Bubble Counter For C02 System

[leafs]

Is a bubble counter necessary for a diy C02 system. Is it possible to put the airline tube into the intake of an Aquaclear filter or am I just confused? Can an airstone be used?

 

[simonbrown403]

confused? a bubble counter is a way checking the flow rate of your co2 (ie i bubble per seccond etc) so you can ajust it easly.

I,ve got mine set a 1 bubble per 2 secs which gives me over 30ppm of co2

 

[zig]

I use the Hagen ladder for co2 diffusion, i dont have a bubble counter (although they are easy to make DIY style) i just count the bubbles going up the ladder. Not sure about the Aquaclear filter i dont know that brand, you can use airstones, but you may find with airstones that they will get clogged quite easily, but they will work.

A bubble counter is usually just a small chamber with water that the co2 bubble travels through before it goes into whatever diffuser you are using, it just means you can count the bubbles to give you an idea as to how much (or little) co2 you are generating, its a very simple idea.

Heres a link to a whole page of different types of bubble counters all of them do the same job, some of these are attached to pressurised co2 regulators in the pics, in nearly all the pics they are just clear plastic tubes that you would fill with a little water in order to see the bubble travelling through it.

http/images.google.ie/images?q=co2+bubbl...SO-8859-1&hl=en

 

[leafs]

Sorry, I meant a diffuser. I'm going to try the diy method with a pop bottle. I believe I can buy the Hagen ladder without having to buy the whole unit, but can I use another method to diffuse the bubbles? I read somewhere that you can stick the airline right into the intake tube of an Aquaclear hang on filter and the impeller would then distribute the bubbles.

Thanks

 

[jimbooo]

in theory yes you can however i'm not familliar with your filter. if it's a HOB filter the splashing action will remove almost all the co2 from the water so will definatly need to be modified (fill with filter floss or something) if it's an external cannister filter you can put an airstone directly beneath the intake and the impeller will chop up the bubbles and dissolve it into the water in the process.

Hobs are not great with planted tanks and you may want to PM someone who has one and see how they have modded it.

 

[leafs]

Thanks for the quick reply. It is a HOB filter but it doesn't really splash much since I keep the water level high. There is some surface movement, but it doesn't seem to be a lot. What does the filter floss do? I do have some floss in the filter with 2 sponge now. I guess I need to minimize the surface movement somehow.

 

[jimbooo]

Thanks for the quick reply. It is a HOB filter but it doesn't really splash much since I keep the water level high. There is some surface movement, but it doesn't seem to be a lot. What does the filter floss do? I do have some floss in the filter with 2 sponge now. I guess I need to minimize the surface movement somehow.

i think i know someone with a HOB planted tank i'll pm him and point him to your thread. i dont want to advise on something i have never actually done. could cause you major problems.

hold fire, if he's online he'll reply pretty quick.

 

[leafs]

Thanks for the quick reply. It is a HOB filter but it doesn't really splash much since I keep the water level high. There is some surface movement, but it doesn't seem to be a lot. What does the filter floss do? I do have some floss in the filter with 2 sponge now. I guess I need to minimize the surface movement somehow.

i think i know someone with a HOB planted tank i'll pm him and point him to your thread. i dont want to advise on something i have never actually done. could cause you major problems.

hold fire, if he's online he'll reply pretty quick.

Thanks Jimbooo, you've been a great help.

 

[pseud]

Yeah! I have a HOB filter. I wouldn't try inserting the CO2 into it though as Jim said, the splashing return of the water will knock the CO2 out. Put it as far away from your filter as possible. I have mine on the other side of the tank. I also keep my water levels topped up real high so there's less surface agitation. I use a small airstone to dissolve the co2, it makes very small bubbles. 2 x 2l soda bottles in a 55 gallon tank gives me the CO2 I need...

 

[leafs]

Yeah! I have a HOB filter. I wouldn't try inserting the CO2 into it though as Jim said, the splashing return of the water will knock the CO2 out. Put it as far away from your filter as possible. I have mine on the other side of the tank. I also keep my water levels topped up real high so there's less surface agitation. I use a small airstone to dissolve the co2, it makes very small bubbles. 2 x 2l soda bottles in a 55 gallon tank gives me the CO2 I need...

Cool, thanks pseud. Does the airstone get clogged up after a while? I'm assuming it's just a regular airstone? I kind of know the basics to do a diy C02 system, but do you any tips for an amateur like me or a good link to a site?



Thanks

 

[pseud]

Yeah, like zig said, it gets clogged. I clean it off every so often, rinse it with warm water regularly, blow through it real hard sometimes too. Kinda annoying, but still. I just replaced it actually, after having it for 2 or 3 months. So you do need to buy new ones every so often.

Tips? Umm... if you use 2 bottles use 2 check valves before joining them with a T-junction to keep the pressure in one bottle whilst you change the other.

Change one bottle on sat and one on wed (or something)

don't fill the bottle up too much or you'll get yeast in your tank (this will also contribue to clogging your airstone)

 

[leafs]

Yeah, like zig said, it gets clogged. I clean it off every so often, rinse it with warm water regularly, blow through it real hard sometimes too. Kinda annoying, but still. I just replaced it actually, after having it for 2 or 3 months. So you do need to buy new ones every so often.

Tips? Umm... if you use 2 bottles use 2 check valves before joining them with a T-junction to keep the pressure in one bottle whilst you change the other.

Change one bottle on sat and one on wed (or something)

don't fill the bottle up too much or you'll get yeast in your tank (this will also contribue to clogging your airstone)

I think I'll only need 1 bottle for my 29 gal. Whats the purpose of the check valve? When I change the contents in the bottle, is there anything special that I should do? Also how will I know when it's not producing anymore C02, when the bubbles stop? Sorry for all the questions.

 

[pseud]

It's ok, I asked just as many, if not more

You'll probably be fine with 1 bottle. Check valves only allow gas to travel one way through them. If you were using two bottles without check valves then when you removed one bottle, the pressure in the other bottle would escape and it would take a while to build up again. With a check valve in place the pressure can't escape from one bottle and out through the 'hole' that you created in the closed system (by removing the bottle) because the check valve wont allow air back through that way. I'd draw a diagram but I can't be bothered

Most people get about 7-10 days worth of CO2 from DIY. I change it every 7 days just to be safe. Easier to remember also. Check your CO2 levels daily, (at the same time every day), once you see it start to drop then you'll know you need to change the mixture. (I personally mix a bottle up the night before to get it going then hook it up the next morning)

 

[leafs]

It's ok, I asked just as many, if not more

You'll probably be fine with 1 bottle. Check valves only allow gas to travel one way through them. If you were using two bottles without check valves then when you removed one bottle, the pressure in the other bottle would escape and it would take a while to build up again. With a check valve in place the pressure can't escape from one bottle and out through the 'hole' that you created in the closed system (by removing the bottle) because the check valve wont allow air back through that way. I'd draw a diagram but I can't be bothered

Most people get about 7-10 days worth of CO2 from DIY. I change it every 7 days just to be safe. Easier to remember also. Check your CO2 levels daily, (at the same time every day), once you see it start to drop then you'll know you need to change the mixture. (I personally mix a bottle up the night before to get it going then hook it up the next morning)

Ok, so with one bottle I would have the airline coming from the bottle, then the check valve, then another airline going into the tank?

 

[pseud]

Ok, so with one bottle I would have the airline coming from the bottle, then the check valve, then another airline going into the tank?

Correct... and then on the end of that airline in the tank you'd have your airstone or diffuser or something.

What's your KH?