Best Diffuser for DIY Co2 System?

justintoxicated

justintoxicated

AC Members
Dec 19, 2005
824
0
0
Right now I have a Hagen Ladder and my plants grow liek crazy, so much they often block the bubbles from going up the ladder...Then I get algae... Then trim them back, and it works again.

Is there something I can use to better diffuse the bubbles in my tank? I think I heard of something called a Co2 Vortex but I don't know if it is anygood or works with DIY..

I found several things


Dupla
http://www.aquariumplants.com/Dupla_...le_p/pr008.htm

vortex or 200?
http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/pr374.htm
or maybe a
http://www.aquariumplants.com/product_p/pr210.htm
or I found this one as well
http://www.utopiapet.com/browse_item...Item_ID/716576

Will any of these work better than my ladder...At I would at least like to get a different ladder style diffuser that won't constantly get hindered by plants...
 
First three will give you better diffusion (last link is dead for me).

The down side to those is they will take up more room in the tank than the ladder, plus an extra power cord running inside the tank too.
 
If you use a cannister filter, there are two methods that will work exceptionally well. The first (not my favorite pick), involves using a wood airstone running your CO2 into the tank below the filter intake, allowing the filter to dissolve the CO2. The second, what I use, involves a reactor on the outflow of the canister. A piece of 3" pvc 18" long, capped at either end with an inflow and outflow. Fill the tube with lava rock, push the inflow from the top with the CO2 injection right below. The outflow of the reactor is in the bottom, forcing the bubbles to fight the current and the turbulence that the lava rocks create. 100% dissolution, no surface disruption, no visible bubbles, and no additional cords or hoses inside the tank.
 
The DIY 2$ reactor (well, 8.99$ for the Rio 180 on line cost)

This was one of the first types of cO2 reactors I designed, some folks copied my old designs, so now, the 1.99 viewtainer DIY and 15 minutes later cannot be made cheaper.

It also looks nice as well and all you need is a lighter, a screw drive to make the holes (heat the metal up and push in).
Insert some rigid 3/16" tubing(69 cents for 3 ft) and wedge the 90 degree elbow that comes with the Rio in the top seal part. No sponge etc is needed since the water spirals downward rather than shooting directly down like most designs.

There's a venturi loop that will discharge extra gas making it self leveling.

There's a hole on the opposite side of the pump, 3/16" that allows the yeast CO2 to burp out when the pump is shut off, so you can plug the Rio in to the lighting time and turn the CO2 off at night, it'll just burp out when the pump is not running.

Regards,
Tom Barr

resizedsideviewrx.jpg
 
Last edited:
Is that Rio Reactor very large?

I also like the PVC/lava rock idea, only possible problem is how do I know when it is time to change out the Co2 tank?

That and my Filter feeding shrimp may be pissed if I take away their currents.

where is a cheap place to get Co2 resistant tubing?
 
I will highly recommend this one, it is smaller than all of those and it works awesome.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Red-Sea-CO2-Rea...ryZ20756QQssPageNameZWD1VQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I don't recommend doing the air stone into the filter thing. I did that and, I use twice as much CO2 than I had to. Plus, the bubbles would build up in my canister filter and cause it to cavitate every hour of so. Quite annoying and not good for the pump. Oh, and do you really want a 18" piece of 3" PVC tubing in your tank?? You know that's 3/4 gallons of water space.

I've been using this RedSea unit for a few months now and could not be happier. I planted a nice bushy plant infront of it, I don't even know its there.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Lyle
 
Last edited:
wow I can't get on ac anymore at work...I thought the forum was just down :(

Are you sure the red seas unit is smaller than planbrains DIY? It is a 20 gallon and I don't have a ton of space at all but the bubble ladder is constantly getting clogged by plants growing into it. Also I only have DIY Co2, I don't have a pressurized Co2 tank. Will this unit still work because it sounds like it is for pressurized?
 
Last edited:
It should work just as well as any ladder or DIY system you are looking at. I'm not sure what you mean by "pressurized". Yes, I use pressurized CO2, but I just have a regular bubble counter, just like anyone else. It's dimensions are: 3.75” x 1.6” x 2.2”. Like I said very small.

Lyle
 
I noticed the guy also sells CO2 resistant tubing at a decent price as well as a bubble counter with check valve.

bubble counter w/ check valve

Would the bubble counter be worthwhile investment?

I'm thinking to make one myself like tom posted above for my 10 gallon and buy one of these for my 20 gallon and see which one I like better.

Maybe even I will put the bubble ladder I have now in my 3 gallon puffers tank. or in my Vivarium with the newts. All my tanks have plants!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ryProximity&refwidgettype=cross_promot_widget
 
Oh yea and what happens to the Co2 in the Red Seas reactor if I turn it off when the lights go out? Will it burp out the bubbles?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom