Help with CO2 Scrubber

[hllb]

So, after weeks of back and forth with Neptune and discussion here, I decided my low pH seen on my Apex is real. It ranges from 7.6 to 7.95 give or take. We've actually had our AC go out a couple of times recently so on the days all the windows were open the pH was better (7.8 to 8.1). I've been running my fuge 24/7 and dropped an airstone in with the pump sitting in an open window (but that needs to be closed whenever it rains, which has been frequently lately).

Yesterday, I finally received everything I needed for a CO2 scrubber. Now, prior to this, I wasn't running a skimmer at all but I've had it back in the tank for a while now. I have a biocube 32 and use the Coralife V2 skimmer in chamber 1 (which I've found works pretty well considering the size). Yesterday, I hooked up the scrubber to the air intake for the skimmer. It seemed to boost the daytime pH a bit - it got up to 8.06 yesterday so I was encouraged. But this morning, it's down to 7.65 again so something clearly isn't working. The air intake on my tiny skimmer is only 3/16" and the output on the scrubber is 3/8". I used what I could find locally to reduce that so I could connect them.

Any ideas why this isn't working? Is the skimmer just too small to make a difference? Even if it were undersized, I would have expected an improvement (when in fact 7.65 is lower than it was yesterday morning before the scrubber was added). This isn't the best setup, but I'm limited to what I can do with my biocube. I do have a new tank on order, but it'll likely be September before that gets here and setup.

 

[T-J]

Can we see more pics of the setup, including the skimmer?
I run a scrubber all summer due to A/C (house is airtight). I made my scrubber into a recirculating one by running the intake hose into the top of the skimmer. I also have a jar in-between the intake and the scrubber to capture the moisture from the skimmer so the media doesn't get wet.

 

[hllb]

 

[hllb]

Can we see more pics of the setup, including the skimmer?
I run a scrubber all summer due to A/C (house is airtight). I made my scrubber into a recirculating one by running the intake hose into the top of the skimmer. I also have a jar in-between the intake and the scrubber to capture the moisture from the skimmer so the media doesn't get wet.

I did put a teaspoon of water in the bottom of the reactor per instructions. I know using humidified air can prolong the life of the media but even without that it should be doing something for my ph, right?

 

[T-J]

I did put a teaspoon of water in the bottom of the reactor per instructions. I know using humidified air can prolong the life of the media but even without that it should be doing something for my ph, right?

Correct. I suggest modifying it to a recirculating scrubber. I'd post a pic of mine, but I'm not at home. Basically, take an old pickle jar or similar and punch two holes in the top. Attach airline tubing to it and run one to the input of the scrubber and one to one of the air vents on top of your skimmer. Make sure to seal up any gaps with hot glue (I used murlock fittings).
Now you have a recirculating scrubber! Your media will last longer, and pH should go even higher.

 

[hllb]

Correct. I suggest modifying it to a recirculating scrubber. I'd post a pic of mine, but I'm not at home. Basically, take an old pickle jar or similar and punch two holes in the top. Attach airline tubing to it and run one to the input of the scrubber and one to one of the air vents on top of your skimmer. Make sure to seal up any gaps with hot glue (I used murlock fittings).
Now you have a recirculating scrubber! Your media will last longer, and pH should go even higher.

So far, it’s not doing anything for my pH and I don’t know why.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Does that skimmer have enough suction to pull through that scrubber?

Check your media. If it's a slight color of purple it needs to be changed. When i first started scrubbing my media went out instantly. There after, 8.3 and up came with ease.

 

[jmichaelh7]

Put your thumb on the outlet of the scrubber. You should feel suction

 

[hllb]

You mean the inlet, right? Output of the scrubber is hooked to the skimmer intake, right? I don’t feel any suction. Maybe the skimmer pump isn’t strong enough but it’s pulling air so it must be coming from somewhere?

Put your thumb on the outlet of the scrubber. You should feel suction

Put your thumb on the outlet of the scrubber. You should feel suction

 

[hllb]

Does that skimmer have enough suction to pull through that scrubber?

Check your media. If it's a slight color of purple it needs to be changed. When i first started scrubbing my media went out instantly. There after, 8.3 and up came with ease.

Media hasn’t changed color at all yet

 

[Reef man 89]

I had the same problem with my old 9004 skimmer I came to the conclusion that the pump was just not strong enough pull enough scrub air to make an impact.

 

[hllb]

I had the same problem with my old 9004 skimmer I came to the conclusion that the pump was just not strong enough pull enough scrub air to make an impact.

Where else would it be pulling air then? Leaking somewhere in the line? Because it’s definitely pulling air

 

[Reef man 89]

Where else would it be pulling air then? Leaking somewhere in the line? Because it’s definitely pulling air

No it’s more of the skimmer is so small that it’s not gonna make a real impact on the PH. This is what I think was going on in my old skimmer. There is no doubt the media works I currently use it on my tank now. You could try putting a little more water in the reactor. Also your line from the skimmer to the reactor seams really long I would try to shorten that up big time.

 

[Biokabe]

A couple things to say:

1) If possible, mount the scrubber so that it's higher than the skimmer. It doesn't make a *huge* difference, but it does make a difference. And if the skimmer pump turns off, there is the possibility of back-siphon into your scrubber and ultimately onto the floor.

2) If possible, look in the reaction chamber of the skimmer. What does the foam look like? Is it a full-bodied foam with lots of bubbles and hardly any visible (non-bubbly) water, or is it a weak foam that looks like Epsom-salt water?

It's hard to tell for sure, but the bubbling I see around your skimmer looks more like that kind of weak foam. If that's what you have, then that's a fairly clear indication that you have a leak in your air line somewhere. Whenever I see that on my skimmer/scrubber, there's one of two culprits: Either the air hose has water in it near the skimmer pump (in which case, disconnect the hose from the skimmer and hold it upright to allow the water to drain out of the hose and into the skimmer), or there's a leak in the air line. For me, that leak is usually on the scrubber body itself - in other words, the lid is either not set correctly, or it isn't tightened sufficiently. Re-setting the screw threads or simple tightening the lid a hair is enough to correct the problem. You have one more point of failure (your reducing elbow), so you might also be leaking air there.

Also hard to say, but it looks like your media might have already been exhausted. It could just be a purple tinge from the lighting, but it doesn't look as pure white as fresh media does. If your lid isn't on tight, your media will be exposed to more air and exhaust itself faster.

 

[hllb]

The media hasn’t changed color at all yet (the canister is blue) so perhaps it’s a leak in my junction. I can shorten up the lines too. The bubbles around my skimmer are from an airstone. My ph is currently at 7.76

 

[hllb]

I did shorten up my tubing and it seems like there’s a little suction, maybe. I need to order a better adapter for the tubing - maybe that will help. Nothing else I can really do though, right? My internet is out so being able to post pictures is hit or miss.

 

[Reef man 89]

You definitely can get that fitting from BRS. I swapped out the fitting to fit that size intake.

 

[hllb]

I wonder if it would help to run the airstone through the scrubber instead of the skimmer. Can you get an air pump that has an air intake you could hook to a scrubber? Mine doesn't have an intake that I could put a barb on.