

Sorry for not being able to compare both units, but really, the atomizer should win easily. For the price, just give it a try, it rocks in my nano (signature link)
 

majstor

Junior Poster
Dec 14, 2009
18
0
1
I was thinking about buying atomizer but after reading one big thread on some forum about experiences i just dropped idea and bought something else. People had problems with the leaking and cracking plastics and it needs to be cleaned too, which is something of a problem with inline device
 

jonny_ftm

Guru Class Expert
Mar 5, 2009
821
2
16
Bad units can come with any product, even high brands. Often, people who write a review are the one not satisfied. Happy people with a product, often never give a feedback, that's why you can have a bad idea on a product reading reviews.

In 7 months, mine didn't crack, doesn't leak and was never cleaned. CO2 flow is very constant, so I won't clean it untill CO2 flow drops or I need higher pressure, which is not the case.

I read reviews of many satisfied people on an australian forum after many months and even a year of trying it.
 

hani

Lifetime Charter Member
Lifetime Member
Jul 27, 2007
302
0
16
i have 2 units, they work fine, been 5 months, if it cracks, will , its less than 20$.
 

Steven

Guru Class Expert
Aug 5, 2009
194
0
16
I have used a reactor before...
P1012128.jpg

P1012130.jpg


and recently this UP inline atomizer
http://www.up-aqua.com./00-dm-page/00up_dm-co2-big.jpg

After running it for a while, I switched back to my previous reactor type.

UP inline atomizer :
Pro :
  • Easy installation
  • Tiny in size compare to a reactor type
  • Doesn't reduce flow rate from filter
  • Produces very fine bubbles
Cons :
  • Requires very high pressure from CO2 tank to diffuse CO2
  • Hard to clean
  • Cause a cheap bubble counter/CO2 tubing to break easily

Ista MaxMix Reactor type :
Pro :
  • Nearly 98% CO2 dissolving rate
  • Stable CO2 supply
  • Easy to clean
Cons :
  • Bulky size
  • Hard to install
  • Seriously decrease flow rate from a filter

The reason I switched back to my CO2 reactor type was worrying when the CO2 tank is running low and might not be much of CO2 pressure left to force the atomizer to diffuse the CO2 and also concerning that the CO2 rate will become unstable then since this type of atomizer requires a very high pressure to dissolve CO2 gas and it is bad for planted tank and will induce BBA later from unstable CO2 supply rate.

I also have noticed that my DC never turned to yellow when using this atomizer that made me wonder if the CO2 was dissolved well or just nearly well although my plants were pearling or there was settled CO2 on their leaves as MrFish said?

When I switched back to my CO2 reactor, I can easily turn my DC to yellow with much lower BPS on BC and I think although the bubbles from reactor is sometimes much coarse compared to atomizer but most of it has dissolved in water inside the reactor chamber before entering the tank via spray bar.

I think the atomizer type is ok for nano size tank but not for larger tank since you can't increase the CO2 rate more than 3BPS on your BC no matter how much you further open your needle wheel regulator but this is not the case for CO2 reactor type.

Just my 2 cents.
 
H

Htomassini

Guest
I have been using the up aqua co2 unit on my 210 and it works as advertised. I have a video of it here and I sell it at my store.
Cleaning is easy disconnect and clean with pipe cleaner brush.

A single unit will get my ph from 7.6 in the morning to 6.8 and turn drop checkers to light green. I choose not to put more co2 because of my fish but it could if I wangled to (already tried).

To me my fish come first then plants. And btw it's using less co2 than the reactor method or needle wheel with Venturi.


Feel free to ask any questions on it.

[video=youtube;K7iE98qu7U4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7iE98qu7U4[/video]
 
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Steven

Guru Class Expert
Aug 5, 2009
194
0
16
Say that I am a CO2 maniac :), how can I push more CO2 supply with that unit? I can't increase more than 3BPS with my JBJ bubble counter.

When your CO2 tank supply remain less than 1/4 of its content, do you noticed a slow down rate of CO2 supply with that unit since the pressure from the CO2 tank has reduced much more than when it's full?

Do you or do you not noticed irregular CO2 bubble count rate from bubble counter unit when running this atomizer? I mean in one second it push 2BPS of CO2 but in the next second will be 3BPS?

You mentioned the way you clean your atomizer by using hose brush but do you ever noticed that unit sometimes may has water caught in it when solenoid is off, what about the inside part? is it possible that dirt may accumulated inside? If it is, it will reduced the CO2 rate then, no?

Frankly speaking, I just used that atomizer for just about 3 weeks and those are the troubles I found but maybe you can help me. Thank you.
 
H

Htomassini

Guest
Well first of all if should be on the return line after your filter. It should stay pretty clean. I'm running it with a tank full of discus and you know how dirty they are and my unit is very clean. Then again my water is crystal clear.

I'm running more bps than I can count. So 3bps sounds low. Did you get a real up aqua unit or a knock off on eBay. There Is a difference. The real deal will set u back around 40$

I know because the cost on the real ones is more than what some people sell fake ones on eBay.

How big is your tank? What are you trying to accomplish co2 wise?

Did you do your measurements morning lights off ph and kh? And at 3 and 5 hrs?

Dual drop checkers?




Henry Tomassini
www.theplantedaquariumstore.com
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

peguinpower

Junior Poster
May 18, 2011
5
0
1
Definitely, the absorption and feed rate of Co2 will change. If you monitor it with a drop checker and consider that each change takes about 2 hours to equalize, before you tune the needle valve., you should be fine.
 

fjf888

Guru Class Expert
Oct 29, 2007
294
0
16
Northern Virginia
I have one of these. You do need at least 26 psi low pressure for it to work properly, per their instructions. With the back pressure (which you need to diffuse the CO2 through the atomizer), its likely to break check valves in the jbj bubble counter over time, it caused my BC to leak, and don't even think of using it with cheap check valves. That said, it works for me in my 72g, which I run inline on my sump return. Consistent bubble rate, good misting, consistent readings on DC, and there's no flow decrease, which is really important. You need solid components behind it though.
 

Steven

Guru Class Expert
Aug 5, 2009
194
0
16
Htomassini;65701 said:
I'm running more bps than I can count. So 3bps sounds low. Did you get a real up aqua unit or a knock off on eBay. There Is a difference. The real deal will set u back around 40$
Yes, of course. My seller imported it straight from the manufacturer at Taiwan. So no doubt, it is the real UP unit but strange I can make it more than 3BPS even I fully open my needle wheel regulator all the way.

Htomassini;65701 said:
How big is your tank? What are you trying to accomplish co2 wise?
My tank is 182L (90x45x45cm) and running 2 filters on it (JBL e1500 1500L/H and Eheim 2073 1050L/H), I installed my UP atomizer on the return hose of JBL 1500L/H filter.

Htomassini;65701 said:
Did you do your measurements morning lights off ph and kh? And at 3 and 5 hrs?
Yes, a second before the CO2 start, it read 7.3-7.4 pH and a second after the CO2 stop, it read 6.1-6.2 pH but again, strange, my DC never turn yellow instead light green with that atomizer but it does when I use the reactor type and my pH now varying from 7.3-7.4 to 5.6-5.7

Htomassini;65701 said:
Dual drop checkers?
Sadly no, but I tried to re-position it couples of times in different location and the result was quite the same.

And oh yes, I use brass check valve, 1 after the regulator and 1 after the BC
http://www.tzong-yang.com.tw/en/prod_detail.php?item_id=271
and so far nothing was broken, I just quit on that atomizer fearing anything will happen one day but you haven't answered what if your CO2 content drop below 1/4 of its content, will this atomizer still function normally? Any decrease in bubbles rate? Thank you.
 

fongalv

Junior Poster
May 12, 2011
23
0
1
Hi guys,

Just wanna share some of my own experience with the UP inline atomizer.

Have been using a 12/16 unit with Up bubble counter(the one with 2 integrated check valves) and stiff co2 tubing for more than a month. Started with 3L DIY co2 which I found to be very unreliable because of the inconsistent pressure generated and the high working pressure required. I only managed to see heavy misting a couple of times after I swirled/squeezed the bottles, otherwise I believe the bps was so low that the minimal c02 generated was totally dissolved.

I have mine fixed right below the return lily pipe, and there is no visible dirt buildup so far even when theres gunk on the hose pipes. Water only accumulates inside the unit when I disconnect the bubble counter(because of the built in check valves), otherwise it stays dry as far as I can see. The unit is made of very dark plastic after all.

I have since gone pressurised, and with a cheap manual reg, still finds it a little difficult to adjust the lower bps accurately. Will check back again after I receive a better reg with swag needle valve.

Overall, I'm quite happy with the unit because it reduces clutter inside the tank without restricting flow. The mist that comes out of it is so fine that its more like slightly cloudy water instead. I can get pearling running 1.5-2 bps in 15 mins after turning on reg and lights.
 
H

Htomassini

Guest
Well, my tank is still pretty full, so I guess I will not be able to answer the 1/4 full question. I can tell you one thing that I do like about this over a reactor, is that some regulators do "and end of tank dump" when the pressure in the tank falls in which they dump all the co2. In a venturi/ reactor setup, that means that all the co2 has an easy path to the mixing device. Here because the co2 has to pass a ceramic membrane, it has a physical limit in which it can assimilate co2 at any given time no matter how much you dump into it.
 

douahe

Junior Poster
Nov 29, 2010
26
0
1
Washington
Has anybody had a problem with the atomizers filling up with water overnight? I have the UP Aqua 16/22. I am guessing that the only reason this could happen is if there is a leak allowing the pressure to drop. I haven't been able to find out where though. I'm running it on an XP3 return. I have CO2 resistant tubing, a stainless check valve after a JBJ bubble counter. I have a Milwaukie regulator currently. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Helgi
 

GillesF

Member
Nov 1, 2010
404
0
16
Antwerp, Belgium
I have it too and it's normal, at night the water will seep back into the atomizer through the filter. When the co2 turns back on, the water will be pushed back due to the pressure. I don't know why it seeps into the atomizer, maybe the pressure drops slightly when the co2 shuts off?