my DIY CO2 reactor, diffuser, mixing chamber LOL

[reybie]

I finally got the time to put this together. I used the gravel vac end of my python and a Rio 90 powerhead. The python hose size was perfect fit for powerhead connectors. I had originally put a small foam at the bottom of the gravel vac but in my fiddling with it forgot to put it back. It was running already and I don't see any bubbles escaping so I didn't bother putting it back in. I do see my gold algae eater, cherry barb and a couple of otos go in there and try to swim upstream. One good thing about my placement of the diffuser is the bottom of the tube is right beside the intake of the canister filter, the CO2-rich water is sucked right in for spreading by the spray bar.

 

[J double R]

i'm assuming it works well? ive been wanting to try this for a while.

 

[reybie]

It's working very well, no wasted CO2. I was itching to do it for a while now since I started that DIY CO2, I kept watching the bubbles pop on the water surface. None of that anymore!

 

[rwilliams254]

I'm not sure I know what this does. What's the brownish sponge thing attached to the intake on the power head?

 

[reybie]

It's just a sponge I put around the intake to prevent debris from getting sucked into the impeller, and maybe little fishies if you have any. It also is almost like a small biological filter.

 

[J double R]

its a pretty simple and genius concept.

the sponge on the powerhead is nothing more than a prefilter for the powerhead. the output of the powerhead is routed into the gravel vac, and the co2 line is routed via a drilled hole into the gravel vac.. it allows an EXTREME amount of water to pass through and absorb more co2, and the co2 bubbles to not escape, which causes 100% diffusion, and none of the co2 bubbles escape to the surface and get wasted.

 

[rwilliams254]

...maybe I'm just not getting it. It looks like a spong attached to a powerhead and the output of the powerhead is facing downwards (and attached to that is a clear tube attached to a green head - the gravel cleaner he ripped from his Python). Is that all it is?

 

[180gz71]

Very efficient method, good build.

 

[reybie]

Is that all it is?

That's all it is.

This is not an original idea by the way, it's just how I built mine based on the hundreds of reactor designs you'll find when you google for it.

 

[rwilliams254]

Oh...so it's more just like an in-line tank particle filter?