What would remove CO2 from the air?

[Highland Reefer]

I am working on a solution for removing CO2 from my aqauirum, in order to stablize the PH. Opening windows in the winter is not a solution. I know there are carbon air filters out there which might provide a solution if hooked up in conjucntion with a fan. Any imput would be appreciated.

 

 

 

Edit: I ran across this link for a do-it-yourself carbon air filter system: http://www.instructables.com/id/SFC5GW8F45H95CG/

Edited April 15, 2008 by Highland Reefer

[Brian Ward]

Carbon will remove smells from the air, but not CO2. Removing CO2 would require a chemical process to break the carbon away from the oxygen and having the oxygen recombine into O2. (recombine because the electron structure in O2 is different when C is added to it) The chemical process would look like this:

 

CO2 -> C + O2 You would need some sort of catalyst to create the reaction.

 

Another option may be to keep a bottle of Oxygen (available as a welding supply) and inject this into the water - possibly at the skimmer - as people do with Ozone. You need to be very careful here since Oxygen is highly flammable so you don't want to overdose.

 

Dan recommends running the air intake to the skimmer to the outside in order to constantly pull in fresh air. Another option for your consideration.

[rsaavedra]

Take the airline from your skimmer air intake and run it outside the closest window or an air pump with the intake ouside the window into the tank. The outside air will mix with the existing CO2 in the tank and help stabilize our PH. I was having this problem in the past and after talking with Dan and following his recommendation my problem was solve within 3 days of doing this. Also havng the line connected to my skimmer increased my naD production.

 

 

 

My .02

[flowerseller]

Cliff,

Why not try it since several people believe it works.

I'm planning to do it AGAIN tomorrow just to put this (or me) to rest.

I'm a 12.5' run and I have everything to do it.

Plus, being a HVDD skimmer, mine really draws a ton of air so actually pulling it that far will not be an issue.

[Highland Reefer]

Thanks for all your imput. I will give it a try and see what happens.

 

[ArtC]

Cliff,

Why not try it since several people believe it works.

I'm planning to do it AGAIN tomorrow just to put this (or me) to rest.

I'm a 12.5' run and I have everything to do it.

Plus, being a HVDD skimmer, mine really draws a ton of air so actually pulling it that far will not be an issue.

 

Randy believes it works, and that's usually good enough for me!

 

But he describes a test you can do to find out if your living space has higher than ambient CO2 (which is more common than not.) So you can tell if there's a potential benefit before you run the pipe.

 

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-09/rhf/index.php

 

"The Aeration Test" section

[Highland Reefer]

I think Brian can get rich if he comes up with a catalytic converter for Reefing CO2 problems.

 

I ran a 4' x 1" air hose from my skimmer air intake into a metal duct that was installed for AC which drops down through the walls from the attic to the basement (I have not hooked it up to the AC yet. I sealed the duct with duct tape everywhere I saw a joint). I had the windows open yesterday in the basement and the PH was 8.1. I closed the windows last night. I woke up this morning & the PH is 7.9. So....I don't know if it is doing any good.

 

I am going to leave the window closed today & see what happens. One good thing, my KH dropped to 11.2 & the PH didn't crash down to 7.4 like it has been doing in the past. My wife thinks I'm crazy.

 

 

 

Chip,

 

Let me know how your attack is working.

Edited April 17, 2008 by Highland Reefer

[gastone]

PH will be lower when the lights go off, so a drop of .2 ph is perfectly reasonable.

 

G.

[davelin315]

Put a plant in the room, nature's method of removing CO2...

[lanman]

I am working on a solution for removing CO2 from my aqauirum, in order to stablize the PH. Opening windows in the winter is not a solution. I know there are carbon air filters out there which might provide a solution if hooked up in conjucntion with a fan. Any imput would be appreciated.

 

 

 

Edit: I ran across this link for a do-it-yourself carbon air filter system: http://www.instructables.com/id/SFC5GW8F45H95CG/

 

Find a nuclear submarine designer - he could probably tell you how to scrub Co2 out of the air.... but it might not be in your budget.

 

bob

[dandy7200]

I am working on a solution for removing CO2 from my aqauirum, in order to stablize the PH. Opening windows in the winter is not a solution. I know there are carbon air filters out there which might provide a solution if hooked up in conjucntion with a fan. Any imput would be appreciated.

 

 

 

Edit: I ran across this link for a do-it-yourself carbon air filter system: http://www.instructables.com/id/SFC5GW8F45H95CG/

 

 

Co2 IS carbon, I doubt running carbon through carbon would produce the desired results

 

Calcium hydroxide is excellent at expelling built up co2 out of the water. Introducing a giant supply of O2 to drive off Co2 works well as others have mentioned. Both of these combined will give you the best results.

 

Put a plant in the room, nature's method of removing CO2...

 

 

Better yet, put one in your tank and harvest the leaves.

 

Find a nuclear submarine designer - he could probably tell you how to scrub Co2 out of the air.... but it might not be in your budget.

 

bob

 

 

C'mon Apollo 13 did it on the cheap:

 

 

The reality is that we pump 24 billion tons of Co2 into the air every year, if you find an economic way to "convert" it to C and o2 you will indeed be a rich and famous man.

[flowerseller]

Ha,

That picture above is the first thing to pop into my head.

I liked that movie.

 

I'm having the same results as I experienced the last time.

 

Bear in mind, I have an old tank that is very heavily populated and very welll fed. There is an extreme difference with a lightly populated tank. I can also say from experience, pH is easier to lower naturally than it is to rise and stay higher (mechanically)

 

However, in regards to running a pipe outside for fresh air,

I'm willing to say "THIS MYTH IS BUSTED".

 

for context, my run outdoors was a tad over 15' (3 connected pieces of 1/2'ID tube) and once hooked up, I was able to have a viburnum leaf (not bloom) suck and stay to the intake.

I'm not sure many other skimmer draw quite that hard.

[dandy7200]

 

I'm not sure many other skimmer draw quite that hard.

 

You have one of my air meters, whats it say?

[flowerseller]

You have one of my air meters, whats it say?

It pulls the little metal BB UP passed the 20 (buried) and then whistles.

I think it's puling harder since I put the new pump on and opened the outflow full allowing more in water.

Makes sense huh?

[Highland Reefer]

Results so far, after hooking up the skimmer intake to an outside air source & keeping the windows shut:

 

PH: 8.0 - 8.1 Dropping down to 7.9 - 8.0 at night.

 

KH: 10-11

 

As I discussed in another thread, in the past when my KH dropped below 12, I would get a sudden PH crash down to 7.4 which was not good. I am happy with the results so far. No PH crashes.

 

When comparing my situation to Chip's: Chip has a lot more stuff in his reef than I do. His air run is 12.5' to my 4'. :( He has a great skimmer when compared to my AquaC 180.

 

I don't know if Chip opened all his windows in the house first, letting the outside air in. I have a feeling that my hook up to the skimmer intake has a marginal effect and may just maintain the proper levels of CO2. There are to many factors that come into play in this situation (ie: I removed the vinegar completely from my kalk top-off).

 

If my hook-up to the skimmer intake does not work out in the long run, I think I may use a 4" inline fan running in a flex duct from the outside to my sump. These fans are running about $20.00 & they do have waterproof models.They are used to boost AC & Heat runs and are designed to work in 4" & larger ducts. I think I would start out by putting the fan on a timer for a few minutes once or twice a day and then go from there. The biggest concern would be how hot or cold it gets in the house in the sump area. We do have a Wife Factor to deal with.

Edited April 20, 2008 by Highland Reefer

[dandy7200]

It pulls the little metal BB UP passed the 20 (buried) and then whistles.

I think it's puling harder since I put the new pump on and opened the outflow full allowing more in water.

Makes sense huh?

 

 

Yep, thats my small meter, I figured those would be the results. I have a bigger one you can test with.

[flowerseller]

Yep, thats my small meter, I figured those would be the results. I have a bigger one you can test with.

I happy to test it if you'd like to know.

 

 

The air draw based upon the design of a high volume down draft is very high coupled with the exposure time to mix it and produce this much naDc.

My DD uses 3/8 ID cvpc which requires a 5/8" hole.

I'm not sure it would run efficiently on smaller ID tubes.

The efficiency argument used to be the size pump required to feed one of these things and I'm running a hammerhead to feed the skimmer. But, the efficiency argument stops when you take into play that that same hammerhead also feeds my 220 display, my frag tank, my Afarm, my Ca reactor and my fuge with water left over to feed the media reactor I'm planning to complete sometime.

Not many 400g multi tank, multi equipment, systems running ONLY one recirculation/feed pump AND a water hog like my hvdd.

[Highland Reefer]

I think I'm with chip on adding an air tube from my skimmer intake to outside air. I left my windows open last night and the Ph went up two points. There may be a marginal affect, but not much. :(

[Kimchi Corals]

How did the fan in the air duct do in removing the CO2 from the area. I am suffering the same problem currently to the point I can't turn on the Calcium reactor without the pH dropping to low levels.

[Kimchi Corals]

One other potential solution I have been considering is the use of soda lime with a fan. Soda lime is small solid granules that we use in anesthesia to remove CO2 from circuits connected to patients during surgery. Through a chemical reaction, CO2 is removed and by products of H2O and heat are created. Has anyone ever tried this and if so what was the result.

Edited August 2, 2008 by Kimchi Corals

[Highland Reefer]

How did the fan in the air duct do in removing the CO2 from the area. I am suffering the same problem currently to the point I can't turn on the Calcium reactor without the pH dropping to low levels.

 

I have not hooked up a fan at this point. I have had the basement windows open & the pH has been behaving itself. I think I will save it for a winter project.