Anyone using a CO2 scrubber for their skimmer intake?

[Len]

I bought one to give it a try. I want to see if it improves my skimming. My pH is not a big issue (8.05 to 8.3), but elevating it could help with the dino/cyano problem I've been battling.

 

[Anonymous]

Len

My beaslbob such as it is prediction:

It won't make any difference.

And definately not on the cyano.

my beaslbob prediction

worth at most .02

 

[Len]

I'm positive it will make a difference in pH. I don't know if it'll improve skimming or reduce nutrients though. I would imagine the skimmer will perform differently now that the air is scrubbed of CO2.

 

[Anonymous]

I seem to recall one company who sells such a scrubber gives some numbers between .05 and .23 as to how far it can raise your pH, I'm guessing the largest shift would be if you have a lot of ambient CO2 in your house, so basically any change will be quite negligible. I believe it was just a bunch of soda lime granules tossed in a canister filter, so easily something you could make yourself on the cheap if you were so inclined.

 

[Len]

MCU Research. I bought mine from Premium Aquatics. I'll probably just replace the media myself with bulk soda lime when it depletes. The unit itself wasn't too expensive (compared to building my own from BRS), but the replacement carts are on the pricey side.

 

[Anonymous]

I have never heard of using a CO2 scrubber until I read this thread.

Interesting.

Let us know how it works, Len.

Louey

 

[Anonymous]

I'm skeptical it will do much to skimming performance.

I think most of us would be surprised if we measured the dissolved oxygen concentration in our tanks.

 

[Len]

So I got it installed, and it's definitely raised my pH a bit (about 0.05). It's too early to tell if skimmer will do anything different. ORP is still the same, but mine has always been above 450.

 

[Anonymous]

So I got it installed, and it's definitely raised my pH a bit (about 0.05).

Is your pH really that rock steady? I would think a fluctuation that small would happen every day/few hours just as normal variation.

 

[Anonymous]

Len, do you use vinegar with kalkwasser? I wonder...if there isn't enough CO2 present in your water wouldn't it cause the kalk to precipitate out?

 

[Len]

My pH has been fairly steady at the same time each day. It used to range from 8.02 to 8.19. Now it's about 8.08 to 8.24.

I don't use kalkwasser in my vinegar. Maybe I should. But this doesn't have anything to do with my CO2 scrubber (the kalkwasser is fed freshwater and not connected to tankwater that is being skimmed).

 

[Len]

Actually, up 0.09 from this time yesterday. Skimmer still looks to be doing the same thing though.

 

[Anonymous]

Len, do you use vinegar with kalkwasser? I wonder...if there isn't enough CO2 present in your water wouldn't it cause the kalk to precipitate out?

If there were the case Nilson Reactors fed my RODI would always flock out My source water for my RODI is very low in CO2 due to how I store it. My kalk sdoesn;t flock out in the reactor

 

[Anonymous]

Len, do you use vinegar with kalkwasser? I wonder...if there isn't enough CO2 present in your water wouldn't it cause the kalk to precipitate out?

If there were the case Nilson Reactors fed my RODI would always flock out My source water for my RODI is very low in CO2 due to how I store it. My kalk sdoesn;t flock out in the reactor

I think the gist of it is that you either want very little CO2 present or an abundance of CO2 present to avoid precipitation as calcium carbonate (see below). I got no idea if the CO2 scrubber really makes a difference though!

http://www.reefscapes.net/articles/bree ... asser.html

The advice not to mix the Kalk too much is right on target. As the equations I posted show, if you are not using any Vinegar in the mix you certainly DO need to avoid mixing the Kalk powder with CO2 until AFTER it's dripped into the tank.

Look again at the equations. Both the GOOD reaction that liberates useful Calcium ions (Ca++) into your tank, and the BAD reaction that wastes the Calcium ions as solid Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3), require the addition of different amounts of CO2.

The problem with allowing the CO2 reaction to occur as you mix your Kalk in a container without Vinegar is that you are mixing it in a comparatively small quantity of water that contains only a very limited amount of CO2. So, instead of having enough CO2 to go all the way to useful Bicarbonate ions (HCO3-, or Alkalinity) as you want it to, the chemical reaction stops at the undesirable Carbonate ion (CO3--). This is what sets the stage for the Calcium ions to precipitate out as useless solid Calcium Carbonate while still in the mixing container -- the Kalk mixes with SOME CO2, but not with ENOUGH CO2.

 

[Len]

The CO2 scrubber only scrubs the CO2 out of the air intake for the skimmer. It effects the tank's CO2, but not the FW or kalkreactor/resevoir CO2 availability.

FYI: my pH continued to climb, and now it's settled at 8.4 day and 8.3 night. I'm actually thinking it's a bit too high now. I only use kalk right now, so I might get my Ca/CO2 reactor up and running to balance it out. That, or I'll find some way to scrub the air intake less. But this thing definitely increases the tank's pH, and by a lot too. I still can't tell if it's improved the skimming performance though.

 

[Anonymous]

It effects the tank's CO2

Len, that's what I'm getting at! If there is not enough CO2 present in your tank water when kalkwasser hits it you can get precipitation into calcium carbonate.

 

[Len]

It effects the tank's CO2

Len, that's what I'm getting at! If there is not enough CO2 present in your tank water when kalkwasser hits it you can get precipitation into calcium carbonate.

Oh. I don't have that problem; there is no snow storm.

 

[Anonymous]

...
. But this thing definitely increases the tank's pH, and by a lot too. I still can't tell if it's improved the skimming performance though.

another beaslbob prediction shot to ****.

and thanks for observation.

But them my pH rose for 7.5 to over 8.4-8.8.

 

[Anonymous]

I have never heard of using a CO2 scrubber until I read this thread.

Interesting.

Let us know how it works, Len.

Louey

Kind of like a tweak on the calc reactor, yeah? That's how I'm perceiving its function.

Edit: :roll: Never mind. It's the opposite, if anything. Do I understand that it doesn't affect function of a CR, though?

 

[Len]

What it does is scrub the CO2 from the air intake of your skimmer. The gas exchange will alter the chemistry of your tank (less acid, more O2). It doesn't directly effect Ca or kalk reactors, though you'll need more CO2 to bring down the pH in your Ca reactor to melt the CaCO3.

I've found my polyp extension has increased greatly since I installed the scrubber. I'm not sure if this has to do with more O2 or higher pH or both. An added side effect is it silenced my skimmer's air intake to a point where it's virtually impossible to hear 8)