DIY CO2 with powerhead - Aquarium Advice

Blucat · 04-21-2005, 06:25 AM

i have been reading up about [acronym:e15cea4106="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:e15cea4106] [acronym:e15cea4106="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e15cea4106] systems, and i sort of understand it. I have a powerhead f ilter which takes in air and then blasts it out into my aquarium water to create aeration. I was wondering if it could be turned into a simple [acronym:e15cea4106="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e15cea4106] setup like my picture? would that set up work or is there other stuff i need in it?

also, does [acronym:e15cea4106="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e15cea4106] effect algae? the powerhead is my only source of aeration. if i do turn my powerhead aeration into part of a [acronym:e15cea4106="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e15cea4106] system, will i lose aeration? is [acronym:e15cea4106="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e15cea4106] a form of aeration?

thankyou for any help, please bear with me and my funny drawing, i quite don't know much about plants and that and about the names of the powerhead parts and about [acronym:e15cea4106="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:e15cea4106] systems.

Blucat · 04-21-2005, 06:26 AM

[acronym:e9da092e09="By the way"]btw[/acronym:e9da092e09], 24g tank, 2 x 20w fluro lights, getting plants in future

malkore · 04-21-2005, 10:54 AM

The problem is most of the [acronym:63f064fabb="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63f064fabb] will still go right to the surface as large bubbles, meaning you'll not get much dissolved in the water.
If you can attach a gravel vac tube to the output, so it keeps the bubbles spinning in a chamber of water for a longer period, you'll get better dissolve rates.

Zezmo · 04-21-2005, 04:16 PM

My plants are growing like crazy from my [acronym:7b1f48c1fe="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:7b1f48c1fe] [acronym:7b1f48c1fe="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:7b1f48c1fe].... unfortunately, the Algae is growing faster.

Since adding [acronym:7b1f48c1fe="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:7b1f48c1fe] i have a couple plants that became encased in algae (stag algae i think).

czcz · 04-21-2005, 04:28 PM

Connecting to venturi plug doesnt force siphon of bottle's contents? I thought siphon created from fast water flow is the same concept that powers Python? Just curious/[acronym:853113b723="Thanks in Advance"]TIA[/acronym:853113b723]

malkore · 04-21-2005, 07:06 PM

czcz - good point. I've never used powerheads with venturi's (or I plug up the venturi) so you could be right, that it'll create too much suction.
However as long as the [acronym:266f043ab5="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:266f043ab5] canister can't collapse (use really thick plasic or glass jugs..no cheap 2liter Coke bottles) it should be ok.

Blucat · 04-21-2005, 08:44 PM

wat is a venturi? should i plug it up? how to do that?

black udder · 04-21-2005, 10:08 PM

I have no idea what a venturi is either - but I have a similar setup as you describe (2 litre bottle with a powerhead attached. It doesn't create enough suction to pull anything out - but I do have a smaller bottle in between the powerhead and the 2 litre bottles. I also have the check valves.

czcz · 04-21-2005, 10:33 PM

Thanks, malkore.

In this case I meant venturi as the aeration hole you attach tubing to with some [acronym:e493cfd65e="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:e493cfd65e]. Sucks air in because of fast water movement/low pressure, which goes through output. I thought this is what makes python work over long distances, and was inclined to think decent [acronym:e493cfd65e="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:e493cfd65e] moved more [acronym:e493cfd65e="Gallons per hour"]gph[/acronym:e493cfd65e] than my faucet, but Im no fluid dynamics expert (just pick up what I can since entering hobby). Venturi attachment differs from powered diffuser/gravel vac designs I've seen in that the latter simply has compartment where water moved and output of diffuser is in same area mixing. Example: http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/diy_reactor.htm Thanks for info black udder. Sounds efficient if output of [acronym:e493cfd65e="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]PH[/acronym:e493cfd65e] is then broken up with sponge/bioballs/gravel vac method per malkore's first post. I might try this later.

Blucat · 04-22-2005, 12:19 AM

so my setup plan only has the [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] source and the diffuser.

do i need a reactor between the powerhead and t he [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] source? how does the reactor work? does the [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] enter the reactor, and then go into the powerhead?what is a good [acronym:63d7c51396="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:63d7c51396] [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] reactor i can make?

how do i stop suction? will the [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] provide aeration?

04-21-2005, 10:54 AM	#3
malkore Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Nebraska, USA Posts: 6,540	The problem is most of the [acronym:63f064fabb="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63f064fabb] will still go right to the surface as large bubbles, meaning you'll not get much dissolved in the water. If you can attach a gravel vac tube to the output, so it keeps the bubbles spinning in a chamber of water for a longer period, you'll get better dissolve rates. __________________ Visit my aquarium pages - see specs on my tanks, and photos of how they've evolved My other passion: TheNinja 500R - updated 9/18/05

04-21-2005, 07:06 PM	#6
malkore Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Nebraska, USA Posts: 6,540	czcz - good point. I've never used powerheads with venturi's (or I plug up the venturi) so you could be right, that it'll create too much suction. However as long as the [acronym:266f043ab5="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:266f043ab5] canister can't collapse (use really thick plasic or glass jugs..no cheap 2liter Coke bottles) it should be ok. __________________ Visit my aquarium pages - see specs on my tanks, and photos of how they've evolved My other passion: TheNinja 500R - updated 9/18/05

04-21-2005, 10:08 PM	#8
black udder Aquarium Advice Activist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 149 Images: 9	I have no idea what a venturi is either - but I have a similar setup as you describe (2 litre bottle with a powerhead attached. It doesn't create enough suction to pull anything out - but I do have a smaller bottle in between the powerhead and the 2 litre bottles. I also have the check valves. __________________ 46g planted 2 Bristlenose Plecos; 1 Angel; 3 Rafael Cat; 1 plattys; 6 Tetras (2 black skirt 2 serpae, 2 blueberry); 1 Pictus Cat; 1 clown loach; 2 mollies (1 spotted & 1 black); 1 Zebra Danio; 2 Oto; 1 golden wonder killie; 2 Kuhlii loach; 2 SAE; 1 bumblebee cat; 2 upsidedown cats; 2 golden algae eaters

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04-21-2005, 06:26 AM	#2
Blucat Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 834 Images: 5	[acronym:e9da092e09="By the way"]btw[/acronym:e9da092e09], 24g tank, 2 x 20w fluro lights, getting plants in future

04-21-2005, 04:16 PM	#4
Zezmo Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,112 Images: 14	My plants are growing like crazy from my [acronym:7b1f48c1fe="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:7b1f48c1fe] [acronym:7b1f48c1fe="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:7b1f48c1fe].... unfortunately, the Algae is growing faster. Since adding [acronym:7b1f48c1fe="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:7b1f48c1fe] i have a couple plants that became encased in algae (stag algae i think).

04-21-2005, 08:44 PM	#7
Blucat Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 834 Images: 5	wat is a venturi? should i plug it up? how to do that?

04-22-2005, 12:19 AM	#10
Blucat Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 834 Images: 5	so my setup plan only has the [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] source and the diffuser. do i need a reactor between the powerhead and t he [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] source? how does the reactor work? does the [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] enter the reactor, and then go into the powerhead?what is a good [acronym:63d7c51396="Do it yourself"]DIY[/acronym:63d7c51396] [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] reactor i can make? how do i stop suction? will the [acronym:63d7c51396="Carbon dioxide"]CO2[/acronym:63d7c51396] provide aeration?