25 DSC02065 Canister filter and CO2 assembly. I secured the Co2 tank to the stand with 3 small snap-style dog collars.
26 DSC02064 CO2 reactor; made from an old gravel vac and a few plumbing fittings. The object of a reactor is to mix the Co2 gas with the water before it enters the tank. The line from the Co2 tank extends all the way to the bottom of the reactor where it is diffused with a standard aquarim air stone. The bubbles naturally flow upward, but the water from the tank is flowing down causing them to churn and break apart, thus mixing them with the water. The Bio Balls in the reactor help break the bubbles up more rapidly.
27 DSC02062 A better shot of the regulator/solenoid/bubble counter assembly. The regulator reduces the tank pressure from about 1000 PSI to a more managable 40-50 PSI and the needle valve allows you to finely adjust how many bubbles of Co2 enter the tank per second. This is measured in the bubble counter. The solenoid automaticly turns off the Co2 when the lights go off, preventing dangerous levels of Co2 when the plants arent photosynthesizing.
28 aquarium diagram A: Eheim 2013 Canister Filter B: 2.5 lb CO2 Tank C: CO2 Regulator/Solenoid/Bubble Counter Assembly D: Homemade CO2 Reactor E: Visitherm 100Watt Heater w/Undergravel Heater F: Surface Skimmer G: 2 55 Watt 6,500K Power Comact Fluorescent Bulbs
