Trying to make a DIY CO2 scrubber/air powered skimmer combo. . . and other shenanigans.

[MoshJosh]

The pH in my tanks tend to run a tad low, 7.8ish, and I want to try bumping it up. I was inspired by this thread:

CO2 scrubber without skimmer

Skimmerless CO2 Scrubber Build I'm writing this build thread for a CO2 scrubber setup without the need for a skimmer since I had a difficult time finding anyone who had done this. The plumbing is simple: air pump --> CO2 canister with sodalime --> an airstone placed in your sump or tank I...

www.reef2reef.com

And by the fact that I own a Reef Glass skimmer and one of these:

Acrylic Fish Tank Protein Skimmer Separator W/IQ5 Aquarium Filter Accessory 7456144268500 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Acrylic Fish Tank Protein Skimmer Separator W/IQ5 Aquarium Filter Accessory at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

(Cheaper on Amazon but I can’t post the link)

My ideas is to put a sealed container of CO2 scrubbing media in line with the air pump that powers the skimmer likely using these:

Popular Aquarium Bottle Cap for DIY Plants CO2 Diffuser Air Generator SystemYI | eBay

This bottle cap is very suitable to be DIY Co2 system’s accessory that the size fits common PET plastic bottle. Attached with high quality plastic "O" ring inside of the cap to prevent missing the Co2.

www.ebay.com

While I wait for the bottle caps in the mail, I wanted to experiment:

I picked up some air-line stuff that was available at my local stores and tried to throw something together. I mostly failed because I had trouble making an airtight seal and or the containers were not actually airtight. That said, I managed to make half of an airtight container to try on my actual skimmer:



I am using the wrong size tubing and I am worried I am restricting airflow to my skimmer. . . But we will see.

 

[tedfisher496]

what are your other paramaters?

you can you kalk for a PH boost.

 

[MoshJosh]

what are your other paramaters?

you can you kalk for a PH boost.

Saturated kalk in my ATO was not enough to keep up with demand so I switched to 2 part dosing.

It’s been a minute since I tested and I don’t have all the numbers in front of me, but approximately pH 7.9 alk 10 cal 360 (upped my dosing) pho 0.1 and nitrate 0 (working in that haha)

 

[tedfisher496]

Saturated kalk in my ATO was not enough to keep up with demand so I switched to 2 part dosing.

It’s been a minute since I tested and I don’t have all the numbers in front of me, but approximately pH 7.9 alk 10 cal 360 (upped my dosing) pho 0.1 and nitrate 0 (working in that haha)

kalk in a ATO is not recommended for a few reasons. Its not a constant dosage and is very had on the ato pump. you should give kalk another try outside of the ato with a reactor or stirrer with the correct dosage. kalk can keep up with the demands provided their not high. It did not work before because you were not dosing the correct amount.

 

[MoshJosh]

kalk in a ATO is not recommended for a few reasons. Its not a constant dosage and is very had on the ato pump. you should give kalk another try outside of the ato with a reactor or stirrer with the correct dosage. kalk can keep up with the demands provided their not high. It did not work before because you were not dosing the correct amount.

I think in some situations you are correct, but I also think my demand is too high at this point (alk and cal demand). I agree that ATO dosage is not ideal, however, I was still adding max saturated kalk equivalent to my daily evaporation. So regardless of how I am dosing the max saturated kalk (in ATO or reactor or stirrer) I would have to dose in excess of my daily evaporation to meet my alk and cal need and would then be throwing off my salinity.

Also a word from Randy on stirring kalk: "I agree. Do not stir a reservoir after initial mixing. Keep it closed and unstirred. I did that from a 120 gallon reservoir formed from 3 brute cans plumbed together."

Basically, what I am getting at, is I don't think kalk is going to work for me.

Also, I did experiment with oversaturating kalk with vinegar, however, adding a carbon source to my already low nutrient systems seemed like a bad idea, plus adding vinegar decreased the kalks pH boost (how significantly I do not know) which is what I am after at this point. . .

 

[MoshJosh]