Question about DIY CO2 reactor

[blakey]

Hi All
Yesterday I set up a DIY CO2 system for my 6 ft tank and ran the tubing through the bottom of the intake pipe of my 2217 eheim cannister filter, so the CO2 runs through filter before being released via the spray bar. Do you think this is a good idea or should I make up a proper reactor.
Cheers Shane.

[ILLUSN]

it works fine, the classics dont gas lock unless you get HEAPS of Co2 in there I still run co2 through my 2213 and after 4 years it hasn't been a problem, CO2 never drops below 35-40ppm (plant only tank)

[blakey]

Thanks Illusn
Just another quick question, I've placed a bio-chem zorb satchel in for a couple of months to get rid of any tannins that escape from new driftwood. Would this do anything to the CO2?

Cheers Shane

[ILLUSN]

no the co2 is a disolved gas, the bio chem zorb wont lock it uo, i wouldn't use it if you were using fertilizers.

[blakey]

I'm using seachem floushish twice a week, so this will be affected by the bio chem will it. Also I have been using a 30cm long air stone sitting on top of gravel to produce fine bubbles at opposite end of spray bar to help with circulation. Will this affect CO2 as I have read in other posts to only use at night but then I think I read somewhere that you run yours 24/7. Now I'm a bit confused.

[ILLUSN]

I run my airstones 24/7 because my fish like it that way, my plants dont grow quick enough to supply all the o2 my fish need (my tank also runs hot about 30-32C).

your fish will tell you how often you need to run your airstone, i love my plants but the FISH HAVE TO COME FIRST!

biochemzorb will lock up some of the minerals in florish so if your using biochem zorb dont bother adding florish, use root fertz instead and maybe dose dry ferts (chelated iron, KSO4, trace element mix) instead, it will save you some money and it disassociates slower allowing more time for the plants to up take the nutrients before the filter removes them.

[blakey]

Thanx mate