Co2 Scrubber

[mic209]

Just thought I'd share a Co2 scrubber I built last week to help raise my PH. All summer long with the house closed up my PH would never rise above 7.8 even with dosing recipe 1 of two part and using kalk as top off water. I thought about running the skimmer intake into the attic but the risks seemed too high so a Co2 scrubber it was. All you need is soda lime pellets, a container and hose to attach to your skimmer.

Here's the media I bought, two 3 pound bags was around $26 dollars shipped. This is the cheapest place for this stuff, I know there are other places that sell it by the 5 gallon bucket, but if you compare price per pound, these 3 pound bags are still cheaper.
http://www.shopmedvet.com/product/soda-lime-3-lb-bag

Next was the container, you can use a RO canister, phosban reactor, or even a gatorade bottle. I found a nice clear tumbler cup at big lots for a few bucks.

I then added a barb fitting on top.

Drilled the bottom.

Filled the cup up with media and hooked it up to my skimmmer. Within an hour my ph was up from 7.8 to 8.0. As you notice in the pictures the media is a violet color, that means the media is spent, but my ph is still up so I will wait until I see a drop in ph to change out the media. I think one bag of the media will fill that size cup around 4 times.





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[tcamos]

Very interesting. I love the use of the cup. I see those kicking around all the time and never thought to make a reactor out of one but now that I see yours it's a natural fit!

 

[mic209]

It's not the nicest setup, and doesn't drill really clean as it is hard plastic, but it works and it's easy to pour the pellets in. If you have a dive shop or a welding shop nearby, they may carry the soda lime.

 

[bugs713]

I seem to remember reading that it should be changed immediately after changing colors, I will try to find the article. When mine change color, I replace it with fresh. I use these on my two SW tanks running a skimmer and they do seem to help with maintaining a better pH level.

On mine, the air hits cotton first, then the media, an added air filter.
I think SpectraPure has a similar system available now? I like your use of the tumbler cup.:thumbsup:

 

[mic209]

I seem to remember reading that it should be changed immediately after changing colors, I will try to find the article. When mine change color, I replace it with fresh. I use these on my two SW tanks running a skimmer and they do seem to help with maintaining a better pH level.

On mine, the air hits cotton first, then the media, an added air filter.
I think SpectraPure has a similar system available now? I like your use of the tumbler cup.:thumbsup:

I've read that if you don't change it out right away it will turn back to white eventually and you'll never know that it was spent. The way I see it, if my PH is still up then it's still doing it's job.

 

[Kalakuhan]

Very interesting. I love the use of the cup. I see those kicking around all the time and never thought to make a reactor out of one but now that I see yours it's a natural fit!

+1 love the use of the cup!

 

[tcamos]

Can you post a shot showing how it's hooked up?

 

[needmore-reef]

Anyone here in the desert run an air line from Skimmer outside? I hate the low PH in the summer.

Not sure if the warm air would cause temp issues...

 

[mic209]

Can you post a shot showing how it's hooked up?

The 2 pics above shows how its hooked up. The clear air line coming out the top of the cup goes directly to my skimmer air intake.

 

[mic209]

Anyone here in the desert run an air line from Skimmer outside? I hate the low PH in the summer.

Not sure if the warm air would cause temp issues...

I've been told that the warm air would not be a problem, but there are other risks involved, like pesticides being sprayed and sucked into your tank.

 

[tcamos]

They show a hose but not where it goes.

 

[mic209]

They show a hose but not where it goes.

The hose goes to my protein skimmer. I'll try and get a picture when I get home.

 

[tcamos]

Thanks. I realize it seems silly but it will help me to actually see it.

 

[rromero2]

They show a hose but not where it goes.

It may go to the air intake for the skimmer. The air is drawn from the bottom of the cup throught the media and into the skimmer pump air intake at least that is what I would do. Of course i am only making a guess.

 

[mic209]

Here it is, the hose comes from the cup and to the skimmers Venturi intake.

And here is how the cup sits behind my stand.

 

[tcamos]

Thanks for the photo.
I take it there's no chance of water getting into the line since it's the air line? That's the whole point right, to scrub the air of C02?

 

[mic209]

Thanks for the photo.
I take it there's no chance of water getting into the line since it's the air line? That's the whole point right, to scrub the air of C02?

That's right, it's an air filter. Technically it's not scrubbing Co2 out of the aquariums water, it's just not adding as much Co2 to the aquarium as it use to.

 

[scubabum1983]

The media is used for rebreathers. I didn't think about using it in this application. I have a 5 gal bucket full.

 

[tcamos]

That's right, it's an air filter. Technically it's not scrubbing Co2 out of the aquariums water, it's just not adding as much Co2 to the aquarium as it use to.

That's exactly what I need fo rmy tank. The extra C02 from my planted tank is reeking havok with some of my more sensitive SPS and I really need to do something.

Where did you say I could get this media?

 

[mic209]

That's exactly what I need fo rmy tank. The extra C02 from my planted tank is reeking havok with some of my more sensitive SPS and I really need to do something.

Where did you say I could get this media?

I posted the link in my original post. Scuba shops should carry it too.