Bubble Rate Output from Powerhead not the Same As Bubble Rate in Bubble Counter

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DGalt

AC Members
Jun 1, 2008
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Connecticut
So I set my pressurized system up today (well, I'm waiting on a new needle valve but I couldn't help myself so I set it up with what I have).

It's a Milwaukee regulator. I have the CO2 line going into a Hagen Elite Mini underwater filter.

Right now I'm counting about 2 bubbles / second in the bubble counter. However, the spurts of CO2 bubbles coming out of the filter are only coming about 1 / 10 seconds.

I don't see any other bubbles popping up anywhere (i.e. coming out of other holes in the filter or just bubbling up to the surface).

This is my first time using pressurized so I'm just wondering if this is normal or if there is something wrong somewhere that I need to look in to.

thanks
 

Fordtrannyman

Sharing Experience and Failures!
Apr 27, 2008
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So. Cal.
Congrats on the pressurized setup.

You're using the pump as a venturi, right? That's a great idea, those are only like $7 with adjustable flow and direction control.

I have a little venturi setup in one one my tanks and it does the same thing. little spurts of un-chopped bubbles every few seconds. I moved it under the filter intake to suck up the tiny bubbles for more efficiency. Actually kind of sounds like your Venturi works better than mine.
 

DGalt

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Jun 1, 2008
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Connecticut
I have the CO2 hose feeding to impeller so it chops the bub/bles up. It actually does a really good job of that. It just seems odd that the bubble rates are so drastically different.

I have the hagen on the side wall on the opposite end of the tank that my HOB is on (basically the flow from the HOB and the flow from the hagen are perpendicular to each other). I've been thinking about changing this setup (and maybe putting the hagen under my HOB output like you have yours) but I like the distribution of water flow that this setup gives me.

I'm thinking the issue may be how I have the CO2 line in the hagen. I just kinda shoved it into this whole in the side, I'm not even sure if it's still in the same place or if it moved away from the impeller
 

DGalt

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Jun 1, 2008
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Connecticut
before it gets pushed out?
 

DGalt

AC Members
Jun 1, 2008
703
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Connecticut
Oh FTM, I see what you mean. The little output nozzle thing on the Hagen has (at least what they call it) a venturi diffuser adapter.

I actually don't have the CO2 line hooked to that. Instead, with a few modifications (required the removal of the flow control know and a little bit of knife work) I have the line going into the side of the hagen and feeding into the whole where the impeller sucks up water. That way the bubbles get mashed up and then spread out instead of just getting thrown across the tank by the output.
 
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