# Help finding an alternative to lily pipe - Having problem with inline CO2 distribution!



## psantos (30 May 2013)

Hi guys.

I've been having some problems with my plants and with the help of some people in this forum, we seem to have pin pointed the problem to be mainly poor distribution of CO2.

I have a Eheim ecco pro 300 and use an inline CO2 reactor. I also have circulation pumps in the tank but I think the main reason for the CO2 not reaching the plants at the bottom, is the Lilly pipe as it seems that most CO2 goes up to the surface straight from the lily pipe - this is more visible now since I removed the bioballs from the AM1000 reactor and can see a few tiny bubbles coming trough.

So I need help finding a substitution for the lily pipe to manage to get the CO2 lower in the tank. The tank dimensions are 45height, 38deep, and 65wide and holds about 105L of water.

My main problem is that i'm really constraint space wise as the tank is inside a fireplace and don't have much space at the top or accessibility to the sides or back! :-/ so watever solution i get needs to get trough the whole where i have the lily pipe at the moment and would have to pretty much get right into the tank!

I guess a lily pipe that would go lower or point more to the bottom could work or a sprybar maybe? If you think that would sort my problem?
I would rather having a solution not very obtrusive as I have spent a fair amount of work and money to try having a clean/slick/equipment free (as much as possible) tank :-/

Here is a picture showing the space i have to fit a Lilly pipe substitute. And by the way, there is a cover that 'clips' and cover all that front area as per the second pic.










Thank you
P


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## Andy Thurston (30 May 2013)

Glass spraybars coming soon at one of sponsors .  You could use a plastic one to see if it helps with flow problem in the mean time


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## sa80mark (31 May 2013)

Could flow rate be the problem ? The ecco 300 is rated around 700lph but with head height and the reactor this will be lowered quite a lot, impossible to guess really but if its half as effective say 350lph your around 3x flow so maybe theres not enough flow to push the water effectively ?


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## clonitza (31 May 2013)

You kinda need a >1000lph filter for the AM1000 with bioballs, ecco 300 is IMO good for ~50l tanks without any inline stuff.


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## psantos (31 May 2013)

Hi thanks for the replies! 

Well now its too late for the filter - I've just bought that one (Highly recommended in another forum) and i'm not spending money in a new one to put this one to the side... :-/

I have removed the bioballs and the CO2 seems to be getting into the tank allright - still very very small bubbles - way smaller then any of the glass diffusers I have seen in shops etc. I also have a Koralia 1900lph blowing towards the outlet to try and project the water that comes from the filter into the front glass so it comes down and spread all over the aquarium I just feel the water that comes trough the lily pipe should be going lower as the lilly pipe sends it very close to the surface to the left and although some bubbles go half way not many get to the bottom area and that might be my problem! if there was a lily pipe that would go lower in the tank, or blow in an angle more towards the bottom that could work - but I can't seem to find anything like that 

I was also looking into the sprybar extension kit from eheim but read a few posts saying they are not recommended using with some filters including the ecco series as it might damage the pump :-/

Really don't know what to get...


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## Lindy (3 Jun 2013)

You can buy clear acrylic pipe on eBay and make your own spaybar, its pretty easy! I'd attach it to the eheim crook and use clear suction cups and zip ties to hold in place. At least that is what I did except mine is a fluval. Considering doing the same on my ecco 130.


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## Yo-han (3 Jun 2013)

Used to have a set of Powermen lily pipes from eBay. They flow down at about 45 degree. You might like them


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## Alastair (7 Jun 2013)

Im sure the do aqua violets direct flow downwards too 

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk 2


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## Manrock (7 Jun 2013)

I have a Cal Aqua lillypipe and that has a deep 'drop' on it too. Still might not be enough for your needs though.


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## Yo-han (7 Jun 2013)

psantos said:


> Hi guys.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
When the CO2 is totally dissolved it does not go up. It just flows with the water. Undissolved bubbles do go up. I read a lot about removing the balls from the AM reactor on this forum. I use the same reacttor with bioballs but with a biopass, no problems here!


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## psantos (10 Jun 2013)

Yo-han said:


> When the CO2 is totally dissolved it does not go up. It just flows with the water. Undissolved bubbles do go up. I read a lot about removing the balls from the AM reactor on this forum. I use the same reactor with bioballs but with a biopass, no problems here!


 
Hiya!

The reason that I think my CO2 input might be the issue is that I don't get pretty much any pearling going on my plants! :-/

The last changes in light quantity and flow pump reposition along with tweaks on the ferts stop the plants from melting, the ones that survived seem to be getting better very slowly - Although their taking a long time to get better and with minimal growth!  Not sure what to change now apart from getting a new inflow pipe.




Yo-han said:


> Used to have a set of Powermen lily pipes from eBay. They flow down at about 45 degree. You might like them


I can't seem to find this on sale?  they look good though.




ldcgroomer said:


> You can buy clear acrylic pipe on eBay and make your own spaybar, its pretty easy! I'd attach it to the eheim crook and use clear suction cups and zip ties to hold in place. At least that is what I did except mine is a fluval. Considering doing the same on my ecco 130.


I would rather buy a pipe that definitely 'works' but might look into this if I don't...

Any more suggestions are welcomed!!

Thank you everyone!


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## Yo-han (10 Jun 2013)

psantos said:


> The reason that I think my CO2 input might be the issue is that I don't get pretty much any pearling going on my plants! :-/


 
Don't be fooled by pearling I did had pearling when all my plants were doing bad (missing  ferts, too much light) and have had almost no pearling when everything is going fine. You can get heavy pearling without CO2. Place a clear basket in the windowsill with some moss in it. When the sun strikes it, it will pearl. Pearling has more to do with the light intensity than it has with CO2 IME. Riccia always pearls like hell, but not in the same tank in the shade. Besides that, it is also dependent on the plant species. Rotala green always pearls for me and so does Riccia and the slow growing ferns, but never seen an Anubias or crypto pearl.


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