# co2 dissloving...



## shrtmann (Feb 15, 2009)

So figured id start a thread inquiring everybodies different techniques at diffusing their co2....
Whether is be bell, disc, reactor and what have you and what they think is the best method that they've tried....

So far all ive tried is airstone under the intake which i think worked pretty well. 
Also i am currently using the RedSea Reactor 500 and quite personally i dont think it works too well....Maybe with diy co2 is would work well but i dont think it can handle the air pressure....


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

I used to feed the CO2 tube into the filter intake, but have switched over to a glass diffuser with a ceramic disc.

I found the tube in the filter intake to be a bit too noisy, and the ceramic disc seems to be fine (at least for a nano).


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

I used the hose into filter intake, and the problem is that I couldn't see the bubbles at all.. So maybe they just got chopped up, but I couldn't tell if they were dissolving. 


I'm going to try the chop-stick method with free chopsticks from College Park.


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## shrtmann (Feb 15, 2009)

BettaBeats said:


> I used the hose into filter intake, and the problem is that I couldn't see the bubbles at all.. So maybe they just got chopped up, but I couldn't tell if they were dissolving.
> 
> I'm going to try the chop-stick method with free chopsticks from College Park.


Was it just the hose directly jammed into it? or something to create littel bubbles first?? i.e. air stone.


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

shrtmann said:


> Was it just the hose directly jammed into it? or something to create littel bubbles first?? i.e. air stone.


There wasn't much room to put an airstone inside the same area as the impeller.
And I wasn't going to break my filter to try. I remember stopping the impeller a few times when I put the hose in too far.

My new technique is going to be chopstick method. People say the sticks clog up over time, and it can happen rather quickly. But I have also seen the CO2 leaking between the chopstick and the tube. It gives a nice size bubble and keeps the pressure of the CO2 built up enough that it is a constant, consistent, and cheap diffusion method.

I hear lots of good things about power heads and foam blocks. My one friend swears by this method.


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## shrtmann (Feb 15, 2009)

please elaborate on the foam blocks method BB. I dont think ive heard of this one yet..
Oh and im guessing your using DIY co2


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## BettaBeats (Jan 14, 2010)

shrtmann said:


> please elaborate on the foam blocks method BB. I dont think ive heard of this one yet..
> Oh and im guessing your using DIY co2


Yes, I use DIY CO2, especially that I only run smaller tanks. I'm trying to think about aesthetics on this build and the chopstick method can be very slight.

And this is the example my friend showed me.

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/.../31026-barr-internal-venturi-co2-reactor.html

CO2 pumped into a sawed-off siphon head , and pulled into a powerhead intake, and then broken in the impeller and further dissolved by the foam.


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## Zebrapl3co (Mar 29, 2006)

I wouldn't bother to worry too much about which method works better. I once read from some green thumb aquarist that if you don't get your light and fertilizer correct, %50 of the CO2 gass off from your tank anyway. So trying to squeez and extra 5% or 10% diffusion rate isn't where you should be concentrate at.

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## shrtmann (Feb 15, 2009)

Well the purpose of this thread was more to put in a nice convenient location all the different methods that ppl are using and their thought efficiency.

and i do agree with you zebra it is only one piece to the puzzle. But my goal is to eventually fit it all together. Currently I have the t5HO's running and the next step to figure out with be my fert regimen. Currently i must admit that is pretty weak. But im still a litte confused on that...lol...

one thing at a time )


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

I jammed a piece of cigarette filter into the end of the C02 tube. It creates lots of tiny c02 bubbles. Its similar to the chopstick method. I then put the end of the tube into my filter intake. The only bubbles I can see in the tank are the ones produced by the plants "pearling". My drop checker is always green. 

I prefer this method to a ceramic disc diffuser as I feel the millions of c02 bubbles created by the ceramic disk are not astetically pleasing in the tank. Too many bubbles filling the tank!


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## shrtmann (Feb 15, 2009)

wow another interesting method...would the cig filter leach anything into the water...? doesnt the paper begin to rot away on you quickly


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## Evans11 (Aug 7, 2009)

shrtmann said:


> wow another interesting method...would the cig filter leach anything into the water...? doesnt the paper begin to rot away on you quickly


I've used this method on a couple of my tanks with both DIY C02 and Pressurized with no issues. Remember to take the paper off of the filter before you jam it into the tubing.


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## Chris S (Dec 19, 2007)

inline reactor: 100% efficiency, plus no stuff in the tank itself.


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## shrtmann (Feb 15, 2009)

ya inline will be my end result, w/ inline heater too get all most everything out of the tank...

i think i may try the ciggy filter method in a little bit..bum a smoke off my brother then rip the filter off in front of him...im sure hed appreciate it...lol...


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Darkblade48 said:


> ...
> I found the tube in the filter intake to be a bit too noisy, and the ceramic disc seems to be fine (at least for a nano).


Do you need to clean this ceramic disc? And how often?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

igor.kanshyn said:


> Do you need to clean this ceramic disc? And how often?


I clean it whenever I notice a decrease in flow. It's quite easy to just put it into a bleach bath for a bit while I do my water change/rearranging and then put it into 3x the recommended dose of Prime to neutralize the chlorine.


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## scrt69 (Jan 10, 2010)

I have a DIY CO2, and run it to a small stone. I have placed the stone right under the intake to the filter, and yes, i can hear every time it "purges", but as of lately lots of tiny pretty bubbles from the plants  

I used to have just the stone but the CO2 didn't seem to be doing anything... But now things are working nicely


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