So, how do you diffuse your CO2?

[lazyNode]

Sure,
I cut off about 2cm of a take away wooden chopstick. Then shove it into the silicon tube (the end that goes into the water) and when the co2 pressure builds up, small bubbles should escape.

The wood grains will loosen and expand the longer it's underwater. So you might have to make some adjustments along the way if you find the bubbles can't squeeze their way past the chopstick anymore.

I've had my wooden chopstick method running on my coke bottle co2 for 2 months without needing to replace the piece of wood. As some people have said the wood can deteriorate over time, (Likewise with cotton/ cigarette filter method)

 

[TipStylez]

I use a ceramic glass diffuser with a sprial ladder built inside. And it sits all the way on the bottom of the tank, and near the top, is a powerhead that the bubbles flow into and gets pumped back out through a 3ft spraybar.

 

[saxenamohitm]

The wood grains will loosen and expand the longer it's underwater. So you might have to make some adjustments along the way if you find the bubbles can't squeeze their way past the chopstick anymore.

isnt that a bit risky...u cud build up enough pressure in the coke bottle that it cud burst open if went unnoticed:S

 

[lazyNode]

I would think that the wood would come out first rather than the coke bottle popping. Plus I always check that the bubbles come out after I do a yeast refill. That's always the exciting part.

And I keep my bottles in a spare bucket, covered with a towel just incase.

 

[saxenamohitm]

Ohh yeah! the wood should pop out first...didnt think of it that way!!
Interesting way to look at things

 

[fballguy]

I use a small plastic container that used to hold honey that I bought. When the honey ran out I rinsed the container in really hot water, drilled a hole to run the airline hose into it, used silicone to glue a suction cup to it and it traps the CO2 inside it like a big bubble.

 

[J double R]

I would think that the wood would come out first rather than the coke bottle popping. Plus I always check that the bubbles come out after I do a yeast refill. That's always the exciting part.

And I keep my bottles in a spare bucket, covered with a towel just incase.

yep, i found out that those little black Tetra check valves pop off WELL before the CO2 can explode a bottle, quite an efficient little valve for a double purpose i think :idea:

 

[nickmcmechan]

how long would it take for that to happen?

I dont know but I've relpaced one after two months...however it was a second filter, dont know how good the first impellar was anyway

 

[Salihan]

Hagen Natural Co2 system

Hagen Natural CO2 system

<--still a plant newbie


Interesting.

My LFS just recommended this to me. It's about $65 Australian. I thought it was a bit pricey. How is it working for you and is it worth the money? Anyone else uses it?

 

[kjf91004]

The Hagen system is OK if it is going to be visible and you need it to look reasonably nice. Otherwise, buy a diffuser and tubing and use a plastic bottle. Much cheaper. I used to have a Hagen System. It worked well for me, but I did finally get smart and not buy the recharge packs. The "home-made" version seemed to work better for me.

Rex, I use your style reactor, and am 100% satisfied. I don't have a drop checker, so I am not sure exactly how my dissolution lies, but considering that I don't ever get burps or bubbles out of the thing, the CO2 that is coming out is 100% dissolved into my filter output water.

It really used to tick me off to see tiny bubbles float to the surface and know that it was CO2 going to waste. Now I just see O2 bubbles floating.