I have been running pressurized CO2 for approximately a month now and have had some mixed results. Here is my current setup
72g bowfront reef ready tank with sump and wet dry trickle filter. Flow from sump approx 450 gph, I have two return spouts which I have downturned as much as possible to minimize surface agitation. (once had illusions of going salt with this tank, I know this is not ideal for planted tank).
Lighting is a 260W Coralife aqualight (4x65)
The tank is heavily planted now (for the past month) and fortunately no real algae to speak of.
I purchased the ultralife pressurized CO2 system. Tank and regulator are fine, I am having problems with large 1cm bubbles coming out of the reactor every 10-20seconds, been playing with it, but clearly should have minimal bubbles coming from it. I running the reactor in the tank with a powerhead of 75gph.
Natural p.h of my water is approx between 7.4-7.6, DH is 4. My pH running cO2 is about 7.0, but I am running 5 bubbles per second, and with that rate, I would think my CO2 should be higher.
Whew, sorry for all the background. My question is is what is the best way with my current setup to dissolve CO2 into the water. I have been reading a good bit and it appears I can go one of 3 ways.
1. Rig up the reactor to my sump outflow or perhaps just run it in the sump with a separate outflow to the tank
2. Run it with a power head in the tank (like I am doing now)
3. Get a cannister filter and run it externally -everyone seems to do it this way
(would like to avoid since my filtration is adequate and I would be doing this really just for CO2)
I suspect my problem is a combination of crappy reactor, my wet dry trickle, and not setting up optimally for my tank. Any expert help greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Fred
72g bowfront reef ready tank with sump and wet dry trickle filter. Flow from sump approx 450 gph, I have two return spouts which I have downturned as much as possible to minimize surface agitation. (once had illusions of going salt with this tank, I know this is not ideal for planted tank).
Lighting is a 260W Coralife aqualight (4x65)
The tank is heavily planted now (for the past month) and fortunately no real algae to speak of.
I purchased the ultralife pressurized CO2 system. Tank and regulator are fine, I am having problems with large 1cm bubbles coming out of the reactor every 10-20seconds, been playing with it, but clearly should have minimal bubbles coming from it. I running the reactor in the tank with a powerhead of 75gph.
Natural p.h of my water is approx between 7.4-7.6, DH is 4. My pH running cO2 is about 7.0, but I am running 5 bubbles per second, and with that rate, I would think my CO2 should be higher.
Whew, sorry for all the background. My question is is what is the best way with my current setup to dissolve CO2 into the water. I have been reading a good bit and it appears I can go one of 3 ways.
1. Rig up the reactor to my sump outflow or perhaps just run it in the sump with a separate outflow to the tank
2. Run it with a power head in the tank (like I am doing now)
3. Get a cannister filter and run it externally -everyone seems to do it this way
(would like to avoid since my filtration is adequate and I would be doing this really just for CO2)
I suspect my problem is a combination of crappy reactor, my wet dry trickle, and not setting up optimally for my tank. Any expert help greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Fred