Reddit reviews Sera Flore Active CO2 Reactor 500 - Small 66-160 Gal

Are you sure you have the correct indicator in there? Every indicator I've ever used is blue when there's no CO2, green when CO2 is present, and yellow when there is high CO2.

Also, I'm just giving you this advice because I had to learn it the hard way. I went through a lot of ways of infusing CO2 and what finally worked the best was an inline infuser. It allowed me to take equipment out of the tank and got a very high mix without the microbubbles. Here's the one I use:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007A0PI0U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Again, sorry if the advice wasn't welcome - I just wanted to save you some hunting because I spent a lot of money trying to find a good reactor/infuser :)

I really like what you did with the substrate. I wish I had spent more time on my substrate/layout when I set up my tank. I'm moving from a 29 gal to 50 gal this winter though so it'll be a good opportunity to really spend some time figuring out how I want to set it up.

if you're using a canister filter then my recommendation is to use a reactor rather than an in-tank diffuser. i say this because diffusers, even the best of them, release bubbles into the tank in a specific area. these bubbles, though small, want to rise to the surface. sure, many of them will dissolve their gas into your water. but lots of them make it to the surface where they pop and release that gas into the room. this gas is useless to your plants of course. in addition, there then becomes the issue of getting the gas that does dissolve distributed around your tank. many people using diffusers find that their plants do well nearer to the diffuser but less well the farther from it you go. finally, there's an aesthetic component as well. many people using a diffuser find that it gives their tank a seltzer water appearance as the bubbles that don't head for the surface swirl around the tank.

reactors solve these problems. the gas is injected into a cylinder that's plumbed inline with the return from your canister. the benefits should already be obvious. instead of the bubbles being able to head for the surface they're tumbled around in the return hose and given much more time to dissolve in your water. in addition, when the water exits your return it's actually your return that distributes your now CO2 rich water around your tank. finally, since far more (all of it if you're lucky) of the CO2 has dissolved before reaching your tank you have far less (none?) of that seltzer water appearance.

my recommendation is to get a sera flore reactor. there are some other good choices along these lines but this the one i'm partial to.

Ah yes. I chose a reactor. https://www.amazon.com/Sera-Flore-Active-CO2-Reactor/dp/B007A0PI0U/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=sera+co2+reactor&qid=1557889382&s=gateway&sprefix=sera+co2&sr=8-2

That works so well. Its a game changer. The other way is a line to a diffuser. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=co2+diffuser&sprefix=co2+diff&ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8

I'll go in order from the CO2 tank down the line:

• 10lb Aluminum tank, bought at local welding/gas supply
  
  
• This 2-stage CO2 Regulator
  
  
• Replaced the output fitting with one of these
  
  
• Then I have a smaller regulator reduce the line pressure down to a stable 15 psi - I find that the more regs, the better for stable pressure.
  
  
• That leads to two solenoids, one for each tank. You can buy the cheapish milwakee one, or anything that uses 1/4" npt fittings if you can find a better deal.
  
  
• After each solenoid I have a T-junction to a gas pressure sensor reading back to my controller, and the other outlet to the final regulator. You can use the one above, or one of these
  
  
• No need for a needle valve at this point. Go to your bubble counter and then up to your tank.
  
  
• On my big tank I am using a reactor instead of the normal ceramic diffuser I have on the small one.

https://www.amazon.com/Sera-Flore-Active-CO2-Reactor/dp/B007A0PI0U


The only other thing you would want is a drop checker to have some type monitor of the co2 level in the tank.

https://www.amazon.com/Rhinox-Glass-Drop-Checker-Kit/dp/B005C74ZCA