Co2 Scrubber?

Lilly45nano · Oct 29, 2020

HuduVudu said:
Your house is new so your HVAC is tied to the outside air, so indoor CO2 should not be your problem. Your tank design however ... well that is your problem. I have a real problem with enclosed sump areas and this is why. Also if the top of your tank is enclosed then your tank has no way to "breath". The CO2 is going to build up. A better alternative is chaeto or macro in the sump. Those mangroves aren't going to cut it they don't grow fast enough. Also uncover your tank (if it is covered) and get more air flow through your stand. Just leaving the doors open should be enough to pull up your PH. Another alternative is to put your skimmer airline outside of your stand. These are much cheaper and more effective solutions than a CO2 scrubber.

I also am having this problem...same scenario...can you show or explain how to get the skimmer intake outside of the cabinet please ?

HuduVudu · Oct 29, 2020

There should be an intake on the skimmer. Here is a picture of a skimmer that I have. The small cylinder pictured off to the side is the silencer and the intake is next to the white screw. It is the clear pipe sticking up.

Fit this clear pipe with tubing and run it outside of your cabinet to someplace that is convinient for you. Try to make sure that there is plenty of open air around it and that it is not to close to the cabinet itself. Some people will go so far as to pull these to the out doors, but better to do the minimal amount to get the maximum results.

Lilly45nano · Oct 29, 2020

HuduVudu said:
There should be an intake on the skimmer. Here is a picture of a skimmer that I have. The small cylinder pictured off to the side is the silencer and the intake is next to the white screw. It is the clear pipe sticking up.

Fit this clear pipe with tubing and run it outside of your cabinet to someplace that is convinient for you. Try to make sure that there is plenty of open air around it and that it is not to close to the cabinet itself. Some people will go so far as to pull these to the out doors, but better to do the minimal amount to get the maximum results.

Thank you!

UCF Alum · Oct 29, 2020

The cO2 media BRS sells now is garbage. It last a week, tops, and that’s with the recirculating method. The media they used to sell was much better. Check out the reviews on their website. If you can, plumb your skimmer intake outside.

Rod999vance · Oct 29, 2020

I tried everything to raise ph, and finally broke down and got the BRS $32 scrubber and the shopmedvet Soda Lime (11.99/3lbs -will fill canister 2.5 times). Wish i had done it 6 months ago! Raised my ph from a constant 7.8 to 8.3 by the next day. I’ve had it running for two weeks now and only exhausted 20% of media in canister.
I rigged the intake to the scrubber cup for humidity and to recycle air for longer media life ($7 bucks for tube and fittings).
So far so good! I recommend!

90 gallon mixed reef

RedReefer · Oct 31, 2020

Quick question for people with experience on a CO2 scrubber. So if my cabinet is partially enclosed, Wouldn’t the CO2 scrubber work better with scrubbing the air that’s in the cabinet versus running the scrubber intake line outside of the stand and scrubbing the whole room? Would it be considered semi recirculating Scrubber. I do know running an airline to the outside of the house is the next best thing, but this is not feasible for me because I don’t trust the lawn guys, pest control guys, and the weather. My cabinet is partially enclosed with a fan pulling air in.

RedReefer · Oct 31, 2020

Photo of my cabinet.

Topekoms · Oct 31, 2020

Run some 1in pvc to outside tie your skimmer air intake to it. That is what I did

Hilltopreef · Oct 31, 2020

Rod999vance said:
I tried everything to raise ph, and finally broke down and got the BRS $32 scrubber and the shopmedvet Soda Lime (11.99/3lbs -will fill canister 2.5 times). Wish i had done it 6 months ago! Raised my ph from a constant 7.8 to 8.3 by the next day. I’ve had it running for two weeks now and only exhausted 20% of media in canister.
I rigged the intake to the scrubber cup for humidity and to recycle air for longer media life ($7 bucks for tube and fittings).
So far so good! I recommend!

90 gallon mixed reef

I’m confused. Looks like the affluent drain from your Skimmer is draining into your C02 scrubber?

RedReefer · Oct 31, 2020

My question is running the unit under the cabinet should theoretically make the Co2 media last longer if it’s recirculating the already scrubbed air in the cabinet?

Millwright · Oct 31, 2020

Hilltopreef said:
I’m confused. Looks like the affluent drain from your Skimmer is draining into your C02 scrubber?

I thought the same thing. But it’s just the angle of the pic. Zoom in and you can see it’s going to the silencer.

coseal · Oct 31, 2020

Hilltopreef said:
I’m confused. Looks like the affluent drain from your Skimmer is draining into your C02 scrubber?

at first glance me too!

here is one i diy'd for an older tank i had.. should prolly use it on my current tank lol but media = one more thing i have to buy

Untitled by shaun s., on Flickr

dadnjesse · Oct 31, 2020

((FORDTECH)) said:
This is what I use for media. If you buy it in bulk obviously it cost less and then becomes more realistic for people who are (not rich)

I also use this 5 Gallon of media. Mine is almost a year old and I still have some left. I change it every two weeks.

tippin.turtle · Oct 31, 2020

My BRS reactor/media only lasted four days when my canister air inlet was open to direct air only.
Converted to the "recirculation" principal and now my media lasts for about 14-16 days now. Also, I found this really nice silicone tubing on Amazon and it comes in multiple colors. It's fantastic! I am so glad I added a CO2 scrubber!

coseal · Oct 31, 2020

so its like a "double pass"! do you think it is still as effective? this is a great solution if so! all skimmer caps have holes in them so your already halfway... haha

tippin.turtle · Oct 31, 2020

coseal said:
so its like a "double pass"! do you think it is still as effective? this is a great solution if so! all skimmer caps have holes in them so your already halfway... haha

My initial impression was that media replacement would be expensive. My system is in a basement with no possibility of obtaining an "outside" air source. By implementing the recirculation method I'm achieving greater media longevity and thus decreasing cost. My skimmer only has four holes in the lid, and I'm only accessing one of those for my CO2 scrubber air intake. My ph at it's highest is at 8.3; so I have no need for complicated automated valves or the like.

Rod999vance · Oct 31, 2020

Hilltopreef said:
I’m confused. Looks like the affluent drain from your Skimmer is draining into your C02 scrubber?

Sorry, bad picture angle i guess. Skimmer cup is draining to an empty gallon collection jug. Scrubber intake is connected to the skimmer silencer air intake.

Cjeippert · Jul 7, 2021

UCF Alum said:
The cO2 media BRS sells now is garbage. It last a week, tops, and that’s with the recirculating method. The media they used to sell was much better. Check out the reviews on their website. If you can, plumb your skimmer intake outside.

The ice cap media is not as good either I have personally noticed. I too am going to buy the jorvet shop medvet stuff on amazon

BoxKing · Jul 7, 2021

Cjeippert said:
The ice cap media is not as good either I have personally noticed. I too am going to buy the jorvet shop medvet stuff on amazon

BRS media over Ice Cap pellets all day. The pellet versions allow for too much air space. I switched over the 7.5lb BRS bag, and I find the media compacts better, and my PH has been much more stable.
I run dual lines from outside to my Ice Cap scrubber (Which Ill be swapping for the BRS canister) then a single to dual line into my skimmer. Media lasts me 3-4 weeks Which makes my yearly media expense at roughly 50$, so you don’t have to be hood rich to pull off a scrubber! I though about tying in one of the lines for a recirculating method but Ill prolly hold off until the season changes as its humid as all hell here in the summer.