# Ladder or diffuser



## andy (14 Dec 2008)

I set my CO2 up yesterday on a temporary basis using one of those ladder jobbies that usually  come with the "make your own" CO2 sets.

I was going to get one of the glass diffusers...Rhinox 2000 but this ladder system looks quite efficient.  The bubbles travel up the ladder and by the time they get to the top, they're tiny....so something must be working.

Any thoughts ?

Andy


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## Nick16 (14 Dec 2008)

i would use a ceramic diffuser personally, they are smaller and look 10x better. rhinox are expensive, ebay it nd you can get 2 for about Â£6 inc postage from HK. they work fine for me. plus you have a spare in case of breakages or i put one into bleach to clean it and use the other one.


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## Themuleous (14 Dec 2008)

Diffuser every time.  Much nicer to look at and I reckon better for diffusion.  If you position the diffuser well you can get co2 bubbles pushed all around the tank, which would be very tricky with a ladder.

Sam


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## zig (14 Dec 2008)

If it works it works!

The ladders do work well, ugly as s*&$ though. Personally I would say its a toss up between the efficiency of a ladder and a glass diffuser, not much between them other than aesthetics  especially if using it on a smaller tank. I used two DIY yeast setups with two ladders on a 40 gallon 2.5+WPG for about a year with minimal problems (other than the hassle of very regular yeast changes)  aah them were the days  would I do it again, not a chance.


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## Ed Seeley (14 Dec 2008)

Ladder diffusers are very efficient.  They don't need as regular cleaning and according to the calculations someone did on APC they are well over 95% efficient assuming the bubbles left at the end is CO2 (Which a lot of it won't be as other gasses will come out of solution into the bubble as it travels up the ladder).  If you use them with a yeast based system they are also easier to get the yeast snot out of and put a lot less resistance than a ceramic diffuser.

The down side?  They are so big that they are hard to disguise and they don't work as well with higher bubble rates IME.


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## aaronnorth (14 Dec 2008)

here is a thread showing that ladders can be 98% effective, although i still prefer ceramic diffuser as they are neater  8) 

viewtopic.php?f=37&t=2799&p=30292&hilit=bubble+ladder#p30292


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## GreenNeedle (14 Dec 2008)

Does this also mean that 'spiral' glass/ceramic diffusers are more efficient than straight through ones?

I mean the spiro type (where the bubble goes through a spiral before getting to the ceramic disc) versus the standard Rhinox type (where the large bubble enters directly below the ceramic disc)

AC


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## Ed Seeley (14 Dec 2008)

As the Spiro-type diffusers have the spiral sealed into the diffuser the water is locked in and it will soon become saturated with CO2.  Once this happens as the staurated water can't easily exchange with the tank water no more CO2 can then dissolve so all the spiral does is give you a 'beetle counter-esque' bubble counter.  However it does save you having a separate bubble counter.


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## andy (18 Dec 2008)

So my ladder has been up and running for a few days....here's what i make of it.

It seems very efficient....the bubbles start off big and are hardly evident at the top.  My plants have started pearling for the first time and everything is looking healthy.

On the downside, it does get blocked easily by a bit of plant material getting caught in the rungs.  If that happens, the bubbles will not take their normal course.

My only other gripe is that the ladder could be longer....i wonder if two could be added to just make it that bit more efficient so the bubbles were completely dissolved once they reach the top.  I think i'd only need another 3" (but don't we all chaps !!!)

I'll certainly be keeping it for the time being.

Thanks for all your comments above

Andy


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## Themuleous (18 Dec 2008)

Glad its working  I do like the glass diffusers for the fact that they go wrong less often than the ladders, but they are a darn sight easier to break!

Sam


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## zig (18 Dec 2008)

Different type of ladder available here

http://cgi.ebay.com/CO2-Injection-F...photoQQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262


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## Themuleous (18 Dec 2008)

That looks like the Dennerle type, better than the Nutrafin ones, which can trap leaves and things.  These ones are also designed to be sticking out into the tank, which helps with diffusion.

Sam


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## GreenNeedle (18 Dec 2008)

I like the size too....2" diameter????   Thats a tiny ladder or someone's just used the Rhinox 500 advert and edited it to suit (without editing that part. lol)

I'm going to be trying the Eheim power diffuser when it arrives.  only a fiver so worth a try.  Looks easy to hide too!!!

AC


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## Simon D (19 Dec 2008)

> Themuleous on Thu Dec 18, 2008 12:27 pm
> 
> Glad its working  I do like the glass diffusers for the fact that they go wrong less often than the ladders, but they are a darn sight easier to break!


I found the Rhinox glass diffuser remarkably easy to break too     lol.

I was just setting up my first FE conversion, a couple of weeks ago, and the damned thing fell off the end of the CO2 tube onto a nice soft carpet (all of about 18") and CRACK. I had to wait until the next morning until AE sent me a replacement (excelent service) I've now got a couple of spares just in case!


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