Question Regarding Diffuser

[Crazybob]

Hello all,

I've recently set up a pressurized Co2 system in my planted 10g tank and have had it running throughout most of the daylight time today (been on for approximately 5 hours now). I have a bubble rate around 3 bps at 25psi working pressure. I read that it can sometimes take a few hours for the system to push all of the water out from the diffuser before any bubbles appear so I let it go. Looking at it now there seems to be a layer of gas followed by some water, then the gas from the line, however there are no bubbles coming out of the ceramic plate. If I turn up the rate to a near stream of air it will bubble out, but it seems everyone uses 1-3 bubbles per second rates. I just got my drop checker up and running so its too early yet to get an accurate reading on that.

Have I set something up incorrectly? On all the videos I've watched on the youtubes there is always a nice stream of bubbles coming out of the system and I'm not sure why mine is not.

Thank you for your help,
Crazybob

 

[Aquamaniac]

5 hours.something not right there. Even with some water in the line wich is also not that normal. I only get some water in it from the idiot bubble counter, my system starts pumping co2 steadily to the tank seconds after it starts.

 

[ian]

sounds like a leak somewhere to me.

 

[paulc]

Are you running an atomizer? If so these need more pressure to work. If its a normal glass diffuser then 25 psi is fine. I have water in my diffuser and the co2 just pushes past making bubbles within seconds of it starting.

If its not an atomizer then I second Ian's answer. Check your joints using washingup liquid in some water.

 

[Crazybob]

Thanks for the help guys. I think my check valve may have been an issue. But to be safe yesterday I sakes my diffuser (its a micro diffuser) in a bleach solution and connected my bubble ladder. It still was not working until I removed the check valve. My guess it that It's just cheap and take too much pressure to keep open? Anyway I'm going to let the diffuser soak in water for a bit and hook it back up.

 

[paulc]

Thanks for the help guys. I think my check valve may have been an issue. But to be safe yesterday I sakes my diffuser (its a micro diffuser) in a bleach solution and connected my bubble ladder. It still was not working until I removed the check valve. My guess it that It's just cheap and take too much pressure to keep open? Anyway I'm going to let the diffuser soak in water for a bit and hook it back up.

I would have thought 25psi would be enough for a check valve. Maybe it's faulty?