We recommend our EXT5000 CO2 reactor for all external applications.

What is the CarbonDoser v2.0 CO2 Regulator?

The CarbonDoser is the most precise CO2 regulator in the market. By pairing a high quality CO2 regulator with an adjustable electronic solenoid, the amount of CO2 you inject into your reactor can be finely tuned for optimal performance. Since its creation, there have been several variations and options on how to set it up, but with the Version 2.0, it can now be used with any CO2 regulator on the market.

How does it work?

The CarbonDoser is a remarkably simple, yet precise piece of equipment. We use high quality John Guest push-to-connect fittings on the input and output side of the doser. The input side is ⅛” CO2 resistant tubing that feeds into the electronic solenoid. The output side is ¼” CO2 resistant tubing. The solenoid is controlled by a 12v, region specific power supply that you choose. It can also be directly controlled by your aquarium controller’s 12v ports.

Once you’ve completed the setup of your CarbonDoser Regulator, it’s very easy to dial in and adjust. If you separate the CO2 injection process into two parts, tuning becomes a bit easier. The output pressure on your regulator determines HOW MUCH CO2 is injected each time the solenoid opens. You can also think about this as the SIZE of the bubble that will be put into your reactor. The second part of the adjustment is HOW OFTEN the solenoid will open and allow CO2 to be injected into the aquarium. The knob located on the front of the unit takes care of this. At a lower setting, the time between bubbles is reduced. The CarbonDoser can inject up to 10 bubbles per second or be slowed down to only allow 1 bubble every 10 seconds. This gives the aquarist an unprecedented level of control for CO2 injection.

What benefits does it have over a traditional regulator and bubble counter?

Traditional CO2 regulators with bubble counters and needle valves always lose your settings within days or even hours.  With the CarbonDoser v2.0 CO2 Regulator, the electronics control the time between bubbles so the bubble count remains consistent as the CO2 is depleted in your cylinder.

Will the Carbon Doser work with my pH controller?

Absolutely! The CarbonDoser’s power supply can be plugged into your pH controller’s control port. Once you determine the proper pH level for your aquarium or Calcium Reactor, the pH controller can turn off the CarbonDoser’s remote box and stop all CO2 from being injected into the system. Once the pH level changes, the controller can energize the port and CO2 will again be allowed to be added to the system.

Will the CarbonDoser work with my Aquarium Controller?

OUR RECOMMENDATIONS:

Absolutely! This is our preferred method for using our CarbonDoser. With a full aquarium controller such as the Neptune Apex of CoralVue HYDROS, you can fine tune your CO2 injection. In addition to functioning like a stand alone pH controller, a full aquarium controller can also add redundant shutoff solenoids and parameter logging to keep track of when CO2 was being added and when the pH of the aquarium or calcium reactor may have gone too low. In addition, most controllers can be setup with multiple pH probes, so you can monitor both the pH inside or immediately exiting the reactor as well as the pH of the display.

I have multiple tanks that require CO2. Can I use multiple CarbonDosers with one CO2 regulator?

It will require some sort of splitter block or manifold to send CO2 to each aquarium, but yes, you can absolutely have multiple CarbonDosers being fed from a single CO2 regulator. Each CarbonDoser can be controlled by a stand-alone pH controller or full aquarium controller. It will take some adjustment to get the bubble size correct since you’re feeding multiple regulators, but you can overcome small bubble size by allowing the Carbon Doser to inject CO2 at a faster rate.

Do I have to use the CarbonDoser regulator with the CarbonDoser v2.0?

The first version required using our CarbonDoser regulator as it was sold as one unit. We realized that by offering a stand-alone black box, aquarists that already had a bubble counter setup could also benefit from the CarbonDoser technology. This prompted us to change how the CarbonDoser was set up and led to Version 2.0. This has the same electronics as our version 1 Carbon Doser, but in a sleeker, mountable case that looks great when mounted next to an aquarium controller.

Is there anything else that I’ll need to use my CarbonDoser v2.0 CO2 Regulator?

Our precision check valve, which is included with each CarbonDoser v2.0 CO2 Regulator must be used between the CarbonDoser box and the reactor. This prevents any water from back siphoning into the precision electronics housed in the box.

A Calcium Reactor for saltwater aquariums many options available.

We recommend a CO2 reactor such as the EXT5000 for freshwater planted aquariums. CO2 diffusers can be used with some success, but you’ll end up wasting a lot of CO2 in the process. A true reactor will assure that all carbon dioxide is completely dissolved in the water and is readily available to the plants.