CO2 Scrubber

[justingraham]

At RAP yesterday I spoke with Ryan from BRS , hoping he'd have some type of input, but he really didn't seem to know to much about it. I refilled the canister around 2PM yesterday before I went to RAP. I came home at 630 and the top of the canister was already purple.

I think u have a bad batch of media
What's ur ph at daily without scrubbing

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I think u have a bad batch of media
What's ur ph at daily without scrubbing

8.1

 

[justingraham]

8.1

First if ur probes are calibrated correctly 8.1 is fine so unless ur just seeing what happens to coral at higher ph u really don't need to scrub.
Second with ur ph at 8.1 to begin with I don't see how it could be exhausted in two day making me think u have bad media as I stated above
what is ur thoughts @Ty Hamatake

 

[Breakthecycle2]

First if ur probes are calibrated correctly 8.1 is fine so unless ur just seeing what happens to coral at higher ph u really don't need to scrub.
Second with ur ph at 8.1 to begin with I don't see how it could be exhausted in two day making me think u have bad media as I stated above
what is ur thoughts @Ty Hamatake

Yeah, this whole thing doesn't make any kind of sense. I might try different media. I started scrubbing because I wasn't getting good coral growth.

 

[Ty Hamatake]

First if ur probes are calibrated correctly 8.1 is fine so unless ur just seeing what happens to coral at higher ph u really don't need to scrub.
Second with ur ph at 8.1 to begin with I don't see how it could be exhausted in two day making me think u have bad media as I stated above
what is ur thoughts @Ty Hamatake

This is a really good point. I don't see it being possible to have high enough CO2 levels in your home to exhaust an entire canister in a day and maintain an 8.1 pH (unless you have a serious refugium running/dosing a massive amount of limewater [kalkwasser]). I scrolled back through the thread and didn't see those questions asked, so do either of those apply to you @Breakthecycle2?

Yeah, this whole thing doesn't make any kind of sense. I might try different media. I started scrubbing because I wasn't getting good coral growth.

For this I have to agree with @justingraham that 8.1 is just fine. Unless you are dead set on running a scrubber, I'd look elsewhere for what is preventing good growth. Do you have time to throw up some quick stats? Lighting, params, dosing, etc?

 

[Breakthecycle2]

This is a really good point. I don't see it being possible to have high enough CO2 levels in your home to exhaust an entire canister in a day and maintain an 8.1 pH (unless you have a serious refugium running/dosing a massive amount of limewater [kalkwasser]). I scrolled back through the thread and didn't see those questions asked, so do either of those apply to you @Breakthecycle2?


For this I have to agree with @justingraham that 8.1 is just fine. Unless you are dead set on running a scrubber, I'd look elsewhere for what is preventing good growth. Do you have time to throw up some quick stats? Lighting, params, dosing, etc?

I do not run a refugium or kalkwasser.

I run, biopellets, ROWAPHOS is a reactor and a calcium reactor (new as of a few months ago).

Params:

Salinity: 1.025
Nitrates: 2 (red sea kit)
Phosphates: .04 (red sea kit)
ALK: 8.2
Calcium: 520
MAG: 1264

Lighting: 3 Ecotech Radion G3's
Coral lab program schedule
Max intensity: 50%

Ramp on 1:30 PM
Night: 8:30 PM
Off: 11:00 PM

 

[Ty Hamatake]

I do not run a refugium or kalkwasser.

I run, biopellets, ROWAPHOS is a reactor and a calcium reactor (new as of a few months ago).

Params:

Salinity: 1.025
Nitrates: 2 (red sea kit)
Phosphates: .04 (red sea kit)
ALK: 8.2
Calcium: 520
MAG: 1264

Lighting: 3 Ecotech Radion G3's
Coral lab program schedule
Max intensity: 50%

Ramp on 1:30 PM
Night: 8:30 PM
Off: 11:00 PM

Wow. So the fact that you're at 8.1 while running a calcium reactor really makes me think it's your media. Just to test it, I would spend the 15 bucks to get some CDX and see if it makes a difference.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Wow. So the fact that you're at 8.1 while running a calcium reactor really makes me think it's your media. Just to test it, I would spend the 15 bucks to get some CDX and see if it makes a difference.

What is CDX?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

What is CDX?

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cdx-carbon-dioxide-adsorption-media-two-little-fishies.html
I thought it was the cheapest option of getting more media to see if you just have a bad batch, but I didn't realize the soda lime on shopmedvet was only $9.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/cdx-carbon-dioxide-adsorption-media-two-little-fishies.html
I thought it was the cheapest option of getting more media to see if you just have a bad batch, but I didn't realize the soda lime on shopmedvet was only $9.

So you suggest trying different media?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

So you suggest trying different media?

I suggest trying new media. The only reason I suggested the CDX in particular was due to that fact that I thought it was the cheapest.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I suggest trying new media. The only reason I suggested the CDX in particular was due to that fact that I thought it was the cheapest.

OK. Thanks for your help. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Ponraj A]

Sorry to steal the thread,
@Ty Hamatake can you please share some more information of how to humidify the soda lime with pictures would be a great help !!!

 

[Ty Hamatake]

Sorry to steal the thread,
@Ty Hamatake can you please share some more information of how to humidify the soda lime with pictures would be a great help !!!

There are several ways to do this. I use an external container filled with water, capped with an old skimer silencer, attached to the intake of the scrubber (pictured). You could also just go by the instructions that BRS gives and add water to the canister before you put the cartridge in (this method seems to require the continuous addition of water to the canister because it dried out within a few days). I've also seen one person attach the intake directly to the collection cup of the skimmer (above where the skimmate collects). It's really about finding somewhere to draw humid air from, doesn't matter where or how you do it.

 

[Ponraj A]

I understood Mr.Ty, but how to connect when I have linked the scrubber intake to outside air, please advise. Also as mentioned in BRS i am adding water below the catridge while refilling.

@Breakthecycle2 sorry for stealing ur thread and this will be my last question.

 

[bubbaque]

I connected my co2 scrubber last night at 6 pm and this morning at 9 am it looks to be 90% purple. This is with the skimmer pulling the air from outside then though the media and into the skimmer. I was hoping it would last a week at least but less than a day seems insane!

I am using a brs media reactor instead of their co2 scrubber. I added about a tbsp of water to the bottom of it but not sure if the water helps at all since it isn't turning purple from the top down and hitting the water after the media.

 

[emvanburen]

That sounds really fast. For anyone wondering about the effect of in-laws on CO2 and pH here it is. Arrive and depart.

 

[bubbaque]

I bought the media at shopmedvet.com

 

[shubunk]

This is after a day, day and half and the soda lime I'm using.

I'm using the exact one and it's only lasting 1 day!!

 

[justingraham]

There are several ways to do this. I use an external container filled with water, capped with an old skimer silencer, attached to the intake of the scrubber (pictured). You could also just go by the instructions that BRS gives and add water to the canister before you put the cartridge in (this method seems to require the continuous addition of water to the canister because it dried out within a few days). I've also seen one person attach the intake directly to the collection cup of the skimmer (above where the skimmate collects). It's really about finding somewhere to draw humid air from, doesn't matter where or how you do it.

I got a full 30 days out of my last batch of cdx with outside air going thru cdx to the skimmer intake.

I have to re up as my alk is slowly getting higher now that my ph is lower.