Is my DIY C02 Diffuser Functioning Properly?

M

mfpreach

AC Members
Feb 8, 2006
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Hello all,
Thanks for looking at my post. I'm fairly new to the aquarium world, and I am loving every minute of it!

Anyways, I built my own C02 injector and just have one question.
The reactor is working fine and so is the mixture. Currently I am just using tubing with a piece of chopstick wedged in the end (no ladder or commercial diffuser). The result are very tiny bubbles.

My question is, are those bubbles being absorbed into the water? They go to the surface and then are thrown against the glass, and sometimes just dissapear at the top. They get thrown towards the glass because I have placed the tubing under neath the AquaClear 300 filter (a considerable current).

I can see molecules in the water, and the water is a little bit more hazy than usual because of these molecules.

SO, is the c02 diffusing inside the water?
I have only had it running for about 2 hours and the ph has stayed pretty much the same, I don't have a kh kit here so I can't test that out. But i did test it earlier today and it checked out at around 4.

Also, how many bubbles should I have going out, it spurts out pairs of tiny bubbles. Hope i'm coherant enough.
 
pH?

What was your pH before and what is it after you started the co2? If your pH dropped, then it is working! You can find the KH co2 charts online - use your ph and kh to calculate the amount of co2 being absorbed.
Many of the diffusers convert the big bubble to little ones which get absorbed more efficiently, sounds like you have a working system.
Cathy
 
I haven't seen my ph drop, but I will test it tomorrow afternoon.
I am seeing floating particles in the water though, something that was absent prior to using the DIY c02. That should be a sign of it working? Also i added a tsp of baking soda to the yeast mixture , I think that was recommended in the nygard mixture?

I would like to figure this out before i go out and buy a ladder or make a new system.

Thanks!
 
I suggest that you attenuate the return flow from your aquaclear by placing a sponge over the outflow. I may be that your diffuser is working just fine, but the CO2 is being lost at the surface due to the shearing force between the filter return and the surface water.
 
It shouldn't be a problem because my water level is high enough. But i have jammed in a sponge for the time being.

If it is working will i see tiny bubbles/particles floating around my tank?

Oh also, I took the chop stick out and am now feeding large bubbles 1 per second into the aquaclear intake.

Please Lemme know if everything is working
thanks!
 
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