# building a diy carbondoser ext500



## djwagz (Aug 1, 2012)

I ordered some plants from aquariumplants.com and decided to try their internal 500 reactor after talking to them. They made it seem like they engineered it high tech and it is miles ahead of anything out there. Here are pics.

http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p540/wagz3/5824acdb.jpg
http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p540/wagz3/5ad25568.jpg
http://i1154.photobucket.com/albums/p540/wagz3/8e581f1c.jpg

This is obviously nothing more than dozens of threads about building your own out of a vacuum tube and power-head. They didn't even try to look all that professional, looks like the tore the hole in the bottom. for $45, I'm sending it back.

So I looked at the cerge design, and it appears they have copied this as well, for their corbondoser ext 500, adapting a power head to it. Same one as internal, rio 90. This uses same house filter, but clear, and they seal the power cord opening somehow. would take out the 90 degree bends. 

Question would be this: problem with reactor is decreasing flow from canister. I have a fluval 406 which rates at 383 gph.
OK so you have 300+ going into reactor. But then at the bottom of the reactor you have a 85 gph rio 90 sealed to the outlet. Am I right that there is no way for the outflow into the tank to be any more than 85gph whether you have a fluval 206 or some fx5 super pusher hooked up?
Am I wrong about this? How could anymore gph be put into the tank, and that just doesn't seem to be enough. Or do I have this all wrong and I'm missing something? I would like to build this reactor, with a rio pump for $15, house filter container $25 pulse pvc, fittings etc. but why would I want to decrease output of canister to 85gph max, unless I'm an engineering idiot about the flow issue.

CarbonDoser EXT5000 (External Reactor 5000)

Thanks.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

If unit receives flow from external pump(your canister) ,then I would say pump in reactor is to agitate and mix co2 thoroughly before flowing threw media.You are probably pumping more than small pump in chamber.To control flow cut return line(source pump) and place a T and control valve BEFORE unit.Trying to control flow after unit will cause to much pressure in unit.I could not see pics so just my guess.


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## whitetiger61 (Aug 2, 2011)

Im not seeing where this unit goes inline with the filter..i dont see a inlet or outlet to the reactor, unless im missing something. I believe this reactor is desned to be placed in the tank. all i see is line for co2 hook up and the powerhead hook up..any reactor put inline will decrease flow to the tank.

Rick


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## djwagz (Aug 1, 2012)

No, those are pics of the one I'm returning. I'm think of building this which is a version of the cerge reator:
https://www.aquariumplants.com/Carbo..._p/ext5000.htm


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

That's not a bad deal for the "cerge".Looks like a decent build.You'll spend $20 forfilter canister(at least) and around $40 for decent power head.Add plumbing and misc(you seal where power head power cord goes through cover). The 90 s are unnecessary depending on your set up and possibly with real canister you can control out flow (from out side) without creating to high pressure.


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## djwagz (Aug 1, 2012)

Well anything I can save, I will. was actually thinking of using the 20" model without the internal pump. I think the extra length will give it enough time to dissolve.

Cole Parmer 01508-15 FILTER HOUSING; 3/4"BSP; 20"; NO RELIEF | eBay

20" Clear Water Filter Housing: pack of 2 | eBay

I'm not sure what the plumbing will cost. I would not use the 90s as well. Or the rio 90 pump is only $15. That is the pump that aquarium plants uses for the carbon doser ext5000. Maybe I'd use it in there. I'm using a fluval 406 which has 15% more power than the 405. SUPPOSEDLY 383g/h. do you think that would be too much?


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