CO2 Scrubber question

[astreck827]

I’m currently running a BRS style canister scrubber on my 300g total volume system. My change out time is about 6 days. I have the intake ran outside but it also tees off and pulls some air from the skimmer cup. My pH with the scrubber runs 8.0-8.2. I’m thinking about either getting a bigger scrubber or adding a second canister. I’m wondering… will this increase the length my media lasts, or increase the effect of the scrubber, or both? Should I rotate the inner shells, if I go with a second canister, when I change it? By this I mean move the media from the second canister to the first canister and put new media in the second canister, if that makes sense.
Thanks!

 

[Dan_P]

I’m currently running a BRS style canister scrubber on my 300g total volume system. My change out time is about 6 days. I have the intake ran outside but it also tees off and pulls some air from the skimmer cup. My pH with the scrubber runs 8.0-8.2. I’m thinking about either getting a bigger scrubber or adding a second canister. I’m wondering… will this increase the length my media lasts, or increase the effect of the scrubber, or both? Should I rotate the inner shells, if I go with a second canister, when I change it? By this I mean move the media from the second canister to the first canister and put new media in the second canister, if that makes sense.
Thanks!

Didn’t a BRS video demonstrate that if you recycle skimmer air, system pH increases?

 

[astreck827]

Didn’t a BRS video demonstrate that if you recycle skimmer air, system pH increases?

I saw that, and it was the reason I tied in a line to the skimmer cup. But I noticed if I clamp the outside line and run it on air just from my skimmer, my pH actually drops a bit.

 

[Dan_P]

I saw that, and it was the reason I tied in a line to the skimmer cup. But I noticed if I clamp the outside line and run it on air just from my skimmer, my pH actually drops a bit.

Aha, there is more to the story of recycling skimmer air

 

[w8lifts]

Curious as well, I hit 7.9 -8.2 with fresh air, I add the co2 scrubber I get 8.0-8.2. Debating on what to do. Right now I ditched the scrubber as it hasn’t made a huge difference. I also run a calcium reactor so I don’t think Recirculating skimmer air will help, probably drop my Ph with the CO2.

 

[Saltyanimals]

I also see very little benefit with my Co2 for the same reasons with focusing on the CaRX instead. I tune to reduce the lower pH effluent water volume which appears to be most impactful to my tank's pH.

I also noticed that my media hardly ever changes color. Using the BRS stuff. I mean barely noticeable very light purple hue if that. Definitely not something I can see through the slightly blue/purple tinted BRS canisters. I just changed mine and my log shows it was last changed a 6 weeks ago and the old stuff again was barely tinted. I'm recirculating, but also don't see any moisture in the can. The 3-5ml I add at the bottom prob evaporates out in a few days.

Is everyone seeing a more dramatic color change in old media? And I can't imagine changing it every few days to a week. $$$

 

[Gtinnel]

I also noticed that my media hardly ever changes color. Using the BRS stuff. I mean barely noticeable very light purple hue if that. Definitely not something I can see through the slightly blue/purple tinted BRS canisters. I just changed mine and my log shows it was last changed a 6 weeks ago and the old stuff again was barely tinted. I'm recirculating, but also don't see any moisture in the can. The 3-5ml I add at the bottom prob evaporates out in a few days.

Same with me. I first setup my scrubber a few months ago using the BRS media and I never saw a difference in my pH so I assumed it just wasn’t going to help. After a few weeks I still had a different pack of media so I put it in the scrubber and got an increase. I’ve been running on that media for probably a month or so and I have never seen any change to the color of the media.
I have also wondered if adding the water really helps if you don’t keep adding more, I suspect mine evaporates within a few days too.

I recently bought some IceCap media that I’m going to try when the BRS stuff is depleted and see if it works better or has a better color change.

 

[w8lifts]

Same with me. I first setup my scrubber a few months ago using the BRS media and I never saw a difference in my pH so I assumed it just wasn’t going to help. After a few weeks I still had a different pack of media so I put it in the scrubber and got an increase. I’ve been running on that media for probably a month or so and I have never seen any change to the color of the media.
I have also wondered if adding the water really helps if you don’t keep adding more, I suspect mine evaporates within a few days too.

I recently bought some IceCap media that I’m going to try when the BRS stuff is depleted and see if it works better or has a better color change.

Ice cap has a better shade then BRS media I have noticed when getting depleted.

 

[Gtinnel]

Ice cap has a better shade then BRS media I have noticed when getting depleted.

Is there any difference in effectiveness or just color change?

 

[doubleshot00]

I also see very little benefit with my Co2 for the same reasons with focusing on the CaRX instead. I tune to reduce the lower pH effluent water volume which appears to be most impactful to my tank's pH.

I also noticed that my media hardly ever changes color. Using the BRS stuff. I mean barely noticeable very light purple hue if that. Definitely not something I can see through the slightly blue/purple tinted BRS canisters. I just changed mine and my log shows it was last changed a 6 weeks ago and the old stuff again was barely tinted. I'm recirculating, but also don't see any moisture in the can. The 3-5ml I add at the bottom prob evaporates out in a few days.

Is everyone seeing a more dramatic color change in old media? And I can't imagine changing it every few days to a week. $$$

If it’s not recirculating you may have to change it weekly.

I wouldn’t run a co2 scrubber unless it was recirculating. It was a game changer for me.

 

[astreck827]

The color change is very subtle, and if you let it go for long it changes back to white. I don’t really use the color as an indication of when to change - I just look at my pH log and look at my daily highs and lows as an indication. I find my media lasts about six days, but my skimmer has a pretty high air draw, it’s on a 400 gallon total volume system.

 

[Gtinnel]

The color change is very subtle, and if you let it go for long it changes back to white. I don’t really use the color as an indication of when to change - I just look at my pH log and look at my daily highs and lows as an indication. I find my media lasts about six days, but my skimmer has a pretty high air draw, it’s on a 400 gallon total volume system.

According to my apex I’m still getting a pH increase so I haven’t worried about changing it yet.
Did you end up getting an extra or a bigger scrubber? Did it change anything other than how frequently you have to change media?

 

[w8lifts]

Is there any difference in effectiveness or just color change?

Icecap had .1 consistent lead over the other stuff.

 

[Zainav]

So if you want to make the media last long look into recirculating CO2 scrubber. Essentially, no need to pull air from outside but to pull the air from the skimmer and place it back and recirculating the air. You can buy 3D printed attachments to Skimmers if it is available for your brand and model. You can get one at fishofhex.com.

Another way to make the times of changing the media longer is get a bigger scrubber.

And to save money on buying the media you can get it here:

Jorgensen Laboratories JorVet Soda Lime, 5 Gallon | Med-Vet International

JorVet soda lime is a high-grade granular product that effectively absorbs carbon dioxide that is produced as an anesthesia by-product. It is a mixture of calcium hydroxide Ca(OH)2 also known as lime plus a smaller amount of sodium hydroxide NaOH. Upon exposure to carbon dioxide CO2, the calcium...

www.shopmedvet.com

I would suggest to watch inapproriate reefer's youtube for reference
the CO2 scrubber is just Kalkwasser for absorbing CO2 in air

 

[Zainav]

Also if you recirculate it the right way and depending on the size of skimmer. It can increase 0.1-0.5+ that you may even want to have a controller to schedule to turn off Skimmer if it gets too high

 

[Steve2020]

I have the BRS Duo Jumbo and use JorVet CO2 Media. I purchase the 40lb containers and it last me 5mo. The JorVet Media has a distinct color change as you can see in the photo. My ph has increased significantly since I started doing the recirc configuration. I also bring in outside air from the furnace air intake hose. To prevent the ph from going to high I have a electronic ball valve that is controlled by the Profilux Controller that will open at 8.4 to bring in room air that is higher in CO2 and shut the valve at 8.38. My total water volume is 255gal.


With Recirc


Prior to Recirc