Octopus Needle Wheel question

[stacir]

OK I tried following the vast amount of information in the needle wheel thread and sort of got lost. I undestand the basic concept, but am new to pressurized CO2. I was going to try and build Tom's reactor, but after reading the needle wheel thread, it seems this may be a simpler (for me) and easier way to go. I still don't quite understand the set ups and connections.

I looked at the Octopus needle wheel pump that Tom suggested, but i am not quite sure how it fits in with the whole CO2 system. Is it as simple as hooking up the CO2 hose to the needle wheel pump and then sticking the pump onto the inside of the aquarium or am I missing something? I will be using a SUMO regulator, on a 55 gallon with a 250 hot magnum and a 350 hot magnum canister filters.

Sorry, but I am very new to all of this and am a little afraid of melting holes in my impeller blades. And would prefer not to have to build a reactor if I don't have to, espeically if this is an easy and effective way to inject CO2 into my tank.

Any advice and setting met straight would be appreciated.

 

[VaughnH]

The goal with these little pumps is to introduce the bubbles of CO2 in the inlet tube of the pump, so the bubbles get chopped into tiny bubbles by the pump rotor. It helps if the CO2 tube is necked down to a small diameter at the pump inlet, so it releases the smallest bubbles possible. Usually you can look at the pump you will use and see a good way to hold the CO2 tube at that location.

 

[stacir]

OK. So I can just attached the CO2 tubing to the pump inlet (using the right sized connectors) and then the co2 goes into the pump, gets chopped up, and then pumped out into the aquarium.

I have also seen that I can run the CO2 into the intake of my Magnum 350. How exactly do I do this? Do I add in the tank where the inlet grate is? Or do I drill a hole into the plastic tubing?

Also, if i use one of the method above (needle wheel pump or inline canister) I don't need to use a rector, is this correct?

 

[rusticitas]

Illustrating, diagramming, etc... to help us newbies...

I have been (quietly, behind the scenes) working on illustrating and diagramming some of these setups. Mostly as a way to help me understand how these setups work, but also if I can get others to look at them and critique I will post them for all to see and use. It may help reduce the number of repetitive questions, and allow us all to better see how these systems are interconnected and function.

Here is a sample image of what I started working on today, to model the setup of Tom's 180 Starphire tank...

I would very much like to do something similar for the various CO2 systems. I just need enough detail to visualize, organize and draw them.

 

[stacir]

Ok this is an external pump set up right? I will be using a submersible pump. Also if I wanted to run into the filter directly, when someone says to drill a hole in the inlet tube...does this mean the clear plastic tube that is connected to the inlet on the filter and draws water from the aquarium?

 

[VaughnH]

The question doesn't have a "correct" answer. You can use a diffuser in the tank releasing CO2 bubbles right below the pump inlet in the tank. Or, you can drill a hole in the pump itself where the hole connects to the inlet to the pump rotor and stick the CO2 tube there. Or, anything inbetween.

To do the needle rotor idea, the place for the CO2 inlet hole is where the water flow into the pump is moving the fastest - the smallest flow passage size, and that will be into the tubular part of the pump where a hose or other inlet fitting would fit if you used one. There will be no CO2 leakage there because the pressure there is lower than the water pressure around the pump.