CO2 Scrubbing Material Life

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I looked and couldn’t find the answer:

One of my tanks is about 65G and is on an oversized CARX (learning to use it as I am waiting for my 400G peninsula to be completed by GC). I am using a BRS RODI canister as my reactor to scrub CO2. The media has been in the reactor for 6 weeks and is pure white, no hint of color changing. Nothing has changed, but the last two nights my PH has dropped from a night time average of 8.15 to 7.80. I assume since I am on a reactor - When the CO2 scrubbing material is spent I will see a sudden drop in PH. However, it hasn’t changed colors. Thoughts?

 

[jackson6745]

I looked and couldn’t find the answer:

One of my tanks is about 65G and is on an oversized CARX (learning to use it as I am waiting for my 400G peninsula to be completed by GC). I am using a BRS RODI canister as my reactor to scrub CO2. The media has been in the reactor for 6 weeks and is pure white, no hint of color changing. Nothing has changed, but the last two nights my PH has dropped from a night time average of 8.15 to 7.80. I assume since I am on a reactor - When the CO2 scrubbing material is spent I will see a sudden drop in PH. However, it hasn’t changed colors. Thoughts?

Depending on media, the color change could be very faint. If there is a lot of moisture in the media I notice that I would never see the color change but get the drop in PH eventually when it exhausts. When you pour out the used media you'll probably notice pink/purple color through the granules. 6 weeks is a long time on the media. Do you have it running recirculating?

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Depending on media, the color change could be very faint. If there is a lot of moisture in the media I notice that I would never see the color change but get the drop in PH eventually when it exhausts. When you pour out the used media you'll probably notice pink/purple color through the granules. 6 weeks is a long time on the media. Do you have it running recirculating?

It is recirc and it is moist like a good home made brownie.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

It is recirc and it is moist like a good home made brownie.

This tank the skimmer is on 24/7. My other tank I only have the skimmer on about 6 hours a day. I might have squeaked 4 weeks at 24 hours a day out of a canister.

 

[jackson6745]

It is recirc and it is moist like a good home made brownie.

Try this if you don’t already have. Made my media stay more dry and last even longer.
https://fishofhex.com/products/32oz-co2-scrubber-skimmate-collection-container-flat-with-screw-nut

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I made this out of left over bits. The over flow canister use to fill about halfway up. But since I started using a locker I’m not getting any skim in the overflow.

 

[Formulator]

Try this if you don’t already have. Made my media stay more dry and last even longer.
https://fishofhex.com/products/32oz-co2-scrubber-skimmate-collection-container-flat-with-screw-nut

I’m confused. I thought CO2 media lasted longer when kept moist. This is why folks are plumbing their reactor intake into the top of their skimmer cups instead of drawing in dry room air. Right?

 

[jackson6745]

I’m confused. I thought CO2 media lasted longer when kept moist. This is why folks are plumbing their reactor intake into the top of their skimmer cups instead of drawing in dry room air. Right?

There’s moist and then there’s wet. You don’t want it soaked. When running recirculating most guys find the need for a moisture catch can of some sort to keep the media from getting completely wet.

Yea they draw the air in from the skimmer lid which is completely saturated with humidity. The catch can that I posted above goes inline to that before the actually scrubber or you’ll basically submerge your media. (Getting the scrubber elevated above skimmer also helps).

 

[Formulator]

There’s moist and then there’s wet. You don’t want it soaked. When running recirculating most guys find the need for a moisture catch can of some sort to keep the media from getting completely wet.

Yea they draw the air in from the skimmer lid which is completely saturated with humidity. The catch can that I posted above goes inline to that before the actually scrubber or you’ll basically submerge your media. (Getting the scrubber elevated above skimmer also helps).

That makes sense. I also watched the video and realized I was forgetting the primary benefit of connecting the intake to skimmer is the recycling of low CO2 air to get an even bigger pH boost and prolong the life of the media. Now I think I’m going to buy one for my own set up :grinning-squinting-face:

 

[jackson6745]

That makes sense. I also watched the video and realized I was forgetting the primary benefit of connecting the intake to skimmer is the recycling of low CO2 air to get an even bigger pH boost and prolong the life of the media. Now I think I’m going to buy one for my own set up :grinning-squinting-face:

On my 200g with a bubble king that draws a lot of air, I get one month on a single cylinder large BRS scrubber Since I made the change to recirculating several months back. Before that it would exhaust in 5 days. Huge difference making it a long term solution.