diffusing co2 with a HOB?

[Easydoesit]

i was wondering if sticking the end of aquarium tubing into the sponge on the filter intake would be okay to diffuse co2 with my HOB.
it would go through the filter, be chopped by the impeller, then flow out as usual HOBs do.
my question is.. when its flowing out, wont all the little bubbles kind of.. pop or be released into the air or whatever?
theres mad bubbles from the penguins that i used in both of my tanks.. a LOT of bubbles, and the bubbles are very small.
so i think itd be okay? idk though.

 

[legendaryfrog]

Bad, bad, bad idea. Using HOB filters with CO2 is just wasted money.

The ideal Co2 setup has NO surface aggitation at all, because the gas gets very easily gassed off into the air. If you had a canister filter on the other hand, then you could use it to diffuse your co2.

 

[jones57742]

ED: I have limited experience with CO2 but some experience with 2 rudimentary HOB filters.

I agree with LF but I cannot conceive of a method utilizing an HOB for dispersion of CO2 into your tank water.

TR

 

[Bk718]

Though yes HOB create water movement which is bad for co2. But i use hob on both of my tanks with diy co2 and all ive got to say is that it couldnt be better!!
Just fill your tank high enough so the water flows smoothly out of the filter.

 

[jones57742]

BK:

Just inquisitive and not argumentative.

By what process in the ecosystem is oxygen induced into the tank water?

TR

 

[TwoTankAmin]

This is it in a nutshell:

What are the Sources of Oxygen in an Aquatic Environment?
There are three main sources of oxygen in the aquatic environment: 1) direct diffusion from the atmosphere; 2) wind and wave action; and
3) photosynthesis. Of these, photosynthesis by aquatic plants and phytoplankton is the most important.

Oxygen, derived from photosynthesis, is produced during the day when sunlight shines on the plants in the water. Oxygen levels drop at night because of respiration by plants and animals, including fish. These predictable changes in DO that occur every 24 hours are called the diurnal oxygen cycle

 

[jmhart]

The problem with diffusing co2 through your HOB is that much, if not most, of the co2 is gased off before it ever reaches the tank. The co2 goes into your HOB, and yes it "chopped up" by the impeller, but due to the nature of flow and the disturbance of the HOB output, it exposes all of that co2 to a maximum amount of surface area/agitation, thus gassing it off.

I agree with BK that you can use an HOB with co2. I maintained 10-15 ppm levels of co2 in a tank with an HOB using DIY CO2, with a pressurized system you could push that to 30 ppm as desired. This of course wastes co2, which in the end is money, but you can do it.

If you want to use an HOB, don't run the co2 into the filter. Rather, use a fine micro diffuser, like an air stone or ceramic disc diffuser, even the Hagen bubble ladder on a smaller tank. Put this off to the side of the tank away from the HOB.

 

[jones57742]

TTA:

What I was trying to get at is set forth in Jeff's first paragraph.

TR

 

[Bk718]

The problem with diffusing co2 through your HOB is that much, if not most, of the co2 is gased off before it ever reaches the tank. The co2 goes into your HOB, and yes it "chopped up" by the impeller, but due to the nature of flow and the disturbance of the HOB output, it exposes all of that co2 to a maximum amount of surface area/agitation, thus gassing it off.

I agree with BK that you can use an HOB with co2. I maintained 10-15 ppm levels of co2 in a tank with an HOB using DIY CO2, with a pressurized system you could push that to 30 ppm as desired. This of course wastes co2, which in the end is money, but you can do it.

If you want to use an HOB, don't run the co2 into the filter. Rather, use a fine micro diffuser, like an air stone or ceramic disc diffuser, even the Hagen bubble ladder on a smaller tank. Put this off to the side of the tank away from the HOB.

I agree jeff, though I seriously need to invest in a drop checker to know the actual values of the co2 in the tank water..:headshake2:

If one will use a HOB (not for diffusing purposes) then the way of diffusing should be as efficient as possible. Powerhead with a sponge, wooden airstone under filter output, or even the hagen ladder being positioned under the filter output or even a ceramic glass diffuser..
The reason i bolded wooden airstone is because regular airstones release bubbles that are 2 large, and all thats going to happen is them rising to the surface and you get a big waste.. With wooden airstones, it produces extremely tiny bubbles (much like a ceramic glass diffuser) which if placed under a filter output, or even at the lowest point of the tank, they will stay down longer and will diffuse better than the larger ones.