# New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble seen



## daniel19831123 (16 May 2011)

Just came across this product on ebay. 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AquaMedic-Membran ... 48406e06cc

Has anyone tried this? Is it as efficient as it claimed? It looks like a small enough unit to be easily hide away behing some stem plants and if what it claimed is true then it's a lot cheaper and tidier getting this unit rather a big external diffuser.


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## Alastair (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

I was looking at one of those not too long ago..bit hadn't seen any reviews on it to back it up at the time.....sounds good though


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## foxfish (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

Yes they do look interesting but i would not describe external atomisers as expensive or large.


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## daniel19831123 (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

I find that diffuser as such doesn't achieve 100% diffusing rate as they always ended up accumulating bubbles in the filter before churning them out all in one go then the whole process starts all over again. And if you put the diffuser at the outlet, I'm pretty sure that you will see tiny bubbles getting blown all over the tank... hence again not 100%


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## nayr88 (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

That looks pretty wiiiierd!! 

The up atomiser I have is good, but I always seem to get co2related algae issues and resort back to my normal diffuser place by the filter inlet,


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## daniel19831123 (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

I had one of those "external diffuser" too and I noticed that it chucks out a whole gush of CO2 every so often and I was getting algae issues too. Which is why I don't use it anymore. But this new diffuser sounds like it's a solution to the problem. just wondering if someone else had tried it before I take the plunge. Most likely I will take the plunge anyway eventually


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## foxfish (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

You could be right but it just looks like another variation of the same principle - a semi permeable membrane that diffuses the gas into micro bubbles?  http://www.aqua-medic.com/products/docs ... eactor.pdf


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## nayr88 (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

I know it's a cool little trick but look at the triptych tanks tgm done. Watching the videos they use a standard diffuser at 1bp3seconds and the tanks are flourishing, I don't for the externals are too great for nanos well from my experience, I love it because it would make everything pearl, but the. Algea started doing it's thing and is pee'dme off so badley because the tank was well matured and rammed with plants and algae free......

Agh probably my lack of skill haha


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## Radik (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

So what's the issue with external diffusers like UP atomizer and algae? Why is that?


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## Alastair (16 May 2011)

If you do take the plunge and all seems ok, I'll follow ha. I also like the internal super atomiser diffusers. They have really tiny bubbles that get blown everywhere. I have mine now going into the intakes which have sponge over too and only occasionally see really really teeny bubbles coming out of the spray bars


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## Johno2090 (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

hmm not sure i'd be happy with that inside my tank :/


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## daniel19831123 (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

This product is made by Aqua medic


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## a1Matt (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

Being made by Aqua medic is not necessarily a good thing.  The only product of theirs I bought is a dosing pumps, and it was not fit for purpose (they use two pinch rollers instead of three, and as a result they back siphon unless used with a non return valve... a truly rubbish design imo).

Having said that these membranes look very interesting


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## daniel19831123 (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*



			
				foxfish said:
			
		

> You could be right but it just looks like another variation of the same principle - a semi permeable membrane that diffuses the gas into micro bubbles?  http://www.aqua-medic.com/products/docs ... eactor.pdf



nope. I was just replying to the statement foxfish has posted saying that it's similar product but in fact the product is actually the same product.


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## CeeJay (16 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

Hi all

The only downside I can see with that design is that you will need vast amounts of flow travelling over or past it to circulate the saturated water effectively. 
Not a good idea hiding it behind a bunch of stems, especially on the larger tanks  
Just my theory


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## foxfish (17 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*



			
				daniel19831123 said:
			
		

> foxfish said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Hi Dan, actually I was pointing you to more info about the device you found by looking on the aqua medic web site that I linked.
I also wanted to point out that, I think, the membrane technology is being used in many different guises like the UP & various other formats that you can find for sale.
Here is another variation to the theme.... http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/New-super-CO2-dif ... 3a6597b758
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/UP-Aquarium-Co2-S ... 25631775e6


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## daniel19831123 (17 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

The difference with the membrane technology that you pointed out was that they do produce bubble. Semi permeable membrane literally means that water molecules is too big to get through the membrane. The two items that you pointed out has membrane, not semi permeable membrane.


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## Garuf (17 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

Hmmm. Sounds a lot like cod science to me. I'm not even sure 100% dissolution is possible?


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## daniel19831123 (20 May 2011)

*Re: New 100% way of dissolving CO2 without a single bubble s*

a semi permeable membrane basically means that the permeability of the membrane only allows molecules of certain size to diffuse through it in a passive manner. So for example if you have a membrane balloon and on the outside of it you've got pure H2o and on the inside of the balloon you have concentrated syrup. The water being the smaller molecules will move down it concentration from from area of high concentration to low concentration through a passive diffusion process despite the sugary concentration within the balloon being higher, water will move from where it's abundant i.e. outside to where it's lacking i.e. inside to achieve an equilibrium. 
I suppose this product would act on similar manner where CO2 is concentrated inside the chamber but since the membrane might be too big for water molecule to pass through, the gas has to diffuse out of the membrane into the water to achieve it's equilibrium. Hence the faster the rate of the water carrying the CO2 away from the membrane, the steeper the gradient will be and the more efficient the diffuser is. CO2 is readily dissolvable and considering this is diffusion down to the molecular level, 100% disolving rate is possible. Well that is if this product is truly what it claims. I'm glad my science knowlede from high school come in handy. I knew I had some use of those notes I've taken back then.


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