CO2 diffusers

[Faran]

Hi everyone,

I've recently been doing a lot of reading into CO2 diffusers and what's best and worst and what-not. My main shock and horror that made me start looking into diffusers was when I came across the opinion that injecting CO2 into your external canister filter for diffusion reduced the functionality by 50%!!!!!! I came across this over and over again and it got me thinking... why waste so much filtration when a simple diffusor like the ones I've seen in "serious planters" tanks would do the job (if not better) and not mess up my filter?

So here's a summary of the info I've found on forums like arofan and Petfrd which cover the diffusion of CO2.

Here's the rundown, taken from either of the two sites above. I've taken the liberty or cleaning up the engrish and adding picture links so people know what the diffusers mentioned look like:

Hi guys, hope i am not too late in joining the discussion, i had 3 diffusors:

1) Flipper

2) Diffuser

3) Reactor

1) Flipper - it looks like it's 100% but it's efficient level is not - only 70% - as it only roll a co2 up till smaller size than release into the water surface.

2) Diffuser - 2 types:

[1] Plain Ceramic Diffuser - efficient level is 85% ceramic surface wif superb tiny breathing for co2 to go thru to the water surface.

[2] Spiral Ceramic Diffuser - efficient level is 90% same ceramic surface as Normal Plain Ceramic Diffuser but wif Spiral to roll e co2 smaller before reaching e superb tiny breathing for co2 to go thru to the water surface.

3) Reactor - outlet of a filter attached to a reactor, using bio-balls to crush the co2 then release into the water surface. Efficient level is near 100%. u can actually see tat it's so fine, cant even see the co2, juz super tiny tiny bubbles gushes out.

And the last little information I've decided to add.... a certain pre-packaged CO2 system has a diffuser that LOOKS like a "flipper" but has MUCH lower efficiency ratings. Just a heads up that your CO2 may not be to blame for lackluster plant growth after you got an off-the-shelf system.

[LYNDYLOO]

Hi Blue,

The Flipper, looks similar to the Nutrafin Bubble counter, which personally I found a right pain, especially if the plants had a tendency to loose there leaves, get a small piece of leaf matter in the bubble counter and it stuffs up the whole process.

The reactor looks rather interesting, and they saying it's 100% effective. Does this have to be used with anything else?

Lynda

[Faran]

Ah yes, the Nutrafin bubble counter. Guessed which one I was talking about in the first post. They're often referred to as "dirt catchers" in the forums I've been reading about diffusion on due to their below-par performance (someone quoted 40% efficiency) and how quickly they get gummed up. Would have been much better if they'd put a simple layer of perspex on the front and back to keep junk out of it. Ah well, for a beginner-level system it sure beats the coke bottle and styrofoam cup (35% efficiency with the bell approach).

Lynda, a reactor is used in conjunction with a powerhead and I think a filter as well. Either way, you'll need to supply power to it. This would be considered active diffusion while the other methods are passive. 100% is correct. You could have the same results by feeding the tube from your CO2 system into the intake of your canister filter, but you'd reduce the efficiency of your filter by 50%.... have you thought of getting a proper passive diffusor like the flipper?

[Angus]

I went through a similar search awhile back. I used to feed my CO2 line into the intake line of my eheim but after a short while the 'burping' noise from the filter got too much for me to bear....

So i found this site....

http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html#1

.... and built the powered CO2 forced reactor described at the bottom. I went through the long process of ordering the exact same components as listed, but you could probably get most bits locally in some similar form that would do the trick. I really rate its performance.

Now if i could just gather up enough cash for a pressurized system rather than a yeast system...... :roll:

[Plantman]

Ceramic along is effective but couple with the water pump while increase it dissolving rate but 10-20%.

Amano uses ceramic alot but most of the time place a water pump on the opposite side of the tank to generate current flow.