co2 dissolving

[Mikebaker]

To those of you who run diy co2 setups, how do you actually dissolve it in your tank, i was thinking about using two of those ladder setups that come with the hagen natural plant systems.

 

[dskidmore]

Anything you can do to slow it's ascention or break up bubbles will work. Feed it into filter input, dispense into a "bell" so it can only escape by disolving first, or run filter output down a tube with CO2 output at bottom for a counter-current effect.

The bell method is the most CO2 efficient, the other methods will disolve more CO2 at a time.

 

[malkore]

I don't know if I'd call the bell method the most efficient. You definitely need water current moving under the bell to take the CO2 rich water away...but still a bell is a passive diffuser, and the most effiecient are active diffusers/reactors.

Something like the Vortex reactor, or an Aqua Medic, or a DIY in-line reactor.

Depending on your tank size, the hagen ladder might be fine. two might work. however I foudn I got better CO2 levels plumbing my CO2 directly into the intake of my AC HOB filter on both of my 20gallon tanks. they break up and dissolve the CO2 at a higher rate than the hagen laddres I used to use...plus its less tank clutter, leaves and snails cannot block the ladder ramps, which means I have consistent CO2 levels.

 

[dskidmore]

I meant that there is 0 waste with a bell diffuser, no bubbles escape to the surface. It is not the fastest way to get CO2 into the water.

 

[Mikebaker]

thanks, i think i'll plumb it into my filter intake, that sounds like the easiest way to do it, and it won't cost anything

 

[malkore]

I meant that there is 0 waste with a bell diffuser, no bubbles escape to the surface. It is not the fastest way to get CO2 into the water.

ahh, gotcha. yep as long as CO2 didn't build up and bubble out from under the bell you are right.

The hagen ladders are roughly 90% efficient. Someone once measured the average bubble size as it entered, and then left the ladder, and calculated it had lost 90% of its gaseous volume. pretty impressive. As I said, I just stopped using em cuz the MTS would climb in there and block its ability to diffuse the gas.

 

[czcz]

I got caught up in the math of the initial and final volume of the bubble off site once too. I am not sure why the math does not add up ( ), but I can tell you there is no way the Hagen ladder is 90% efficient. I have doubled it and a bell reactors combined dissolved CO2 rates with one powered reactor. I am confident of my derived CO2 numbers from observation of plant health, algae, and my modest experiments. HTH

 

[workfortheman]

Well, it's hard to measure a co2 bubble on the move up a ladder . I'm quite convinced that ladders are more like 60-70% efficient, plus they always get clogged like malkore says. Also, I've had fish get stuck behind them. good decision on the aquaclear intake, but get ready to accept the fact that your impellar will wear down faster.

 

[dskidmore]

but get ready to accept the fact that your impellar will wear down faster.

Carbonic acid?

 

[quadrider5953]

i have diy co2 and i feed airline tubing from the bottle into the intake of my hob filter. the impeller chops up the bubbles which causes the co2 to diffuse, it has worked pretty well for me

hth

Kyle

 

[azn_fishy55]

At first when I had no diffuser I connected the tubing to the intake tube of my AC filter,but I never really got a reading of CO2 because I don't have a KH kit.Then I switched to the bubble ladder since I couldn't stand the noise.I believe I had a higher CO2 level when pumping the CO2 into the AC filter because my plants were pearling then.I now have a Vortex Reactor and I am just dieing to test it out.I heard they are really good at diffusing CO2 in the water.

 

[Mikebaker]

I made my system last night with two 2 litre bottles and plumbed it into the intake of my aquaclear, it works beautifly with almost no noise.

 

[youronlysin]

I get a little spritz noise when the co2 bubbles hit the impeller on my AC 200s. I kind of like it because I can tell when the system isnt producing.
I did have to replace the impeller on one of my 200s recently, but the thing was used when I got it and I ran CO2 through the intake for over a year before it got bad. I would bet that it was close to the end of its lifetime anyway.

 

[malkore]

one trick to reduce the noise is to use an airline reducer. it lets you drop down to the 'micro' sized airline, but more importantly the piece has a narrower opening so the bubblers are smaller. that equals less noise, and less CO2 to chop up all at once.

even my little AC mini doesn't have problems breaking it up.

 

[Robert H]

There are two basic types of devices, diffusors and reactors. Reactors actually mix the gas with water inside a chamber with the help of a pump. Diffusors simply bubble the gas into the water like an airstone, or in other cases hold a bubble for it to come into contact with water. These are called passive diffusors.

Passive diffusors can only achieve a moderate C02 level. There are two schools of thought now on bubble diffusors vs reactors. Most people have thought reactors to be the most efficient for reaching high C02 levels, however self proclaimed plant guru Tom Barr has put forth that diffusors that create a fine mist of bubbles that come in direct contact with plant leaves get the best growth of all. This is the type of device Amano uses.

To address this new demand for diffusors, Aqua botanic came out with the lowest priced glass diffusor that creates a stead, incredibly fine mist of bubbles. A couple of your regular forum member HERE now have these units. Perhaps they will relate their experience.

 

[LindaC]

I had the same problem when I ran the tubing from my 2-liter bottle up into my filter intake, however, I don't have an AC, I have a Tetra Whisper 40 HOB and boy what a racket it made. I now have it on an air stone, I know it's not the best method but it will have to do until I can find something better or cheaper....

I like the looks of the diffuser above, if you look quickly it looks like a glass of champagne. Does anyone have a price on them?

 

[czcz]

Well done, Mike.

Perhaps they will relate their experience.

I am one of the couple with AB's Mighty mini. It is a gorgeous product, feels nice and well made, wonderful price, and my experience would lead me to buy from AB again. However, I still cannot get it to bubble with DIY CO2 unless I squeeze a bottle, though removing the diffusor raises tank pH. I intend to add a review to the appropriate section here, along with comparison numbers from my passive and active diffusors, once I figure it out. It is an exciting product.

Respectfully, I would proclaim Barr as one of my most influential gurus. If not for information he has shared, I would still be more concerned with algae than I am with growing plants.

Joe

 

[Mikebaker]

I used the little red nipples that come in hagen elite airstones as injectors in the intake of my AC filter, they produce lots of very small bubbles, i haven't tested for co2 levels yet, but my swords are pearling like crazy and seem to be growing quite well, so i'm happy, i'll post pics soon