jccaclimber
Supporting Member
1. If you get a NO solenoid you risk overheating when it is shut. If you get an NC solenoid you risk it overheating when open. Solenoids overheating and dying young has been a historical issue with planted CO2 setups, at least cheaper older ones. The issue is that NC solenoids in particular use the fluid (air is a fluid in this context) passing through them for cooling. The flow rates in a planted CO2 setup are extremely low, so you don't get any appreciable cooling from them. Using a shop vac as a vacuum pump with the inlet plugged has the same issue, a dead shop vac (and a possible fire in that case). The Clippard Mouse solenoids are particularly good because they consume so little power, and thus stay cool. There are a few other options now. At the flow rates used with a skimmer this should be better, although we'll also need a bigger solenoid to not make a notable restriction. That comes with cost. There are plenty of servo controlled valves out there that would not have this issue. You could be really fancy and get one that is continuous rather than just open/shut, get a feedback loop in, and control pH with it, but that might be going overboard.
2. One is linked above, but putting droplets into an air system is a solved problem, just look at how compressed air oilers work. Basically you force the gas to bubble up through a fluid. Yes, they look a bit like a bong. On that note, I found some old brown glassware above a ceiling after buying my house. If anyone wants it you can have it, I won't be using it.
3. Somewhere on R2R a guy put a CO2 meter inline in his scrubber system. I don't remember what he was doing to control it, but it was an interesting read.
4. Given how much longer CO2 media lasts when recirculating vs. pulling from ambient air, I suspect there is more to it than just the consistent higher moisture content. Namely that the CO2 input path is now diffusion into the aquarium water, then back out through the skimmer, not that plus the inlet air.
5. Much like the one above, here is my snap on hat so that I wouldn't have to drill my skimmer lid:
2. One is linked above, but putting droplets into an air system is a solved problem, just look at how compressed air oilers work. Basically you force the gas to bubble up through a fluid. Yes, they look a bit like a bong. On that note, I found some old brown glassware above a ceiling after buying my house. If anyone wants it you can have it, I won't be using it.
3. Somewhere on R2R a guy put a CO2 meter inline in his scrubber system. I don't remember what he was doing to control it, but it was an interesting read.
4. Given how much longer CO2 media lasts when recirculating vs. pulling from ambient air, I suspect there is more to it than just the consistent higher moisture content. Namely that the CO2 input path is now diffusion into the aquarium water, then back out through the skimmer, not that plus the inlet air.
5. Much like the one above, here is my snap on hat so that I wouldn't have to drill my skimmer lid:
