CO2 Scrubber

Reefmedic79

Reefmedic79

Life and Reef Saver
Did a search looking to fix my low pH issues suspecting the cause to be high environmental CO2 in my home I came a few suggestions on installing a CO2 scrubber on my skimmer intake.


Can anyone direct me to a DIY scrubber build?
 
Thanks tmz, that is a lot of info.

An added question is how much should I use, I've got a system of about 50G total volume, and how fast does the media need to be changed? Are these factors that you have been able to determine in the last 2.5 years since you started using the scrubber.
 
The amount of media doesn't matter much, less will just deplete faster, and most sodalime medias are color changing so you know when they are depleted.

Just out of curiousity what is your current pH range?

Also, noticing you live in Tavares, my father lives on Deer Island, I visit there every so often.
 
I would exhaust every other possible remedy, before going to a scrubber. The media is expensive, and needs to be replaced frequently. As long as it doesn't go below ~ 7.8 in the AM, and your Alk and Ca are in acceptable ranges(Alk min. @ 125ppm, Ca min. @ 400ppm), there's really nothing to worry about. You could also go to a kalk drip for top off, which will utilize some of the CO2, and help elevate your pH.
 
I made one out of a normal water bottle drilled a few 1/8 holes in and around the lower half of the bottle. I split a 5 gal bucket of soda lime with another reefer cost me 40bucks. As it being expensive ive bin running it for 7months and havent even put a dent in my media supply typ needs changed every 5-6weeks.
 
I bought a universal air filter from brs. I'm not a DIY guy so this thing was perfect. Just make sure you can find the right size tubing and your good to go.
 
I would exhaust every other possible remedy, before going to a scrubber. The media is expensive, and needs to be replaced frequently.

Nope ,its not really. I use a 5 gallon pail of it, 36lbs or so. It lasts 15 months for 2 scrubbers each on a large skimmer for a 650 gallon system and costs $85. The scrubbers cost leass than a dollar to make. I change it every 3 to 5 weeks. Color change tells me when. Very simple . I get a .15 pH bump . No alkalinity bump either ;just less CO2 in the water. 7..8 is fine but 8.2 or 3 is better ,ime.
 
I'll give a little history of my tank.

Last Summer pH 7.8, Alk 2.6 meq/L
Current readings pH 8.1, Alk 3.8 meq/L
Now, my readings look great, corrected using a 2-part (when I remembered) and opening the house up during the winter. Even now though I get pH readings as low as 7.9 in morning. I suspect that I will probably have issues again this summer once the house gets sealed up, and can benefit greatly from a scrubber.

As for the cost, from what I read the vast majority of people are needing to their media about every month, which even at BRS's cost is only about $8 dollars a month.
 
There are much less expensive sources for soda lime than hobby stuff. Check out t4eh CO2 scrubber threads. For me it works out to abut $5 per month for two large skimmers and 650 gallons of water.
 
tmz said:
There are much less expensive sources for soda lime than hobby stuff. Check out t4eh CO2 scrubber threads. For me it works out to abut $5 per month for two large skimmers and 650 gallons of water.
Click to expand...

I did see the links for the cheaper stuff, thanks again for all your help tmz.
 
If your tank pH bottoms out at 7.9 I wouldn't bother. There's nothing wrong with that pH, in fact there have been many TOTM's that are in that range. I ran a scrubber for awhile because I hovered in the 7.8 area, eventually I just got tired of it (one more thing to maintain) and took it off last year. Oddly enough my tank runs at 8.4 now, not quite sure what changed, not that I really care anymore though. I'd only be concerned if my snail's shells start dissolving.
 
hkgar said:
here is a good source for soda lime

http://www.wayfair.com/Molecular-Pr...id=F7860E61-3B15-4405-975B-ECDDAA05BA76#specs
Click to expand...

HP Sodasorb is the best. We use it for life support (Saturation Diving). It is good for 3 years from when it's packaged but you need to keep it tightly sealed. It does wave a white to violet indiactor. If the humidity is too low though it won't work <55%. We occasionally have to spray water on it. Usually it gets exhausted before the indicator fully changes color. For example, the inlet is purple but the outlet still white, so it may difficult to measure your CO2 removal. The other manufacturer I am aware of is Sofnolime. I reckon you could crush it up and use it as Kalk if you get the type w/o the indicator LOL...
 
I use the sofno lime . It's abut $85 for the same volume but available locally.It' used during anesthesia to control CO2 levels. They sound abut equally good.
 
tmz said:
I use the sofno lime . It's abut $85 for the same volume but available locally.It' used during anesthesia to control CO2 levels. They sound abut equally good.
Click to expand...

What type of retailer would stock this? Where should I look?
 
mildly surprised no-one mentioned this: but waterfall style algae scrubber is a very effective means of pulling the C out of CO2 from your water column. Those of us that run it as our main means of filtration, actually have the problem of the Algae eating ALL CO2 out of the system, and going for the next best source of carbon: Bicarbonates. We very rarely have pH issues, though. Running your skimmer and/or Ca Reactor effluent into the algae scrubber in theory mitigates or eliminates this kH reduction though.

All with the added bonus of reducing any post-cycle NO3 and PO4, reducing needed frequency of water changes. The montly cost, then, comes from electricity (and replacement 2700K spiral light bulbs every 3ish months if you don't do LED lighting to start with).
 
That sounds incredible but it's just what it is, ie some algae growing in the system. Photosynthetic organisms use CO2 whether they're in a waterfall or not. Growing enough of it to make a differnece in a refugium or vetically will take space and light. It will also contribute organics via exudate. Only certain types of alge have been shon to uptake bicarbonate and then I don't know if it's significant.
Besides, This thread is about CO2 scubbers. There are plenty of alge turf scrubber threads.

Neither the turf scruber nor CO2 scrubber redcudes the needfor water changes btw..
 
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