# Spiro Diffuser



## swackett (1 Jun 2008)

HI,

I just bought a spiro diffuser and wondered if anyone can tell me how to get it to work, as I can't seem to find any information on this.

I attached the C02 tube to the spiro but the gas just formed a large bubble in the verticle tube and did not travel down around the turn and up into the spiral.  Do I have to completely fill it with water? Does it take time to work?

Any advice welcome

Thanks


----------



## planter (1 Jun 2008)

Steve, It should start to work after a few seconds. It takes a build up of pressure to force the bubbles through the fine ceramic disc. Make sure all your hose is secure and you have no leaks! you may have to open the regulator a little to force the gas through.


----------



## swackett (1 Jun 2008)

Do you need water in it as I see on AE in the description it says the bubble is in contact with the water whilst going around the spiral?  If so how do you get water in it ??


----------



## Ed Seeley (2 Jun 2008)

When you turn it off you should find that it fills with water.  Otherwise disconnect it underwater and that should help the water get in.


----------



## Steve Smith (2 Jun 2008)

Are you using it on a yeast system or pressurised?  If yeast, maybe you're not getting enough pressure to force the CO2 through the diffuser?


----------



## swackett (3 Jun 2008)

Hi, I'm using a pressurised system.  I can't fill it with water as there is air in it and it will not escape through the ceramic disc - Is this normal or is diffuser faulty?


----------



## JamesM (3 Jun 2008)

Hold it under the water without the co2 line attached and gently tap the diffuser. Slowly it will fill with water.


----------



## Wolfenrook (3 Jun 2008)

I took delivery of my garlic sausage this morning, so decided to look in to filling the spiro type diffuser (looks like the 9000).  I tried holding it and tapping it, but with this technique you are going to be stood there for a long time with your hands in the water.

What also works however is to put just the diffuser in the tank upside down, without the line attached, just stick it in there with it's suckers.  Slowly air bubble out of the tail and the diffuser fills with water.  Job done without standing around.  So you can go off and do something else whilst it fills.

Ade


----------



## Wolfenrook (3 Jun 2008)

Right, a few updates on this topic.

I tried the spiro type (not an actual spiro, just a similar one) diffuser, looked similar to the Spiro 9000, I took it out again and replaced it with one of the little rhinox style diffusers.  I didn't notice any squeaking or anything, but I did notice that the bubbles were actually bigger than the ones that I was getting using a lime wood air diffuser.  The rhinox type however gives of much smaller bubbles.  I also found that my one has a tiny hole at the bottom of the helix tube, naturally the CO2 was just bubbling out of this hole instead of traveling up the tube, rendering it completely pointless.  It's just as easy to count the bubbles as they enter the rhinox style diffuser.

I also tried the rhinox type on my DIY, it was a definite no go.  The spiro would probably work however, as it seems to need a lot less pressure to push the CO2 through it.

So basically bubble size wise it seemed to me that the spiro style diffuser (as sold by Lunapet) gave off the biggest (despite been one with a ceramic disk), followed by the lime wood air diffuser and then the rhinox style one from Hong Kong which gave off the smallest bubbles of all.  So for use with DIY yeast CO2 I would still recommend using a lime wood air stone, but for pressurised I prefer the rhinox type ones.

Ade


----------



## swackett (3 Jun 2008)

Thanks for the information Ade, I'll try attaching it upside down in the tank.   

Steve


----------



## swackett (18 Jun 2008)

I attached the Spiro upside down in the tank and after a week no joy, algae on the ceramic disk and no water in it.  So I cleaned it in a bleach solution and it now seems there is bleach in it which I can't seem to get out.  I''ve given up with this now and have bought a Rhinox 5000 instead!  Hopefully this will be slightly more straight forward!

Cheers


----------



## Matt Holbrook-Bull (18 Jun 2008)

the spiral bit in the diffuser is for decorative purposes only.. it serves no practical function.  I had one a few years ago and was horribly disappointed with it.   It was even Richard from AE that told me that as well.


----------



## JamesM (18 Jun 2008)

Matt Holbrook-Bull said:
			
		

> the spiral bit in the diffuser is for decorative purposes only.. it serves no practical function.  I had one a few years ago and was horribly disappointed with it.   It was even Richard from AE that told me that as well.


You can use it as a bubble counter.. Its a pretty close match to my counter anyway.

I'm now filling my diffusers with a syringe.


----------



## Matt Holbrook-Bull (18 Jun 2008)

JAmesM said:
			
		

> Matt Holbrook-Bull said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



yes you can, but its touch on go if they work.. and then if they stay working.. badly designed Im afraid.


----------



## planter (18 Jun 2008)

never had any trouble with them!


----------



## JamesM (18 Jun 2008)

Matt Holbrook-Bull said:
			
		

> JAmesM said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


No problems so far, so we shall see.


----------



## Wolfenrook (18 Jun 2008)

The one I tried has a tiny hole in the base of the spiral tube, defeating the object of the spiral completel. lol.  I switched to using a rhinox style one pretty quickly, and count the bubbles as they enter this.  Bubbles per minute isn't the be all and end all anyway, it's pretty variable the results you get counting bubbles.

Ade


----------



## Matt Holbrook-Bull (18 Jun 2008)

Wolfenrook said:
			
		

> The one I tried has a tiny hole in the base of the spiral tube, defeating the object of the spiral completel. lol.  I switched to using a rhinox style one pretty quickly, and count the bubbles as they enter this.  Bubbles per minute isn't the be all and end all anyway, it's pretty variable the results you get counting bubbles.
> 
> Ade



yes the ones Ive seen that dont work all have that odd little hole in them.

Bubble counts are a pretty good way of keeping track on your own dosage, but you cant compare anyone elses counts with them as they all rely on the aperture, diameter of the feed hosing and operating pressure of your regulator.


----------



## swackett (18 Jun 2008)

I guess you can gauge the amount co2 in the water with the drop checker anyway.


----------



## Wolfenrook (18 Jun 2008)

swackett said:
			
		

> I guess you can gauge the amount co2 in the water with the drop checker anyway.



You can also count the bubbles as they enter any glass diffuser and guesstimate using the stream of bubbles coming from the diffuser. 

Ade


----------

