Are there any Lifereef skimmer owners out there who have successfully incorporated a CO2 scrubber into their system?
While most pinwheel skimmers typically draw ambient room air to produce bubbles, Lifereef skimmers draw warm, moist air from inside the collection cup not only to make bubbles, but also to help prevent salt build-up and subsequent obstruction inside the Venturi. That “Constant Venturi Cleaning” feature works very well.
However, when a scrubber is installed inline in this closed-loop system, the same moist air that melts away precipitation inside the Venturi also saturates the CO2 media as the water vapor condenses along the way, rendering it useless in a matter of just a few days. If I disconnect the tubing coming from the collection cup, the CO2 media stays dry, but risks allowing salt to build up and clog the Venturi.
I have a few ideas how to solve this dilemma, but I was hoping that somebody else might have already been there, done that. I see that some folks drill a hole in the top of the skimmer to allow ambient air to mix with the recirculated air. Mine already has such an air hole. Drilling another won’t help.
Here in Arizona triple-digit temps force us to keep doors and windows closed tightly, so the A/C simply recirculates the same CO2-rich air over and over, contributing to the low pH in my reef tank. I’d love to be able to pump fresh outside air through the skimmer, but that’s not at all practical due to the location of the tank.
While most pinwheel skimmers typically draw ambient room air to produce bubbles, Lifereef skimmers draw warm, moist air from inside the collection cup not only to make bubbles, but also to help prevent salt build-up and subsequent obstruction inside the Venturi. That “Constant Venturi Cleaning” feature works very well.
However, when a scrubber is installed inline in this closed-loop system, the same moist air that melts away precipitation inside the Venturi also saturates the CO2 media as the water vapor condenses along the way, rendering it useless in a matter of just a few days. If I disconnect the tubing coming from the collection cup, the CO2 media stays dry, but risks allowing salt to build up and clog the Venturi.
I have a few ideas how to solve this dilemma, but I was hoping that somebody else might have already been there, done that. I see that some folks drill a hole in the top of the skimmer to allow ambient air to mix with the recirculated air. Mine already has such an air hole. Drilling another won’t help.
Here in Arizona triple-digit temps force us to keep doors and windows closed tightly, so the A/C simply recirculates the same CO2-rich air over and over, contributing to the low pH in my reef tank. I’d love to be able to pump fresh outside air through the skimmer, but that’s not at all practical due to the location of the tank.