# Best way to diffuse CO2 in your water ?



## lil-lynx (26 May 2011)

Hello 

I was wondering , there are many methods of diffusing CO2 in your water, from using the mini elite filter to chop the bubbles up , you have inline and u have the ceramic in tank ones , plus many more. 

The reason i ask this is , because im using a mini elite filter to chop my bubbles up , and well im not getting any pearling and i dont think its very effective. 

Just let me know your most effective way , even if it includes your DIY ones ( DIY ones are much more fun to make    )


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## foxfish (26 May 2011)

I guesse it depends on the scale of the tank, lots of folk on various forums believe microbubbles in the main water column are more effective than completely dissolved gas!


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## lil-lynx (26 May 2011)

Hmmmm. I just saw a diffuser on the CO2 page, which looks bloody amazing. It gives and almost fog effect.
Might have to try it out. 
And il be running it on a 30" long tank


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## foxfish (26 May 2011)

Well certainly "in line atomisers" are very much in vogue - & they definitely work too


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## AverageWhiteBloke (28 May 2011)

They say the mist in the tank is better, I guess a lot comes down to personal preference. Personally I would prefer without the bubbles floating about as it has a more natural look but I do use a glass ceramic diffuser because of the type of filter I use.


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## Alastair (28 May 2011)

I just have two glass diffusers under two intakes in my tank, if stood closely I can see very very tiny bubbles but they aren't off putting in anyway. I would prefer an almost fish swimming in air look but we can always wish. I never get pearling other than water change day though :0(


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## niru (7 Jun 2011)

Hi

I currently use an inline at the output side of my canister. The inline is large enough and the gas dissolves completely and is put in the tank using spraybars.

Before I tried with ceramic diffusers (too much mist) and also chopping the bubbles using a small pump. In both cases, there seems to be a competition between the bubble circulation and their tendancy to float to the surface. Since the surface has ripples I guess the water-air boundry layer is constantly disturbed and is very thin, helping these bubbles to escape resulting in gas loss. With my hard water I anyway need a 5-6 bps, so accounting for this escape turned out to be costly for me.

I also thought that in nature, we never see CO2 bubbles in water. The water has a lot of dissolved CO2 and a very good flow. So if my tank also has a good flow, why couldnt CO2 be dissolved, rather than having misty bubbles? I also recall reading on some forum topic that since the flow isnt really optimal in most tanks, having a misty CO2 is advised because the gas-bubble when touching a leaf, is easily taken-in by the plant. Having CO2 dissolved, could be a less efficient way of absorbing CO2 IF the flow power is less. So it depends on the flow/circulation in the tank as well.

Personally, I would like a mist-free tank since otherwise I cant differentiate between a CO2 bubble and a O2 pearling bubble


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## bigmatt (7 Jun 2011)

I use the UP atomizer and i love it!  Mist is there, but you have to look REALLY closely to see it!  They also have the advantage of removing equipment from in the tank, and i find the mist to be an advantage in terms of checking gas distribution - the only way to be certain of your gas distribution is if you can SEE it!
Hope this helps,
Matt


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## Bobtastic (7 Jun 2011)

I would be interested to know the difference between efficiency of diffusion and the reduction in flow between AM1000s and the Up Atomisers. I am currently using an AM1000 without the bioballs and wonder whether the increase in the diameter of the pipe caused by the reactor chamber has a negative effect on the flow from my filter. 

If there is a very small trade off between diffusion rates but less of a reduction in flow I may have to change over to the Up Atomiser.


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## Alastair (7 Jun 2011)

Bobtastic said:
			
		

> I would be interested to know the difference between efficiency of diffusion and the reduction in flow between AM1000s and the Up Atomisers. I am currently using an AM1000 without the bioballs and wonder whether the increase in the diameter of the pipe caused by the reactor chamber has a negative effect on the flow from my filter.
> 
> If there is a very small trade off between diffusion rates but less of a reduction in flow I may have to change over to the Up Atomiser.



I seem to recall either Londondragon or themolous having a discussion or in their journal about inline diffusion. I think he had used both the boyu inline, the am1000 and the up, and think the am1000 wasn't so good. If I can find the link I'll post it on here


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## lil-lynx (7 Jun 2011)

Im thinking about going to one of those " super ". http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Best-CO2-diffuser ... 3209wt_905 

The video is pretty amazing , how fine it is, near enough a fog !


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## Bobtastic (7 Jun 2011)

That a pretty fine mist/fog! I would be aiming to have something inline tho. So that it doesn't impact the look of the scape.



			
				Alastair said:
			
		

> I seem to recall either Londondragon or themolous having a discussion or in their journal about inline diffusion. I think he had used both the boyu inline, the am1000 and the up, and think the am1000 wasn't so good. If I can find the link I'll post it on here



That would be helpful Alastair!


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## AverageWhiteBloke (7 Jun 2011)

It may be just me but the tubing to it looked bigger than the standard stuff used. It looked a bit weird the bubbles didn't seem to want to rise to the surface.


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## lil-lynx (7 Jun 2011)

Hmm il try and find out, what size the tubing is  

I know what you mean about the bubbles , it looked like they had a neutral buoyancy. Wish my bubbles would do that !


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## John S (7 Jun 2011)

lil-lynx said:
			
		

> Hmm il try and find out, what size the tubing is
> 
> I know what you mean about the bubbles , it looked like they had a neutral buoyancy. Wish my bubbles would do that !



I've got one of these. Tubing size is std. The bubbles are very small and move slowly towards the surface. I got mine from seller aquahk8 on ebay for about £7.50 including postage. The model number was RWP013LBL.


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## daniel19831123 (8 Jun 2011)

I've got about 5 of those during my trip to singapore. Will be keeping 2 myself and will probably be selling the rest. Will post it up in the for sale section soon.

Dan


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## AverageWhiteBloke (8 Jun 2011)

> I know what you mean about the bubbles , it looked like they had a neutral buoyancy. Wish my bubbles would do that !



I've watched the video a few times now and I swear some of them are actually sinking to the bottom   I'd be interested in one of these if any become available! I was looking to get another Spiro for when my other was soaking in bleach so I give one of these a try.

Give me a shout Daniel if any are spare please.


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## Alastair (8 Jun 2011)

lil-lynx said:
			
		

> Im thinking about going to one of those " super ". http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Best-CO2-diffuser ... 3209wt_905
> 
> The video is pretty amazing , how fine it is, near enough a fog !



thats the exact one and seller i got mine from, it is a very fine mist, works best at just over 2 bar pressure. needs to be soaked in water a couple of hours before hand, and takes a bit to get going first time. make sure you dont touch the ceramic part though as the oil of your skin blocks it really easy as ive found out


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## John S (8 Jun 2011)

I've always run this at 2 bar. Oddly enough while reading this thread the airline just blew off the needle valve. I cut the tube back but it's done it again. I'm wondering if the diffuser is clogged, how would you go about cleaning one of these?


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## AverageWhiteBloke (8 Jun 2011)

I'm guessing bleach just same as a glass one can't see why not.


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## John S (8 Jun 2011)

AverageWhiteBloke said:
			
		

> I'm guessing bleach just same as a glass one can't see why not.



Thanks, I thought that might be the case. 

It is odd the way the buubles don't head straight for the surface. The diffuser just seems to smoulder in the corner, i can see my Koralla pushing the bubbles around the tank tank though with hardly any bubbles making it to the surface.


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## Alastair (8 Jun 2011)

AverageWhiteBloke said:
			
		

> I'm guessing bleach just same as a glass one can't see why not.



I just soaked mine in hot water with a smidge of bleach


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