IceCap Co2 scrubber installation
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UMALUM
Valuable Member
I just took my scrubber out of retirement a couple days ago because the neighborhood is black topping the asphalt and I wanted to play it safe. For the life of me I couldn't remember which was which. Called BRS and they said middle, then called coralvue and they said outside. I haven't bothered testing the ph as this will be temporary but I would like to know what's correct.
At the end of the call with coralvue she said "well in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter as it will have to pass the media either way". At this point I think the only person who knows the correct answer is the China man who made it?
At the end of the call with coralvue she said "well in the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter as it will have to pass the media either way". At this point I think the only person who knows the correct answer is the China man who made it?
MUTiger
Active Member
I have the Ice Cap scrubber and just started using the Twolittlefishies CDX CO2 media (after using up the Ice Cap media that came with the scrubber). When using the Ice Cap media, my pH quickly went up to 8.2-8.3. Now with the CDX the pH has dropped to 7.9.
Do you have to put RO water in the scrubber when using the CDX media? The instructions don’t mention it and Thomas’s BRS video on the Ic Cap scrubber also does not say to add water.
Do you have to put RO water in the scrubber when using the CDX media? The instructions don’t mention it and Thomas’s BRS video on the Ic Cap scrubber also does not say to add water.
Backtolifemassage
Active Member
I have had a small hooked up to my skimmer for 2 years now and have not gotten the expected results. it was installed based off the BRS instructional video as there were no box instructions.
In this demo the skimmer intake is connected to the outer port, which is what I did.
I have searched for other reefers installs and have found a mix of outer port and middle port, most these pictures are right after installation. So I decided to hit up the BRS support team who are always helpful.
my results after 2 years using their install:
pH 7.78-8.2
Never had the media change color. I would just change it at 4months because I figured it was necessary.
My conclusion was that the middle port is the correct skimmer intake because the water added to the lower chamber needs to humidify the media and the only way for this to occur is if the humidified air is drawn up through the media.
irritated that it took me this long to put together a pretty simple thing, but it appears others are doing it the wrong way as well and that could very well be based on the BRS video as there are not many available instructions for install.
(10:41:30 AM) Brad: Thank you for your patience! Based off what I am seeing and what you are describing I do believe your orientation is correct as otherwise the side port will draw air through the water after passing through the CO2 media, not before which is what is needed for the media to do its job.
(10:42:01 AM) Brad: I will have to reach out to our video team and see if there is any chance they can update this
if there are other Icecap scrubber users not getting results, I hope this helps. I have only recently had my pH go below 7.9 and I have been working to reach and average of 8.3 so this has been on my mind.
I’m so glad I happened upon the article. I’ve been trying to figure this out for months. Your original post was 2 years ago and still no information on you tube, BRS or anywhere I’ve looked for instruction. I received this for Christmas and here we are in mid-February. I tried last week to attach my icecap CO2 scrubber to my icecap protein skimmer. No instructions anywhere. I tried connecting it to the collection cup and my scrubber ended up full of nasty water. I feel like it would be easy to connect to products from the same company. But nope. I’ve reached out to coralvue for guidance.
Backtolifemassage
Active Member
This is how I finally set mine up.let me see if I can attach a pic. It was absolute torture trying to get the guy from coralvue to walk me through this. I finally gave up but it this is what I managed to figure out on my own.
Attachments
Backtolifemassage
Active Member
As far as the length of the hose I went as long as it took for me to not have to mount the scrubber. Good luck. Mine seems to be working just fine.
Dr. Reef
www.drreefsquarantinedfish.com
I have mine setup for a couple of days now. Its working fine and I do see media turning white from pink.
I have mine setup in a way where the ambient air enters the middle port of the conister, flows down through the media, then over the water at the base and up the side tube to the venturi of the pump/skimmer.
After reading this thread, I feel that its not the correct way. If you watch this video of BRS co2 scrubber. Its pretty clear that the air enters one side of the canister, flows down to the base and hits the water, then moist air flows up the inner fillable canister with co2 scrubbing media and out the other port to the venturi pump/skimmer.
So from this video I assume ambient air needs enter the outside port of the Icecap and to flow in a way it hits the water first, then moist air needs to flow up the media and out the middle port then on to pump/skimmer.
I have mine setup in a way where the ambient air enters the middle port of the conister, flows down through the media, then over the water at the base and up the side tube to the venturi of the pump/skimmer.
After reading this thread, I feel that its not the correct way. If you watch this video of BRS co2 scrubber. Its pretty clear that the air enters one side of the canister, flows down to the base and hits the water, then moist air flows up the inner fillable canister with co2 scrubbing media and out the other port to the venturi pump/skimmer.
So from this video I assume ambient air needs enter the outside port of the Icecap and to flow in a way it hits the water first, then moist air needs to flow up the media and out the middle port then on to pump/skimmer.
Dr. Reef
www.drreefsquarantinedfish.com
I switched it around. I have few days worth of pH data from running it, what I think was wrong, Will compare a few days later.
But this is how I think its supposed to work correct after watching BRS style co2 scrubber. Air needs to flow and hit water and become moist, Then through the media and out to the venturi on pump/skimmer.
You can see air flowing down the side port/tube to the bottom of the canister, agitating the water, becoming moist and travelling up through the media and out the middle port to my venturi.
But this is how I think its supposed to work correct after watching BRS style co2 scrubber. Air needs to flow and hit water and become moist, Then through the media and out to the venturi on pump/skimmer.
You can see air flowing down the side port/tube to the bottom of the canister, agitating the water, becoming moist and travelling up through the media and out the middle port to my venturi.
kevinf
lalalala
I switched it around. I have few days worth of pH data from running it, what I think was wrong, Will compare a few days later.
But this is how I think its supposed to work correct after watching BRS style co2 scrubber. Air needs to flow and hit water and become moist, Then through the media and out to the venturi on pump/skimmer.
You can see air flowing down the side port/tube to the bottom of the canister, agitating the water, becoming moist and travelling up through the media and out the middle port to my venturi.
Excited to see the results !
Dr. Reef
www.drreefsquarantinedfish.com
Another thing I am going to monitor is what difference does moist air makes (way i have it setup now) vs dry air through the media.
In 2 days looking at the pics media is 25-30% exhausted. Lets see if moist air depletes the media just as fast? and what effect is there, if any, on pH.
I suspect no change in pH as either way, wet or dry. the co2 is being scrubbed going through the media, Only effect I suspect would likely be in speed of depleting of the media. Stay tuned.
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Peair
Active Member
I have had a small hooked up to my skimmer for 2 years now and have not gotten the expected results. it was installed based off the BRS instructional video as there were no box instructions.
In this demo the skimmer intake is connected to the outer port, which is what I did.
I have searched for other reefers installs and have found a mix of outer port and middle port, most these pictures are right after installation. So I decided to hit up the BRS support team who are always helpful.
my results after 2 years using their install:
pH 7.78-8.2
Never had the media change color. I would just change it at 4months because I figured it was necessary.
My conclusion was that the middle port is the correct skimmer intake because the water added to the lower chamber needs to humidify the media and the only way for this to occur is if the humidified air is drawn up through the media.
irritated that it took me this long to put together a pretty simple thing, but it appears others are doing it the wrong way as well and that could very well be based on the BRS video as there are not many available instructions for install.
(10:41:30 AM) Brad: Thank you for your patience! Based off what I am seeing and what you are describing I do believe your orientation is correct as otherwise the side port will draw air through the water after passing through the CO2 media, not before which is what is needed for the media to do its job.
(10:42:01 AM) Brad: I will have to reach out to our video team and see if there is any chance they can update this
if there are other Icecap scrubber users not getting results, I hope this helps. I have only recently had my pH go below 7.9 and I have been working to reach and average of 8.3 so this has been on my mind.
I have two IceCap C02 Scrubbers, one medium and one small, on two different tanks, and two different skimmers, I had great success hooking the medium to an IceCap Skimmer, I had it running for about 15 months, I had the intake tube on middle and on the end to see if a difference, I saw no difference, the resin always changed colors from pink to white, when changing the resin make sure you fill it to the Top, and I always had a nice stable PH boost, it's really cool that you can monitor your PH everyday in your Hydros App, now the other small IceCap C02 scrubber did not work as well, it took longer to change colors, and the PH in the app did fluctuate too much, so after messing around with it, I came to the conclusion that you have to have the Right skimmer, for the IceCap skimmer worked great hooked up. and the cheaper AquaMaxx skimmer did not work great hooked up, so I think it’s best to have a very good quality skimmer for best results.
kevinf
lalalala
I have the small version hooked up to a tunze 9012 doc comline skimmer. Cleaned the skimmer cup before installing the icecap.
I also have a Hydros to monitor it. Its been running for a few hours but pH is dropping since its night time. I didn't pack it fully. Theirs like a quarter of a inch I can still put more in
Peair
Active Member
I don't want to make you spend unnecessary money, try and fix it the easy simple way first, fill the resin to the top, let it run a couple weeks to see if it stabilizes, try and use only iceCap resin, make sure everything is clean, and if everything you tried fails, you might have to change skimmers to a more conventional one, now Tunze makes very good quality products, but you might have to change to a different skimmer, hopefully you will get it fixed before a needed change.
kevinf
lalalala
I just filled it completely, so we shall see!
kevinf
lalalala
Okay, so had it running since 7pm last night. It went from a high of 8.05 to 8.2 at 5pm today
Also, if I open the the skimmer air more from the control knob, will that help more for the scrubber ?
Also, if I open the the skimmer air more from the control knob, will that help more for the scrubber ?
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Dr. Reef
www.drreefsquarantinedfish.com
After 24 hours roughly. I did not notice any change in media exhaustion. It looks the same 25-30% exhausted like yesterday but my pH has definitely increased.
Prior to switching the tube's, min pH was 7.74 and max 8.33 with avg of 8.04.
Today (after 24 hrs of changing the tube side)
Minimum is 7.97 and max of 8.26, avg of 8.08.
so pH is not going too low at night and likely will steady out about 8.1ish.
Prior to switching the tube's, min pH was 7.74 and max 8.33 with avg of 8.04.
Today (after 24 hrs of changing the tube side)
Minimum is 7.97 and max of 8.26, avg of 8.08.
so pH is not going too low at night and likely will steady out about 8.1ish.
kevinf
lalalala
After 24 hours roughly. I did not notice any change in media exhaustion. It looks the same 25-30% exhausted like yesterday but my pH has definitely increased.
Prior to switching the tube's, min pH was 7.74 and max 8.33 with avg of 8.04.
Today (after 24 hrs of changing the tube side)
Minimum is 7.97 and max of 8.26, avg of 8.08.
so pH is not going too low at night and likely will steady out about 8.1ish.
Good to know the middle port is the right port to put it in. How much rodi water are you putting in? I've read 5ml.
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