Most Efficient Co2 Diffusion

[cor2008]

Hi

Iv been messing around for the last few days with different ways to get the best co2 diffusion. Iv been using my rhinox 2000 directly under the inlet pipe on my tetratec 700. This morning though i was reading ukaps and saw a tread on using a eheim power diffuser AE . I had a similar diffuser for my juwel internal link here so hooked the co2 line to it & its blowing co2 bubbles all over the tank.

Does anyone know if this would be a good method to use or which method would be best on an 180 litre tank?

 

[mibson]

I am wondering the same thing, I seem to have trouble getting my co2 to 30ppm in my 90g.

What is the best co2 diffuser? I have a redsea turbo D-800 and I does not do the trick. It seems like it works fine in my 55g but not good enough for my 90g.

Wouldnt an airstone going directly into your filter intake work great?

I have pressurized co2 via 10lbs bottle.

 

[Evad]

I am wondering the same thing, I seem to have trouble getting my co2 to 30ppm in my 90g.

What is the best co2 diffuser? I have a redsea turbo D-800 and I does not do the trick. It seems like it works fine in my 55g but not good enough for my 90g.

Wouldnt an airstone going directly into your filter intake work great?

I have pressurized co2 via 10lbs bottle.

I too would love to hear from the experts on this one. I have used the Red Sea reactors and they were pathetic. I am currently using a Aqua Medic aqualine CO2 reactor and that has done the best job for me. I place a powerhead upside down at the bottom of it and so far that seems to do the trick.

 

[SuperColey1]

Generally the mist method is the best method because each bubble is pure CO2 coming to contact with the plant's leaves rather than water containing CO2.

On my 33USG I use the glass diffusers allied with very good flow. This means the bubbles do not go up. They go sideways. Some will dissolve into the water and more than likely the plants at the opposite end of the tank only get CO2 enriched water where the nearer the diffuser the plants are the more bubbles they get.

I use a glass diffuser for the reason it looks nice. When we are talking about diffusion efficiency it's a misnomer really. Each manufacturer claims higher percentages but they are all in the 90%+ region at source. It is then down to the user how much of this 90%+ gets to the plants before it is lost.

In the best setups it may look like they keep all the CO2 in the water but it isn't the case. They may not have a single bubble hit the surface but CO2 qill still be lost through gaseous exchange at the water surface. No idea of the actual amounts but in these 'perfect' setups I would guess of the 90%+ efficiency only 5-10% of that actually is used in the tank with the other 90-95% 'lost'

It is however very hard to use the mist/bubbles method on larger tanks and most with 70USG+ use reactors to get their levels up.

In summary don't go for X diffuser because it says it is 99% efficient if you like the look of one that is 95% efficient. We are talking teeny differences and after allowing for the 'lost' amount the difference is a mere fraction of a percentage

More important is the flow. Get the flow right and use the diffuser (or reactor) that works for you both aesthetically and practically.

AC

 

[cor2008]

Hey ac it was actually your post i read on ukaps that mentioned the eheim power diffuser . Did you manage to test run that idea.

I was giving the juwel venturi idea some thought this morning and thinking about it its probably not the best idea as i guess the co2 will just be blown into the tank in large bubbles which would hit the surface pretty quick versus the small mist bubbles of a glass diffuser placed lower in the tank.

Think im gonna order a smaller diffuser though (probably the rhinox 1000) as only a fraction of the 2000's disc is only being used.

I read that George Farmer uses his glass difuser under his intake pipe which i also tried and appeared to work well (just waiting for my 4dkh from AE to be sure) but also read that it will damage the seals. Not sure if this is true but wonder why more people dont use this method if it works.

Yea though about an external reactor but also read that they will decrease flow aswell which i have noticed is already well decreased on my tetratec ex700 even though i get it a full overhaul at the weekend

 

[SuperColey1]

I tried it for roughly 2 minutes. Yes it gives great mist but also means you have to get specific filter inlets for it or attach it to a powerhead. So I went back to the glass ceramic and a circulation pump The diffuser works brilliantly but it dictates the inflow from your filter which I didn't like.

It would work quite well on the Juwel internals. You would jsut get a little piece of hose to link it to the outlet spout.

Each method works better for on eperson than another. I personally don't get on with the intake method because I have my Lily pipe breaking the surface and therefore I would be introducing the CO2 at the very point of disruption A lot of people do use this method. More than you would think. Many use no diffuser and put the CO2 straight into the filter!!!!

Anything inline will reduce flow.

AC

 

[mibson]

Thanks for the tips,

This makes me think that a glass diffuser, placed underneath a powerhead or my filter output to blow the small bubbles around the tank, would work very well...

Do you agree?

 

[SuperColey1]

Thanks for the tips,

This makes me think that a glass diffuser, placed underneath a powerhead or my filter output to blow the small bubbles around the tank, would work very well...

Do you agree?

Disc diffusers are very adaptable. There are many ways to try and get the optimum distribution:

-Put it under the intake and let the filter mash it up
Pros - great diffusion.
Cons - will be distributed close the the surface. Mist is 'supposedly' better than total solution into the water

-Put it under a powerhead and let that push the bubbles out and around
Pros - good diffusion. Able to move the powerhead lower than the filter outlets.
Cons - Pushes the bubbles at high velocity and therefore the friction means they can go upward like a very light football.

-Put it the opposite side to the powerhead
Pros - great diffusion. bubbles are blown all over the place much softer
Cons - I can't see any at the mo

Saying that I have a Koralia which is huge lph and a wide flow. Her is a pic:

The Koralia is in the left rear corner pointing straight across in a straight line to the right rear corner. It is not pointed at any angle It points straight ahead. The diffuser is then one third from the bottom which means that plants can grow under it. The bubbles will rise for 2-3 inches before hitting the flow and going in all directions. The flow carries the main lot around the side and to the front. The rest of the bubbles are going all over the place elsewhere. The filter outlet is in the front right pushing along the front to the left. My flow therefore is a complete circle going from Koralia to the right, to the front where the filter outlet gives it a little extra and then along the front to the left and then back to the Koralia.

AC