DIY CD question

[Redbeard]

If this has already been asked and answered could someone please post a link here to the thread. I looked but didn't find anything, maybe suffering from infomation overload.

Is there any reason why the tubing has to be coiled inside the reaction chamber? I have a 50 foot roll of black drip irrigation tubing and was wondering if it would work the same if left on the roll and fed into the bottom of the reaction chamber.

I was thinking of filling up a piece of pvc pipe with bio balls, gluing on the endcaps and gluing in a barbed connector for an inlet at the bottom and a barbed valve for the outlet at the top. Then I could poke a another barbed connector into the vinyl tubing that is the return line form the sump to the display tank. All the water going into the reaction chamber would still be going through the 50 feet of tubing (minus whatever I cut off for the return back to the sump via the barbed valve).

I don't imagine this would work with clear tubing but was hoping the black tubing would block enough light that alge wouldn't be a problem.

Thanks in advance for your feedback.
Ted

[gkw]

If you are talking about the denitrafication coil, I think the reason for the tube to coil up inside the chamber is for the bacteria (the microfauna? and others) to used up all the oxygen in the water before going into the chamber. That's where the denitraficate bacteria lives and 'eat' away the nitrate in your water. So, the longer the better and coiling in inside will increase the length of tubing...to ensure no oxygen entering the chamber.

Any correction guys?

[Redbeard]

The water would still be passing through the 50 feet of tubing before comming into contact with the bio balls inside the chamber. I was wondering if it makes any difference wether the tubing is coiled inside the chamber where the bio balls are, left on the roll outside the chamber, running in a stright line, or wrapped around the china cabinet.

Ted

[Michaelr5]

Arrrrrr! Methinks I would have to agree with Redbeard maties!

As long as the tubing is fully dark and the flow is slow enough those are the conditions to use up the O2. You don't specify what the diameter of the irrigation tubing is. The usual diameter I have seen in posts is 1/4 or 3/8 diameter. The flow also has to be very slow. Any other points anyone?

Mike

[gkw]

ah...ok, read your thread wrong...

I also think it wouldn't matter outside or inside of the chamber if the tubing is solid black and no light can reach inside. As long as the oxygen are used up before going into the chamber, it wouldn't matter where the tubing is placed.

Let see other's opinions!

[Redbeard]

Oh,the drip tubing and barbed fittings and valves I have are the 1/4 inch black irrigation stuff from the local home improvement mega store.

[Kentanner11]

I would personally put it inside just so you dont have 50 ft. of tubing under your tank (or where ever)