An Easy Way to Increase Your Tank's pH with a CO2 Scrubber

[jason2459]

Yep, medvet if you subscribe first has free stuff all the time they will email out.

I get the 5gallon jug that makes the price better
http://www.shopmedvet.com/product/soda-lime-5-gallon-JOR553B

And use a BRS reactor for the scrubber.

 

[porterreef]

Thanks for the link! I have an extra canister setup from a garbage rodi filter I picked up, So that will be the home for the Soda Lime. just ordered some!

Yep, medvet if you subscribe first has free stuff all the time they will email out.

I get the 5gallon jug that makes the price better
http://www.shopmedvet.com/product/soda-lime-5-gallon-JOR553B

And use a BRS reactor for the scrubber.

 

[jason2459]

And if BRS offered a 5g near that price I'd much rather support BRS.

::cough:: @randyBRS

 

[Aceone]

Same stuff i use

 

[randyBRS]

And if BRS offered a 5g near that price I'd much rather support BRS. ::cough:: @randyBRS

This is why you guys are the best!

I've added it to the board for testing and possible on-boarding!


Thanks!

-Randy

 

[MaccaPopEye]

This is why you guys are the best!

I've added it to the board for testing and possible on-boarding!


Thanks!

-Randy

Well if that's all it takes

If BRS had affordable shipping to Australia I would much rather support BRS

 

[porterreef]

This is why you guys are the best!

I've added it to the board for testing and possible on-boarding!


Thanks!

-Randy

I ordered the jug from BRS this morning! I can't wait to see what happens!

 

[Frozn]

Yep, medvet if you subscribe first has free stuff all the time they will email out.

I get the 5gallon jug that makes the price better
http://www.shopmedvet.com/product/soda-lime-5-gallon-JOR553B

And use a BRS reactor for the scrubber.

How long does this last you?

 

[jason2459]

How long does this last you?

Over a year the way I have it setup. I don't let 100% of the air draw from the skimmer go through the CO2 reactor.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/mtc-mvx-skimmer-review.252436/page-4#post-3101922

 

[Maltese]

Thanks for your experience share it to others, i will try it .

 

[jswo]

Does anyone have any experience with the solenoid brs used in there video to control when the skimmer is using regular air or pulling air through the scrubber?

 

[randyBRS]

Does anyone have any experience with the solenoid brs used in there video to control when the skimmer is using regular air or pulling air through the scrubber?

Hey there! The easiest way for me to figure out what is open and what is closed, is to have it all hooked up into your skimmer, reactor and Apex; toggle the outlet and feel with your finger for when it is closed off to the CO2 scrubber. After you have figured out what is OFF/ON, then you can adjust your Apex programming accordingly.

-Randy

 

[jswo]

Hey there! The easiest way for me to figure out what is open and what is closed, is to have it all hooked up into your skimmer, reactor and Apex; toggle the outlet and feel with your finger for when it is closed off to the CO2 scrubber. After you have figured out what is OFF/ON, then you can adjust your Apex programming accordingly.

-Randy

Do you know what the part number is of the solenoid and how it is wired

 

[lactose]

I have a CO2 scrubber on my skimmer and it goes from pH of 7.8-7.9 to 8.15-8.2+ (tight seal house, 5 family members with allergies and tank is in basement so CO2 is almost always an issue). I actually use the solenoid like in the video to keep it from going much over 8.2 by opening up the valve to open air (also helps save on the media)

The thing I am finding is the water I put in (15ml in bottom of BRS canister) dissapears in less than a day and when that happens it becomes a lot less effective.

Therefore I am adding in water twice a day now. Any ideas on how to not have to do that? The media lasts a couple of weeks as long as I keep adding back in the water but it is a pain to do twice a day.

Do I need to get an ATO for my CO2 scrubber?!? lol

Thanks

 

[lactose]

Therefore I am adding in water twice a day now. Any ideas on how to not have to do that? The media lasts a couple of weeks as long as I keep adding back in the water but it is a pain to do twice a day.

Do I need to get an ATO for my CO2 scrubber?!? lol

Thanks

Just found this thread https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/co2-scrubber-review.296392/ with lots of discussion of the water in the scrubber, I am going to try putting inline with the draw from my skimmer cup as my skimmer had that line there already (which I now ignore with the scrubber). Hope this helps keep humidity up.

 

[MaddReefer]

Doesnt putting your skimmer line outside accomplish the same thing ? Is there a way to do this without utilizing a skimmer ?

 

[porterreef]

Doesnt putting your skimmer line outside accomplish the same thing ? Is there a way to do this without utilizing a skimmer ?

You could do a number of things without a skimmer. A couple of ideas right off the top of my head is if you can't get an air line outside you can use a CO2 scrubber and a small aerator in the up. Or if you can get a line outside just use the aerator to suck the air in and bubble into the sump. Also turning a fan on in the room to move are around really helps. It won't be a huge increase but it will help move the air in and out and also around the room. My system has a door that goes outside so in the mornings and afternoons when the weather is nice I open the door and put a box fan on low to pull in "new" air.

 

[bcarl77]

I noticed the BRS option requires you add water to the bottom. If I go the DIY route and get a different Soda Lime will I need to add water?

 

[Larry L]

I noticed the BRS option requires you add water to the bottom. If I go the DIY route and get a different Soda Lime will I need to add water?

It's the same either way. The soda lime is more effective when the air is humid, but do not get the soda lime itself wet. Instead of putting a small amount of water in the bottom of the reactor, you can extend the life of the soda lime by putting a small DIY humidifier in-line in front of the scrubber, like in the picture in the first post here: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/co2-scrubbing-an-unexpected-journey-chasing-numbers.305924/ You might also get the same effect by drawing in humid air from e.g. your sump area.

 

[Carlos Danger]

And if BRS offered a 5g near that price I'd much rather support BRS.

::cough:: @randyBRS

Did BRS ever decide to start carrying the 5 gallon option? I too currently get the Jarvovet 5 gallon jug from medvet. But for $87 dollars I can't beat that. I'd much rather support BRS and get the SpheraSorb from them. I'm pretty sure SpheraSorb ships in big vat containers to certain high demand wholesalers. I know that BRS does its best to sell at the lowest price it can considering the margins available. Its hard to be a middle guy re-seller of this stuff and make much of a profit margin.

If one does the math it wouldn't make much sense for BRS to offer a 5 gallon bucket of sodalime when they currently sell it for $50 for a 1/4 of the amount that I currently get for $87. They'd simply be making less money and giving away more product for less. I think the chances of that happening are slim to none unfortunately.