CO2 scrubber for skimmer air intake

Gary Majchrzak · 01/06/2010, 03:48 PM

is anyone reading this running a CO2 scrubber on their skimmer's air intake

Capt_Cully · 01/06/2010, 04:43 PM

I'm guessing that, since I have no idea what that is, I'm not running one

AaronReef · 01/06/2010, 05:11 PM

Are they available? Can you get one for the whole house?

Gary Majchrzak · 01/06/2010, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AaronReef

Are they available? Can you get one for the whole house?

whole house CO2 scrubber? Kind of like the space station? They're probably available. Wouldn't Scott's aquarium benefit from a classroom scrubber!

AaronReef · 01/06/2010, 07:37 PM

Like E.T., with all the giant hoses running through the house!

One of my tanks is in the same room as my furnace, and the skimmer airline run outside trick doesn't seem to be totally keeping up on the other. I can't seem to keep the PH above 8.05 in either tank. (which I guess isn't bad, considering before I ran the skimmer line outside It would drop to 7.8 or so in the winter).

I did the aerate the bucket of water outside and then test trick and it confirmed it.

Anyway, if you try it let me know how it works.

Conesus_Kid · 01/06/2010, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

Wouldn't Scott's aquarium benefit from a classroom scrubber!

Most definitely. Also, if they could somehow work in a B.O. scrubber too, it would make those post-PE classes a bit more bearable!

You guys have seen how my pH drops M-F during the day, then peaks on the weekends and school vacations.

I've never heard of CO2 scrubbers, so I'll have to do some Googling. They certainly sound like they'd be expensive!

flamron · 01/06/2010, 09:42 PM

[QUOTE=They certainly sound like they'd be expensive![/QUOTE]

And Shiny!!

der_wille_zur_macht · 01/07/2010, 06:37 AM

$75 from Premium Aquatics - it's even intended to be used on a skimmer intake!

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...&Store_Code=PA

It makes sense but I'd never heard of their use on fish tanks before.

I wonder - how many of you with CO2-induced pH problems have macroalgae-stocked refugiums? Or algae scrubbers? Or Ca reactors?

Kent E · 01/07/2010, 07:28 AM

Does an ozonizer count?

All this mention of fresh air to the intake of the skimmer is prompting me to do so. I've been suffering from low PH for years. Even worse when there was a reactor set up.

As far as the scrubber.... eh, I don't know.

talon4x4 · 01/07/2010, 04:00 PM

Looks like there has been quite a bit of discussion about the Co2 scrubbers lately. The Filter Guys seem to have a much cheaper solution, check it out --> http://www.thefilterguys.biz/skimmer_media.htm

Here are some threads started about the scrubber
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1719097
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1719095
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1719100

WheatonReef · 01/09/2010, 08:45 AM

Unless ur tank in on or near the interstate a Co2 scrubber is not needed

Gary Majchrzak · 01/09/2010, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WheatonReef

Unless ur tank in on or near the interstate a Co2 scrubber is not needed

do you run a pH monitor on your aquarium?
It's truly amazing how quickly your aquarium pH drops when there's something breathing in a tightly closed up house.

LilRobb · 01/09/2010, 09:26 AM

Those scrubbers are nothing but kalkwasser reservoirs.

Pumping CO2 through kalkwasser will make it cloudy (Calcium carbonate precipitation) and reduce the amount of CO2 in the air pumped through.

Get a cheap RODI canister and play with it...

Robb

Jeff · 01/09/2010, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WheatonReef

Unless ur tank in on or near the interstate a Co2 scrubber is not needed

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilRobb

Those scrubbers are nothing but kalkwasser reservoirs.

Pumping CO2 through kalkwasser will make it cloudy (Calcium carbonate precipitation) and reduce the amount of CO2 in the air pumped through.

Get a cheap RODI canister and play with it...

Robb

Do some reading up on ph and how it effects out tanks and check the Reef Chemistry Forum for those that have problems keeping their ph up.

LilRobb · 01/09/2010, 10:28 AM

Not sure what that has to do with my statement, Jeff.

I don't disagree with the idea of them - just don't waste money on something you can easily DIY...

WheatonReef · 01/09/2010, 10:37 AM

I only had 7 fish in the 180 gallons of water i had. So Ph was never a problem for me. I just think a Ph scrubber is a waste. Just my opinion.

AaronReef · 01/09/2010, 11:03 AM

Wow, it's amazing how quickly a productive discussion can disintegrate into a ****ing contest...

Gary Majchrzak · 01/09/2010, 11:06 AM

don't worry about it, Aaron.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WheatonReef

I only had 7 fish in the 180 gallons of water i had. So Ph was never a problem for me. I just think a Ph scrubber is a waste. Just my opinion.

everyone is entitled to their opinion. For some folks water changes are a waste.

I still don't believe you ever watched your pH drop in a house closed up with people in it, Wheat.

Gary Majchrzak · 01/09/2010, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilRobb

I don't disagree with the idea of them - just don't waste money on something you can easily DIY...

can you explain or show us what you're talking about, Robb?

Jeff · 01/09/2010, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilRobb

Not sure what that has to do with my statement, Jeff.

I don't disagree with the idea of them - just don't waste money on something you can easily DIY...

I think you may have confused CO2 scrubbers with Kalkwater reactors. Kalk isnt used with CO2 scrubbers. Sorry if I misunderstood.

talon4x4 · 01/09/2010, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary Majchrzak

can you explain or show us what you're talking about, Robb?

Check the link I posted earlier.

Here it is again!! http://www.thefilterguys.biz/skimmer_media.htm

The prices on their DIY media seem quite reasonable as well. I may just give this thing a try. My pH gets quite low in the winter and I have no way to run my skimmer line outside. I have added a small maxijet to my sump to help break up the surface of the water which has actually increased my pH during the day, but not at night.

Gary Majchrzak · 01/09/2010, 06:50 PM

Hi again, talon. Great links, BTW. It doesn't mention what media the Filter Guys are selling. (It's not likely they'll tell us, either!) Looking at the pix on their site it doesn't appear to be calcium hydroxide such as Robb was hinting at. Perhaps there are several different types of media one could use in a CO2 scrubber.......

talon4x4 · 01/09/2010, 08:00 PM

Here's an interesting read from Glassbox!! --> http://glassbox-design.com/2009/soda...-mcu-research/

Some info on the media used in a rebreather.....maybe the same as that used for aquariums?!? --> http://www.divegearexpress.com/rebre...bsorbent.shtml

Their media kinda looks like this, doesn't it?!? --> http://www.molecularproducts.com/products/medical

Gary Majchrzak · 01/10/2010, 07:55 AM

so... there are different "blends" of calcium Hydroxide (Kalkwasser), Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide (as well as color indicators) that can be used according to the type of scrubber (re-breather) one uses.

I wonder what would affect one's choice of blends

Where are the scuba divers ?

Gary Majchrzak · 01/10/2010, 08:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LilRobb

Those scrubbers are nothing but kalkwasser reservoirs.

Pumping CO2 through kalkwasser will make it cloudy (Calcium carbonate precipitation) and reduce the amount of CO2 in the air pumped through.

Get a cheap RODI canister and play with it...

Robb

apprently the kalkwasser "bong" being hinted at here by Robb is very inefficient and something entirely different than the CO2 scrubbing device I was discussing in this thread.

01/06/2010, 03:48 PM	#1
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	CO2 scrubber for skimmer air intake is anyone reading this running a CO2 scrubber on their skimmer's air intake __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

01/06/2010, 04:43 PM	#2
Capt_Cully Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 13,574	I'm guessing that, since I have no idea what that is, I'm not running one __________________ People say cars are a bad investment. Those people don't have reef tanks. Current Tank Info: 120, Radion Gen 2 Pro x 2

01/06/2010, 05:11 PM	#3
AaronReef Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 262	Are they available? Can you get one for the whole house? __________________ "If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water." Current Tank Info: 180 and 75 Gallon reefs, both built in, and a very tolerant Wife!

01/06/2010, 07:37 PM	#5
AaronReef Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 262	Like E.T., with all the giant hoses running through the house! One of my tanks is in the same room as my furnace, and the skimmer airline run outside trick doesn't seem to be totally keeping up on the other. I can't seem to keep the PH above 8.05 in either tank. (which I guess isn't bad, considering before I ran the skimmer line outside It would drop to 7.8 or so in the winter). I did the aerate the bucket of water outside and then test trick and it confirmed it. Anyway, if you try it let me know how it works. __________________ "If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water." Current Tank Info: 180 and 75 Gallon reefs, both built in, and a very tolerant Wife!

01/06/2010, 09:42 PM	#7
flamron Professional Stick Gluer Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: NW Arkansas Posts: 2,216	[QUOTE=They certainly sound like they'd be expensive![/QUOTE] And Shiny!! __________________ Ronnie 60g cube - Ghost Overflow - ATI 8 bulb dimmable sunpower - Apex - MP10s - Synergy sump

01/07/2010, 06:37 AM	#8
der_wille_zur_macht Team RC Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NY Posts: 17,749	$75 from Premium Aquatics - it's even intended to be used on a skimmer intake! http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merch...&Store_Code=PA It makes sense but I'd never heard of their use on fish tanks before. I wonder - how many of you with CO2-induced pH problems have macroalgae-stocked refugiums? Or algae scrubbers? Or Ca reactors? __________________ Inconveniencing marine life since 1992 "It is my personal belief that reef aquaria should be thriving communities of biodiversity, representative of their wild counterparts, and not merely collections of pretty specimens growing on tidy clean rock shelves covered in purple coralline algae." (Eric Borneman)

01/07/2010, 07:28 AM	#9
Kent E One Millionth Poster Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Asheboro NC Posts: 4,273	Does an ozonizer count? All this mention of fresh air to the intake of the skimmer is prompting me to do so. I've been suffering from low PH for years. Even worse when there was a reactor set up. As far as the scrubber.... eh, I don't know. __________________ 1000 gallon Current Tank Info: Dreaming up a new one

01/07/2010, 04:00 PM	#10
talon4x4 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 1,559	Looks like there has been quite a bit of discussion about the Co2 scrubbers lately. The Filter Guys seem to have a much cheaper solution, check it out --> http://www.thefilterguys.biz/skimmer_media.htm Here are some threads started about the scrubber http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1719097 http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1719095 http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1719100

01/09/2010, 08:45 AM	#11
WheatonReef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cheektowaga NY Posts: 81	Unless ur tank in on or near the interstate a Co2 scrubber is not needed

01/09/2010, 09:26 AM	#13
LilRobb Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 96	Those scrubbers are nothing but kalkwasser reservoirs. Pumping CO2 through kalkwasser will make it cloudy (Calcium carbonate precipitation) and reduce the amount of CO2 in the air pumped through. Get a cheap RODI canister and play with it... Robb

01/09/2010, 10:28 AM	#15
LilRobb Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 96	Not sure what that has to do with my statement, Jeff. I don't disagree with the idea of them - just don't waste money on something you can easily DIY...

01/09/2010, 10:37 AM	#16
WheatonReef Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Cheektowaga NY Posts: 81	I only had 7 fish in the 180 gallons of water i had. So Ph was never a problem for me. I just think a Ph scrubber is a waste. Just my opinion.

01/09/2010, 11:03 AM	#17
AaronReef Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 262	Wow, it's amazing how quickly a productive discussion can disintegrate into a ****ing contest... __________________ "If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water." Current Tank Info: 180 and 75 Gallon reefs, both built in, and a very tolerant Wife!

01/09/2010, 06:50 PM	#22
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	Hi again, talon. Great links, BTW. It doesn't mention what media the Filter Guys are selling. (It's not likely they'll tell us, either!) Looking at the pix on their site it doesn't appear to be calcium hydroxide such as Robb was hinting at. Perhaps there are several different types of media one could use in a CO2 scrubber....... __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors

01/09/2010, 08:00 PM	#23
talon4x4 Registered Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Buffalo, NY Posts: 1,559	Here's an interesting read from Glassbox!! --> http://glassbox-design.com/2009/soda...-mcu-research/ Some info on the media used in a rebreather.....maybe the same as that used for aquariums?!? --> http://www.divegearexpress.com/rebre...bsorbent.shtml Their media kinda looks like this, doesn't it?!? --> http://www.molecularproducts.com/products/medical

01/10/2010, 07:55 AM	#24
Gary Majchrzak Team RC Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 41,560	that explains a lot so... there are different "blends" of calcium Hydroxide (Kalkwasser), Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide (as well as color indicators) that can be used according to the type of scrubber (re-breather) one uses. I wonder what would affect one's choice of blends Where are the scuba divers ? __________________ over 24 years experience with multiple types of marine aquarium systems see Upstate Reef Society Forum on RC and FB GOOGLE JUNIOR'S REEF Current Tank Info: 84x24x30 265g reef past TOTM honors