FSEMTB2
Aquarium Advice Activist
What have you found to be the best glass diffuser for CO2? Also, do you fill the glass diffuser with water or leave it empty?
Thanks,
Ken
Thanks,
Ken
Glass Diffuser?
- Thread starter FSEMTB2
- Start date
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evercl92
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Just use a limewood airstone. Cheaper, just as effective, and no chance of glass breakage in the aquarium (personal experience).
Agreed, even though the limewood will get nasty after awhile - leave it out for a couple of days and take some sand paper to it - good as new.
Or just buy a three pack.
But the limewood creates micro-bubbles which works great to diffuse.
Or just buy a three pack.
But the limewood creates micro-bubbles which works great to diffuse.
Zezmo
Aquarium Advice Addict
That depends on the style. One with a built in bubble counter gets filled. Others it just doesnt matter.
I have found that the ADA ones are no better than the knock off brands. Just pick one that looks good to you. Also, make sure the stem and mounting work for where you want to put it in your tank.
IME, the limewood ones work good for a while, but very quickly they begin to put out larger bubbles as the pores "open up" in them. Of course, they are cheap enough to replace every month or two.
An t-iasg
Aquarium Advice Addict
I had a glass diffuser (ADA) hooked up to pressurized CO2. After about 8 months, the stone became clogged and even soaking it in a dilute bleach solution didn't free up the pores anymore. I was a bit upset as I had spent $50 on it and it was practically no good after 8 months (not a long time, I thought). The one good thing about the ADA was that the glass was thick. I got a cheap brand and the glass broke in my hand as I was setting it up.
I now run limewood airstones with my pressurized system and the DIY-yeast system. The one on the pressurized system has yet to need replaced (about 3-4 months). The ones on the yeast system do clog up with the yeast waste (the white fuzz). I lightly sandpaper the limewood airstones and I also bake them in the oven - 15 minutes at 200 degrees. They last a long time this way. I change them out every week, and sandpaper and bake them, then put them back into "rotation" so I don't know how long one lasts for sure, but I haven't bought any in a few months.
I now run limewood airstones with my pressurized system and the DIY-yeast system. The one on the pressurized system has yet to need replaced (about 3-4 months). The ones on the yeast system do clog up with the yeast waste (the white fuzz). I lightly sandpaper the limewood airstones and I also bake them in the oven - 15 minutes at 200 degrees. They last a long time this way. I change them out every week, and sandpaper and bake them, then put them back into "rotation" so I don't know how long one lasts for sure, but I haven't bought any in a few months.
FSEMTB2
Aquarium Advice Activist
Thanks everyone for the tips.
KLJ
KLJ
The problems people are describing here is why I don't use any kind of diffusors any more and have gone back to using reactors. A reactor is a device that mixes the gas with water and pumps the enriched water into your aquarium. 100% C02 absorption into the water. No mess, no fuss. I reach the desired C02 level in the water using half the amount of gas a diffusor uses. My C02 gas tanks last twice as long.
http://www.aquabotanicstore.com/category_s/2.htm
http://www.aquabotanicstore.com/category_s/2.htm
I like the Eheim diffuser (Aquariumguys.com). Its around $16 and has a ceramic disc that pops out for easy cleaning in bleach. The body of the diffuser is plastic, so there's nothing to break. I just wish I could get extra discs to have on hand. If one goes down the drain I'm screwed 
.
.
It's not hard to make your own reactor and its quite cheap. Furthermore they last forever. I reccomend this above diffusers. My sig has a link to making a in line filter reactor. It also works with pressurized or DIY.
First find some hose barbs that fit your powerhead or filter tubing and have NPT thread connections.
You need a piece of ~1 1/2' PVC with a 1 1/2" diameter (smaller for smaller tanks)
Reducer bushings (end caps) to fit PVC and hose barb NPT size
Couplers for Reducers
Hose Clamps that fit your barbs/tubing
Airline connectors for CO2 input
Bioballs or similar media
PVC Glue
Silicon Glue
Teflon Tape/Pipe Thread Tape
I also used solid epoxy 'goop' but I can't say that really made a difference, the silicon works fine.
The design can be completely adjusted to fit your tank, running a small tank? Use smaller diameter PVC and adjust the rest. Want to see your reactor at work? They make clear PVC. Reactor getting clogged? take it apart and spray it with a hose through the reducer bushings (mine hasn't gotten clogged yet after 2 years.)
Its all about the seals. The hose barbs should have their threads wrapped in Teflon tape or yellow pipe tape. The airline connector should be sealed with silicone. The PVC of course takes PVC glue, which is perfectly safe once it is dry BTW (nobody told me that and I worried like crazy when I first installed it, doesn't help that it smells like turpentine). The hose clamps ensure the needle connectors stay sealed. After that the rest is common sense assembly.
This reactor works by taking water in the top, and CO2 in the side just below the top. The water hits the CO2 on the bioballs and smashes it into pieces. Whats left will be broken up by the filter or powerhead.
First find some hose barbs that fit your powerhead or filter tubing and have NPT thread connections.
You need a piece of ~1 1/2' PVC with a 1 1/2" diameter (smaller for smaller tanks)
Reducer bushings (end caps) to fit PVC and hose barb NPT size
Couplers for Reducers
Hose Clamps that fit your barbs/tubing
Airline connectors for CO2 input
Bioballs or similar media
PVC Glue
Silicon Glue
Teflon Tape/Pipe Thread Tape
I also used solid epoxy 'goop' but I can't say that really made a difference, the silicon works fine.
The design can be completely adjusted to fit your tank, running a small tank? Use smaller diameter PVC and adjust the rest. Want to see your reactor at work? They make clear PVC. Reactor getting clogged? take it apart and spray it with a hose through the reducer bushings (mine hasn't gotten clogged yet after 2 years.)
Its all about the seals. The hose barbs should have their threads wrapped in Teflon tape or yellow pipe tape. The airline connector should be sealed with silicone. The PVC of course takes PVC glue, which is perfectly safe once it is dry BTW (nobody told me that and I worried like crazy when I first installed it, doesn't help that it smells like turpentine). The hose clamps ensure the needle connectors stay sealed. After that the rest is common sense assembly.
This reactor works by taking water in the top, and CO2 in the side just below the top. The water hits the CO2 on the bioballs and smashes it into pieces. Whats left will be broken up by the filter or powerhead.
There are plenty of ways to make a DIY reactor, but we all have to remember that this topic is about obtaining a glass diffuser. We seem to have went off track a little. Suggesting a reactor over a diffuser is one thing, but going into how to build a reactor is a whole nother story.
A lot of people want to use the MIST method of CO2 addition (usually using a glass diffuser) and for good reasons. The mist method has been shown to provide BETTER plant growth then with just dissolved CO2 alone.
A lot of people want to use the MIST method of CO2 addition (usually using a glass diffuser) and for good reasons. The mist method has been shown to provide BETTER plant growth then with just dissolved CO2 alone.
HiJaC
Aquarium Advice Freak
rkilling1 said:
I currently use the JBL Proflora CO2 vario reactor that came with my pressurised CO2 kit. It dissolves CO2 as it runs up the track but even on low bubble counts some builds up in the top section where it eventually discharges periodically in a bunch of large bubbles though a tube connector (there so you could put co2 into the filter if you had the right kit).
I figured i could attach a tube and glass disfuser from the top of it to maximise the co2 use but the tank isnt quite deep enough to get both working in tandum.
Since the reactor i've got isnt anywhere near the 100% effiency it claims due to this "off bubbling". I'm thinking i might just swap it out for this glass disffuser instead. Especially as people are saying the mist method is better then dissolved.
Jac
