Co2 Injection Idea.

[kev0101]

So my plants aren't doing so well so I decided its time to add some C02 to the tank. I refuse to pay the price of the compressed gas kits and really cant be bothered with the fuss of the natural kits. It would be quite easy for me to bring a bottle of welding gas home from work, but I do not want a cylinder of that size or pressure under my tank.

I have decided to buy a disposable bottle of Co2 from Halfords, cost around £10 for a 600g bottle that should last me well over a year in my 180l tank (if ive done my sums right ) I have 2 problems. The regulator that Halfords supply for the disposable bottles is absolute garbage, so I am going to have to adapt a good quality regulator to fit the smaller connector on the bottle. Not really a problem but a pain as the I found out the hard way by buying the garbage regulator for £10.

The second problem is that I don't yet have a diffuser. This is where I had an idea. Since all the diffuser dose is keep the Co2 bubble in contact with the water for as long as possible to give the Co2 chance to dissolve in the water, could I just plum the Co2 pipe into the outlet from my external filter? I think that by the time the bubble is forced up the outlet pipe and out though the spray bar it should have surfactant time to dissolve in the water. Any comments or suggestions welcome.

 

[blue acara]

Nice guide for cheap co2 here.

 

[kev0101]

Nice guide for cheap co2 here.

I use different kinds of compressed gas every day at work. I am firmly behind the people that think that a fire extinguisher and the pressure involved could potentially be extremely dangerous. Thanks anyway

I was just wondering if I could get away with the Co2 going into the outlet of the filter? Thus avoiding the need to buy a diffuser. Also it would be one less thing in the tank.

 

[blue acara]

All pressurized cylinders are dangerous, just put it in a secure place where it cannot be knocked over. If you are really worried avoid them all.

I was just wondering if I could get away with the Co2 going into the outlet of the filter? Thus avoiding the need to buy a diffuser. Also it would be one less thing in the tank.
[/quote]

Yes you can do this- works ok. A diffuser positioned under the filter outlet will be more efficient.

 

[jazz298]

I have my co2 running directly into the intake assembly of my canister filter. I attached a small bubble buddy fizz board and put it into the tube, by the time it goes through, getting filtered through the foam and other filters, the co2 is dissolved into the water by the time it comes out the output side.

 

[dave_gray2077]

I have my co2 running directly into the intake assembly of my canister filter. I attached a small bubble buddy fizz board and put it into the tube, by the time it goes through, getting filtered through the foam and other filters, the co2 is dissolved into the water by the time it comes out the output side.

I don't think you are supposed to put the CO2 in the intake pipe, only the outlet. I believe that you can cause airlocks doing this.

 

[jazz298]

I havent had any problems for the past 9 months doing it this way

 

[blue acara]

It seems to depend on the make and model of filter. I tried it on a Eheim 2080 and the co2 built up inside it and basically it didn't work. Others have reported that it does work.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I have mine going into my outflow pipe and is working great. I put a spiral of tubing within the outflow tub which helps to difuse the CO2 (see link below for more info).

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=205088

 

[anodized]

i had bubbles from a airline with co2 going directly into my canister for a long time, no problems. i found that every so often the canister would belch out the co2 though.

more efficent now - i use a ADA diffuser to create smaller bubbles that still get sucked into the intake. no more wasted co2

 

[Lateral Line]

I feed the CO2 into the inlet of my filter train as well. That said, I have an extra "inert" canister before my main canisters which is more or less empty, or has a heater in it, the CO2 does tend to form a small "pool" at the top of that sometimes, but it is of no consequence as it is not getting to the impellor

It is certainly true that if you pass large quantities of gas, (of any type), into the filters, you can cause problems, but the idea is you are trying to dissolve the gas, so you need to regulate your flow to prevent CO2 bubbling all the way through your filter.