# Thoughts on inline CO2 diffusers?



## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

Particularly interested in this one http://greenleafaquariums.com/co2-diffusers/atomic-inline-diffuser-12.html

but it's out of stock and no idea when it'll be back.

Any comments on this one, suggestions where to find it or suggestions for others? I need it to fit on a 12/16 filter pipe.

Do you find these diffusers make a difference over the in-tank ADA style diffuser discs? I'm getting good results with my in tank diffuser but I dont like that my tank basically looks like a big fizzy drink.


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

Boogerboy said:


> Particularly interested in this one http://greenleafaquariums.com/co2-diffusers/atomic-inline-diffuser-12.html
> 
> but it's out of stock and no idea when it'll be back.
> 
> ...


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Up-aqua-CO2...002?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5ce9081a
I have one that i use , have had it for 2 yrs now never needed cleaning & works great, some of the cons are it requires a higher working pressure, it does produce a lot of very fine co2 mist bubbles the very thing you are complaining about with your present diffuser, however i have now hooked mine up on the intake for that very reason & it`s much better with the micro bubbles, since it`s now being routed through the canister filter & comes out with a large portion dissolved.
There is some who would say running it through the canister can lead to a possible air lock, which is quite through, but my theory is that because the misting is so small & you do not need a very high bubble injection it literally diminishes that risk, i have switched to this route 2 months now , so far so good.
Regards


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## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

charlie1 said:


> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Up-aqua-CO2...002?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a5ce9081a
> I have one that i use , have had it for 2 yrs now never needed cleaning & works great, some of the cons are it requires a higher working pressure, it does produce a lot of very fine co2 mist bubbles the very thing you are complaining about with your present diffuser, however i have now hooked mine up on the intake for that very reason & it`s much better with the micro bubbles, since it`s now being routed through the canister filter & comes out with a large portion dissolved.
> There is some who would say running it through the canister can lead to a possible air lock, which is quite through, but my theory is that because the misting is so small & you do not need a very high bubble injection it literally diminishes that risk, i have switched to this route 2 months now , so far so good.
> Regards


Thanks for the tip, I was concerned about getting one for my intake on account of messing up the siphon, or killing the bacteria cultures or losing dissolved CO2 one way or another before it found its way to the impeller, but everything's pretty much been the same since you switched the location i presume, just no mist? Wonder why they dont sell them for use on intakes


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

Boogerboy said:


> Thanks for the tip, I was concerned about getting one for my intake on account of messing up the siphon, or *killing the bacteria cultures or *losing dissolved CO2 one way or another before it found its way to the impeller, but everything's pretty much been the same since you switched the location i presume, just no mist? Wonder why they dont sell them for use on intakes


That is also a possibility, but since my tank is heavily planted & my PH is not dropping below 5.8 i`m not too concerned in that regard.
I don`t think they would not advocate what i did for the very reasons mentioned.


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## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

charlie1 said:


> That is also a possibility, but since my tank is heavily planted & my PH is not dropping below 5.8 i`m not too concerned in that regard.
> I don`t think they would not advocate what i did for the very reasons mentioned.


Hmm, might be my only shot, I really want the whole process of CO2 injection to be invisible. Thanks a lot for the link, much cheaper than the ones I was looking at


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*c02*

i just built a cerges diffuser and installed it today not sure of the results will have to let u know in a few weeks how things work out ,but i have no bubbles in the tank after the install today .if u havea room under your tank u use a whole house filter from home depot ,will let u guys know of the results on how things work out 
cheers 
tom


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

Boogerboy said:


> Hmm, might be my only shot, I really want the whole process of CO2 injection to be invisible. Thanks a lot for the link, much cheaper than the ones I was looking at


If micro bubbles is an issue for you, you are much better off with an in line Reactor as opposed to the diffuser, the cerges or such like.

http://www.rexgrigg.com/diy-reactor.htm


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## jediwiggles (Aug 29, 2009)

*seals*

I used the diffuser for about 8 months, hooked up to my ehiem intake. Getting the co2 tubing to seal on that tiny tipple was an issue. And the faseners for the 12/16 parts work but are very flimsy. I had 1 side crack and that was the end of it.

Not only that but I blasted through a lot of co2 beacause it seemed like it was leaking. Tested the seals, no idea how it was bleeding co2 but it was. If your going to get this item, I think you may be better off constructing one of your own. I wouldn't recommend this. Just my 2 cents. Your gonna love what the co2 does to your plant life. I can't recommend pressurized co2 enough.

Cheers.
Matt


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## charlie1 (Dec 1, 2011)

jediwiggles said:


> I used the diffuser for about 8 months, hooked up to my ehiem intake. Getting the co2 tubing to seal on that tiny tipple was an issue. And the faseners for the 12/16 parts work but are very flimsy. I had 1 side crack and that was the end of it.
> 
> Not only that but I blasted through a lot of co2 beacause it seemed like it was leaking. Tested the seals, no idea how it was bleeding co2 but it was. If your going to get this item, I think you may be better off constructing one of your own. I wouldn't recommend this. Just my 2 cents. Your gonna love what the co2 does to your plant life. I can't recommend pressurized co2 enough.
> 
> ...


 That is true the connection can leak, i solved that very easily by using a slightly smaller ID tubing( Clippard) & voilà no issues 2 years +, never encountered issues with the 12/16 connection.
I found them to be very efficient.


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## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

charlie1 said:


> If micro bubbles is an issue for you, you are much better off with an in line Reactor as opposed to the diffuser, the cerges or such like.
> 
> http://www.rexgrigg.com/diy-reactor.htm


Thanks for the tip! Are any of these pre-made? I'm not too good with DIY and that part with the CO2 tubing insert really scares me. Anything short of welding it shut would leave me with nightmares about the siphon pouring out onto my apartment floor in my sleep 
Don't you find these reactors have a negative effect on flow speed?


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

Boogerboy said:


> Thanks for the tip! Are any of these pre-made? I'm not too good with DIY and that part with the CO2 tubing insert really scares me. Anything short of welding it shut would leave me with nightmares about the siphon pouring out onto my apartment floor in my sleep
> Don't you find these reactors have a negative effect on flow speed?


i'm waiting for one of these in the mail

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/JALECO-JAQNO-CO2-Mixer-Diffuser-100L-Aquarium-CX113-/160570273344?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2562bbee40


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## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

coldmantis said:


> i'm waiting for one of these in the mail
> 
> http://www.ebay.ca/itm/JALECO-JAQNO-CO2-Mixer-Diffuser-100L-Aquarium-CX113-/160570273344?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2562bbee40


The construction on that looks good. I don't really get how it diffuses the CO2 into the water, though? looks like it's just leading the tube in there and letting the flow take care of the diffusion - IMO this would result in quite a noticeable mist.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

Boogerboy said:


> The construction on that looks good. I don't really get how it diffuses the CO2 into the water, though? looks like it's just leading the tube in there and letting the flow take care of the diffusion - IMO this would result in quite a noticeable mist.


this is how a real reactor works, the bubbles get swished around in the canister until it completely disolves in the water, all bubbles will rise to the top so it won't go into your tank.


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## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

charlie1 said:


> That is also a possibility, but since my tank is heavily planted & my PH is not dropping below 5.8 i`m not too concerned in that regard.
> I don`t think they would not advocate what i did for the very reasons mentioned.


For future reference, excerpt from a study:



> Under conditions of increased pCO2 the experimental reactor maintained a nitrification rate that
> was 5 times higher than what was observed in the control reactor. This suggests that some
> populations of autotrophic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and nitrite oxidizing bacteria
> (NOB) may be carbon-limited and can grow at an increased rate under elevated pCO2 ... The results from this study suggest that the
> ...


So it doesn't appear to have any negative effects on BB, and might even improve it. I'm still concerned about the mist clumping into bigger bubbles and collecting in my filter, though, so looks like i'll have to go the reactor route at the expense of water flow


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## tom g (Jul 8, 2009)

*reactor*

day 2 of the reactor , i see no bubbles at all drop chker is a steady greeen 
ph is at 7.2 before c02 and drops to 6.8 after a few hours 
i dont see any micro bubbles or any reduction of flow
it was fairly simple to build . i went to water store and purchased a used in house filter for ten bucks 
fittings at home depot and drubing approx 10 bucks 
my only coincern when i put this togeather was the fluval hoses are too big for the 5/8 fittings from home depot so was worried about leaks but i used a worm gear clamp and so far so good .
ill keep u updated 
cheers 
tom

anyone else use a cerges reactor or have any input on there use of it


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## GaryC (Apr 2, 2012)

Ah to lazy to build one eh 



coldmantis said:


> this is how a real reactor works, the bubbles get swished around in the canister until it completely disolves in the water, all bubbles will rise to the top so it won't go into your tank.


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## coldmantis (Apr 5, 2010)

GaryC said:


> Ah to lazy to build one eh


what you talking about? you saw my ghetto goldfish food container in tank co2 reactor lol.


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## Boogerboy (Sep 23, 2008)

Alright, after some poking around I've decided to spring for one of these

http://www.sera.de/us/pages/product...-50/product/sera-flore-co2-aktiv-reaktor.html

I'm not convinced that the rotary blades contribute much but I like the design, and it's considerably more compact than an RG reactor or comparable.

Not sure whether to spring for the smaller or larger model though, the smaller is rated for flow of over 500l/h and the large one for 700l/h. I know that the pump on my 2217 has a theoretical speed of 1000l/h so in practice it's probably around 800. I'd get the larger reactor but im assuming the bigger the chamber the greater the toll on flow speed. I want to get the smaller one but I don't want bubbles pushing through :S decisions...

EDIT: Just a curiosity, sorry about all the questions: theoretically if i still go with the atomizer over the reactor, and use tubing sparingly (4 or 5 feet) between it and the outflow pipe, will the mist be reduced significantly? 
The only reason I ask is that the reactor uses 16/22 pipes whereas the 2217 uses 12/16, meaning I'd have to get two reducers whereas the atomizer comes in a 12/16 size.


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