How To Build A Cerges CO2 Reactor

krissy

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Dec 27, 2014
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hmm..... Mine works fine if i turn the flow lower. works perfectly. I am just trying to increase flow... Im thinking that a larger diameter PVC pipe, for example, 3-4 inches wide, will allow me to put maximum flow....


Maybe your right, Maybe i should turn it around and see what happens....


Sorry kisanjong for hijacking your thread. I am actually posting here about your cerges reactor, cuz i wanna build one also... I love the idea from your FIRST picture... but without the sponge.. do you think thall work??? I think a sponge will only reduce flow...
 

Jason King

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Hi Krissy thank you the reason I keep changing my design is just for research and so far rev 2 wins, rev 3 has less bubbles than having no reactor but its not as good.


The sponge may of reduced the flow a little but as long as the flow is still more than required I'm happy :)


I never tried it without the sponge so can't confirm the reduced flow.


Solcielo is correct about the sponge in rev 3 bubbles still exist.


Thanks :)
 

bsantucci

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Aug 22, 2014
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So I have a reactor built very similar to this one, co2 fed to a 2 on the intake, staying with the correct flow pattern of the filter. My problem is that by mid day I end up with an air pocket (or co2 pocket I guess) that pushes out half the water from the reactor. I can't for the life of me figure out how to make this stop. Any suggestions? This is on a loop, pulling water from my sump, through the reactor, then back to the sump where my main pump pushes it back to the tank.


I run a Rio 800 on the reactor itself. I've tried slowing flow using a ball valve on the return, increase flow, nothing works. I am getting 100% dissolution as there are no bubbles and my ph drops rapidly. I just can't stand this gurgling noise and splashing sound it makes.
 

bsantucci

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Aug 22, 2014
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Solcielo lawrencia said:
Can you post a picture of how it's hooked up? It doesn't sound like there's any chamber pressure.

How would there not be pressure? I have a ball valve closed half way on the out flow. Here's a picture. Thanks for the help.
 
Mar 20, 2013
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There is some pressure, but you'd need a very powerful pump for the ball valve to create enough of it. Head height alone will usually create more pressure than a partly closed ball valve.
 

bsantucci

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Aug 22, 2014
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Hmm there definitely is not much head height. My sump is on the ground and the reactor is under the stand next to the sump. Tubing just runs behind the stand. Would mounting the reactor in the wall of the stand a few inches up work or should I buy a stronger Rio do you think?


Otherwise I'll have to go back to using my in line diffuser. The only other option would be changing the fittings on it and running it on the return pump line since it is much stronger but I'd rather not do that.
 
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I don't see how putting the reactor higher would create more pressure; that would create less. I don't know how much flow a stronger Rio would provide, but those new DC pumps have very high outputs which a ball valve can restrict to create enough pressure. I would suggest a dwell-time reactor if you can't get the pressure high enough. Why isn't the outlet of the reactor the return tube to the tank? That should solve the problem easily.
 

bsantucci

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Aug 22, 2014
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Solcielo lawrencia said:
I don't see how putting the reactor higher would create more pressure; that would create less. I don't know how much flow a stronger Rio would provide, but those new DC pumps have very high outputs which a ball valve can restrict to create enough pressure. I would suggest a dwell-time reactor if you can't get the pressure high enough. Why isn't the outlet of the reactor the return tube to the tank? That should solve the problem easily.

The DC pump I use has 5/8" tubing and the reactor has fittings for 1/2" tubing. So I put the reactor on it's own loop back into the sump. I've seen a few people do it this way and said it worked well. Got me wondering how they handled the pressure then.


I see a Rio 2500 which puts out about 600gph still at 3ft. Do you think that would be enough?


I thought the Cerges is a dwell time reactor?
 
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All reactors work under the physics of pressure; dwell-time just makes the gas stay suspended until the pressure causes it to dissolve. I would suggest connecting the return tube to the outlet of the reactor. Simple.
 

krissy

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Dec 27, 2014
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Kisanjong....


Is there a reason for reversing the ports??


What's confusing me is is it more efficient to have the water come down the housing and out the middle white tube


Orrr


Have the water come down the.middle white tube and out the housing like what you did in Rev 2????
 

Kathy Yata

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Mar 15, 2015
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bsantucci said:
The DC pump I use has 5/8" tubing and the reactor has fittings for 1/2" tubing. So I put the reactor on it's own loop back into the sump. I've seen a few people do it this way and said it worked well. Got me wondering how they handled the pressure then.


I see a Rio 2500 which puts out about 600gph still at 3ft. Do you think that would be enough?


I thought the Cerges is a dwell time reactor?

I use a Rio 2500 with a 20" whole house filter housing returning to the tank, works great. It exits between the 2 main returns and seems to mix really well. I'd rather have its gph going into the tank. Haven't designed a tank with too much water movement yet!
 

bsantucci

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Aug 22, 2014
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Kathy Yata said:
I use a Rio 2500 with a 20" whole house filter housing returning to the tank, works great. It exits between the 2 main returns and seems to mix really well. I'd rather have its gph going into the tank. Haven't designed a tank with too much water movement yet!

I'm only using a 10" filter. I picked up a Rio 1400 though to try. I still prefer to loop it back to the sump. I feel like the main return pump is strong enough for the rank already. Some of my fish aren't super happy with the movement as it is. I gave to upgrade my fittings for the filter anyway for the new Rio since it uses 16mm hose barbs. So I'll try it connected to the main pump as well as by itself.
 

Jason King

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krissy said:
Kisanjong....

Is there a reason for reversing the ports??


What's confusing me is is it more efficient to have the water come down the housing and out the middle white tube


Orrr


Have the water come down the.middle white tube and out the housing like what you did in Rev 2????

Hi Krissy the reasons are recommended by others and as mentioned all revs are experimental.
 
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Reversing the flow in a water filter housing reactor is not ideal: the high flow rate in such a narrow tube - velocity to volume ratio - will cause the gas to exit the tube and out the reactor. The velocity:volume must be low enough to prevent any gas from being caught in the flow. This is simple physics. However, if the inner tube is large, e.g. 2" ID, this may not occur - again, depending on the velocity:volume. But at this point, this is a waste of money since it functions as a straight-through style that can be DIY'd with PVC pipe.
 
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krissy

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Dec 27, 2014
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I agree solcielo..... I will build mine the regular way, with the water exiting the middle tube instead of coming in.


I returned my small water filter housing and bought another one that is wider. The middle tube measures 1 inch across instead of 1/2 inch