How To Build A Cerges CO2 Reactor

[Jason King]

Revised version 2

I've now reversed the in and out and also added a center from a old sponge filter that's very similar to a filter intake strainer.

also using a clear tubing instead of the white one i previously was going to use.


The end of the strainer fitted the bottom of the filter perfect

testing will happen asap once ive setup my co2 on the tank, ill be using my Eheim Professional 3 250 Filter - 2071 instead of my classic.

 

[ltb420]

In this configuration you will still get bubbles into the tank. This is more to add extra contact time with out having to deal with gas buildup.

 

[kevinmichael77]

Any updates on this?

 

[Jason King]

It turned out pretty good. But far to large for my small caninet so ive gone back to 7up.. inline.


I original built it for my 3ft tank with a bigger cabinet that has now closed down. So will add it once i get a larger tank again.


I get a small amount of gas build up that disolves once the co2 turns of one hour before lights off


Some crappy phone pictures.











And with the inline.. fiss


This picture was taken to show the angle of the kessil 160 on a 18h tank

 

[kevinmichael77]

It looks like a nice clean build. Is the parts list complete? I'm thinking about making one for my 33 that I run with a wet/dry. Do you by chance remember the total cost of the parts?


Thanks!

 

[Jason King]

Thanks


The parts list in the first post is complete.


Cost wise about £30GBP+ a little more than my up inline cost.


If i was making it for a larger tank i would go for a larger filter/reactor.

 

[kevinmichael77]

What size is your tank? Did you still any micro bubbles in the tank?

 

[bsantucci]

I'm in the process of setting up a new wet/dry and will be using my old Cerges again. Reading through this I see some saying to run this reverse with flow throught he out and down the middle and some saying run the normal way. Is there a consensus as to which is better at this point?

 

[Kathy Yata]

Seems to me the CO2 bubbles would have less room to tumble and dissolve if reverse flow was used. The original construction works fine for me.

 

[Tom Barr]

You can add CO2 inside the chamber also by drilling a 3/16" hole and adding the rigid tubing about 4/5th of the way down inside. Or feed the CO2 into the pump that's pushing the water through on the suction side.

 

[kevinmichael77]

Could you run the co2 into a needle wheel pump and then run the needle wheel to the reactor? Then back into the sump to the return pump? If that makes any sense?

 

[Jason King]

What size is your tank? Did you still any micro bubbles in the tank?

The tank is ada 60h(45) 600x450x450 120 litres.


I still get some micro bubbles but no where near the same as the inlines. I did think about placing the inline before the reactor?

 

[shoggoth43]

You can use a needle wheel to feed this and it will work just fine. I use the center pipe as the inlet to the reactor and I do not see any bubbles in the tank. There is the odd "burp" from time to time, but no gas builds up inside the unit. I do not use sponges or any media in the reactor. I'm using a RIO 800 Venturi on a 7" canister. So it flow and CO2 amounts will vary for most people.

 

[kevinmichael77]

I wouldn't suppose you had a diagram? I apologize but I'm having a hard time picturing how I would integrate the Venturi into the reactor using my sump. Also you use a 7" canister vs a 10"? My tank is a 33 gallon but space in the cabinet is limited so I'm not sure what size would suffice.


Thanks

 

[Jason King]

I'm actually going to put the reactor back on as the difference is amazing. But being a small cabinet it will be a snug fit.


I'm also going to change the fittings from 1/2" to 3/4" not sure if this will make a big difference (flow?) but i have them available so ill test it anyway and the hose barbs directly into the reactor casing with no elbows and with the up inline atomizer plumbed before the reactor.

 

[Jason King]

A quick diagram of my next revision

 

[gsjmia]

I tried the Rev 3 but didn't see any improvement by adding the atomizer, but it did result in a tremendous amount of micro bubbles coming into the tank.


I don't like the noise the NW pumps make, so I drilled a 3/16 in the line right after the pump and pulled in the Co2 hose, so the gas gets a little more dwell time, I don't think there is any benefit to injecting into the reactor, it all gets there anyway.


The hair bun is a good idea and works, but I didn't like having to take the thing apart to clean it periodically.


I filled the cannister with biobale, but still got (fewer) bubbles.


My final (for now) result works really good--I have a separate pump for the reactor that sits in the sump and the exhaust hose returns to the sump near the pump back to the tank--but, I have the return going to second 2" clear pvc reactor (it was v.1) that is totally open on the bottom, it stands there with the input hose (the output from the Cerges) on the top and and it is resting on a 4"X4" chunk of 2" thick 20 poret foam--result is zero bubbles and nothing to clean that will reduce flow.

 

[Jason King]

Interesting thanks for the reply


All revs are experiments, the reason i never glued any of the parts. Ptfe tape


I can confirm that rev 2 was almost perfect. I only removed it due to cabinet space but after seeing the amount of bubble from the inline atomizer ill make it fit .


Rev 1 i never tried due to recommendations on the reverse flow but thinking about it the co2 must stay in the reactor longer if the flow is not reversed?


Rev 3 is just a test with parts i already have, did you try the atomizer with a sponge in the reactor? Im supprised at your result but with smaller bubbles i suppose they can escape easier?

 

[krissy]

Kisanjong! Im so happy for this thread because i am actually thinking about making a cerges... I am using a simple PVC reactor as shown in picture. I kinda messed it up because it is only 1 inch in diameter by 12 inchs long. The co2 comes from the bottom and flows up, then the incoming water from the top breaks up the water and forces it back down. The only problem is that i have to REDUCE the FLOW in order for the c02 bubbles to flow upwards or else itll just get pushed out the reactor. Someone said that if i used a LARGER diameter PVC tube, the flow issue would go away.


I am thinking about trying that versus just building a cerges. What do you think?


My question for you is why are you changing your builds? Your very first drawing picture from page 1 looks perfect, minus the sponge. The water flows down the housing, then up the middle tube and out the reactor thus increasing dwell time which is what you want...


Doesnt adding all the sponges and such reduce flow??? Please let me know as im trying to build one also. All the info i read about cerges reactors on the web is missing some info and not clearly shown step by step.

View attachment 9272

 

[Solcielo lawrencia]

Krissy, plumbing the CO2 in from the outlet is going to cause the CO2 to exit. It should be plumbed to the inlet or top of the reactor.