AF Air Scrubber
by Aquaforest — see more →SKU 632452B
Out of stock in-store — order now and we'll bring it in for you, ready to ship (or collect) when it arrives. Paid securely at checkout; we'll email you with timing once it's on order.
- Ships Australia-wide — fast dispatch from Eastwood
- Or collect in store with the rest of your order
- Genuine stock — marine specialists since 2012
Overview
The AF Air Scrubber is a reactor designed to strip carbon dioxide out of the air before it ever reaches your protein skimmer, tackling one of the sneakier causes of pH instability in a reef tank. Daily CO2 fluctuations from normal breathing, pets, and cooking all affect the air your skimmer pulls in, and the more CO2 that gets drawn through, the greater the acidification of the water — often showing up as a pH drop, unstable dKH, and inhibited coral calcification.
It's especially useful overnight and through the cooler months, when photosynthesis isn't offsetting CO2 build-up and windows tend to stay shut. Paired with the matching AF Air Scrubber Media cartridge, this reactor gives you a passive, low-maintenance way to keep pH steadier day and night.
Key features
- Reduces CO2 while increasing and stabilising pH, helping prevent sudden shifts in dKH
- Large 2.3L capacity reactor body
- High-quality white and transparent acrylic construction, suited to sitting outside or inside the cabinet
- Smart-twist lid closure for quick, easy access when it's time to change media
- Purpose-built airflow path — air is drawn through the sponge base and channelled up through a grid, maximising CO2 removal before it reaches the skimmer or aquarium
- Colour-changing media (used with the AF Air Scrubber Media cartridge) gradually shifts from the bottom up, making it obvious when a replacement is due
- Compatible with a variety of skimmers via the 10 mm / ⅜" hose connection
- Sponge base can be soaked in RO water to moisten incoming air and extend media life — a genuinely cost-effective piece of kit over time
What's in the box
- AF Air Scrubber reactor body, with acrylic lid and smart-twist closure
- Base unit with three cut-to-size sponges
- Note: the CO2 absorbing media cartridge is not included and needs to be purchased separately
Who it's for
Ideal for reef keepers chasing tighter, more stable pH and dKH, particularly where CO2-driven pH swings are showing up as stressed or slow-growing corals. Works alongside any skimmer with a compatible 10 mm / ⅜" hose connection, making it a flexible add-on for most established reef systems rather than a tank-size-specific product.
Setup & tips
- Keep the base sponges moist with RO water at all times — if they dry out before the media needs changing, just pull the base off, re-soak, and reassemble
- Replace the media before it fully changes colour; leaving spent media in too long means it can shift colour again while no longer actually removing CO2
- Take pH readings at the same time of day each time you check, since it naturally rises and falls on a daily rhythm
- Wear gloves and work in a well-ventilated space when changing out media, and consider running it alongside carbon media in the same reactor
