DIY Inline CO2 Diffuser

qngwn · 12-05-2011, 03:51 AM

Hi all,

Just building on the idea og an inline CO2 diffuser, not reactor.
http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/co...-diffuser.html

I kind of DIY-ed something like that.. but of course not in the tank.
Perhaps you guys would like to take a look at the pictures. i rather not type thousands of words..

Basically i used:
acrylic tube of 2 inches - $0.50
air stone - $0.30
check valve - $1.50
leftover plastic tubing for CO2 of 10cm - Y618 sells $0.20 for 1m.
glue gun - silicon will do as well, as long as water does not come out

Total cost -estimated $2.50

although i know that using a CO2 atomizer will be much better, but would not know if this thing would work out.. so decided to spend 30cents instead of $3.

I placed this DIY part on the inline to my canister filter, similiar to that of the actual one in the link shown above, just that mine is external, and costs less than 1/10 of the other's price.

Turned on my solenoid, and watch the CO2 bubbles coming out from the airstone, going against the flow of the water, and getting sucked into the canister.

Assuming that the bubbles have to go through all the many layers of filter and rings in the canister, get stirred by the impeller and out together with the flow of the water into my rainbar, i must say that 95% of the CO2 were dissolved. of course with the occasional fine bubbles of CO2 coming out from my rainbars.

I suggest those who are interested to try this out, to use this only if your set up needs low bubble per sec counts as i doubt that alot of co2 would be dissolved by the time the water goes back into the tank.

of course, please comment and advise! my first DIY here though..
(maybe i'll pull the airstone out and change to an atomizer.. but lazy to unplug everything)

Pictures shown below.

drilled a hole, just big enough to squeeze the plastic tubing through.

Very fine bubbles going into the canister.. iphone camera cant capture!

fireblade · 13-05-2011, 12:48 PM

nice job for the DIY..
but I very worry if the clip give way or the hose decided to loose grip, then there will be lots of cleaning to do..

FYI the boyu brand is cheaper, got it at $6 although ur DIY is still cheaper..

nice job ..
even for the Boyu reactor, I am also very worried if one day things decided to fail... and I will have a flooded room...

ymmij · 13-05-2011, 12:56 PM

please correct me if i am wrong....

you mentioned that you connected the diffuser to the inline of the canister filter. i would not advise that.

i was informed that co2 might corrode the impeller of the filter. i rather you place the diffuser at the outline of the filter.

19-05-2011, 12:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireblade

nice job for the DIY..
but I very worry if the clip give way or the hose decided to loose grip, then there will be lots of cleaning to do..

FYI the boyu brand is cheaper, got it at $6 although ur DIY is still cheaper..

nice job ..
even for the Boyu reactor, I am also very worried if one day things decided to fail... and I will have a flooded room...

was wondering if drilled onto the hose/piping, will it be better? then use sealant to seal up any opening.

just my little humble thought.

19-05-2011, 11:59 AM

Just one consideration, your piping might grow those white flaky form of algae in it...

limz_666 · 19-05-2011, 02:04 PM

think it suppose to be install at outlet

EvolutionZ · 19-05-2011, 02:20 PM

yes, the bubbles will get trapped and your canister will have problem later on if the co2 is going into your canister..

19-05-2011, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ymmij

please correct me if i am wrong....

you mentioned that you connected the diffuser to the inline of the canister filter. i would not advise that.

i was informed that co2 might corrode the impeller of the filter. i rather you place the diffuser at the outline of the filter.

1st time I've read about the corrosion issue,anyone else here came across similar information?

27-05-2011, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fireblade

nice job for the DIY..
but I very worry if the clip give way or the hose decided to loose grip, then there will be lots of cleaning to do..

FYI the boyu brand is cheaper, got it at $6 although ur DIY is still cheaper..

nice job ..
even for the Boyu reactor, I am also very worried if one day things decided to fail... and I will have a flooded room...

well, thats is why i got a clip to clip on!
the hose is as big as the acrylic tube, and i had to heat it to make it soft andfit the tubing it..

better to be safe than sorry!

27-05-2011, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BettaCloud

was wondering if drilled onto the hose/piping, will it be better? then use sealant to seal up any opening.

just my little humble thought.

well, it's possible as well.. but it will be difficult to fit an air stone inside, especially if the hose is longg.

12-05-2011, 03:51 AM	#1
qngwn Arofanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 70	DIY Inline CO2 Diffuser Hi all, Just building on the idea og an inline CO2 diffuser, not reactor. http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/co...-diffuser.html I kind of DIY-ed something like that.. but of course not in the tank. Perhaps you guys would like to take a look at the pictures. i rather not type thousands of words.. Basically i used: acrylic tube of 2 inches - $0.50 air stone - $0.30 check valve - $1.50 leftover plastic tubing for CO2 of 10cm - Y618 sells $0.20 for 1m. glue gun - silicon will do as well, as long as water does not come out Total cost -estimated $2.50 although i know that using a CO2 atomizer will be much better, but would not know if this thing would work out.. so decided to spend 30cents instead of $3. I placed this DIY part on the inline to my canister filter, similiar to that of the actual one in the link shown above, just that mine is external, and costs less than 1/10 of the other's price. Turned on my solenoid, and watch the CO2 bubbles coming out from the airstone, going against the flow of the water, and getting sucked into the canister. Assuming that the bubbles have to go through all the many layers of filter and rings in the canister, get stirred by the impeller and out together with the flow of the water into my rainbar, i must say that 95% of the CO2 were dissolved. of course with the occasional fine bubbles of CO2 coming out from my rainbars. I suggest those who are interested to try this out, to use this only if your set up needs low bubble per sec counts as i doubt that alot of co2 would be dissolved by the time the water goes back into the tank. of course, please comment and advise! my first DIY here though.. (maybe i'll pull the airstone out and change to an atomizer.. but lazy to unplug everything) Pictures shown below. drilled a hole, just big enough to squeeze the plastic tubing through. Very fine bubbles going into the canister.. iphone camera cant capture!

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13-05-2011, 12:48 PM	#2
fireblade Endangered Dragon Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 5,414	nice job for the DIY.. but I very worry if the clip give way or the hose decided to loose grip, then there will be lots of cleaning to do.. FYI the boyu brand is cheaper, got it at $6 although ur DIY is still cheaper.. nice job .. even for the Boyu reactor, I am also very worried if one day things decided to fail... and I will have a flooded room...

13-05-2011, 12:56 PM	#3
ymmij Senior Dragon Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,332	please correct me if i am wrong.... you mentioned that you connected the diffuser to the inline of the canister filter. i would not advise that. i was informed that co2 might corrode the impeller of the filter. i rather you place the diffuser at the outline of the filter.

19-05-2011, 11:59 AM	#5
natsuboku Guest Posts: n/a	Just one consideration, your piping might grow those white flaky form of algae in it...

19-05-2011, 02:04 PM	#6
limz_666 Arofanatic Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 377	think it suppose to be install at outlet

19-05-2011, 02:20 PM	#7
EvolutionZ Endangered Dragon Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 8,566	yes, the bubbles will get trapped and your canister will have problem later on if the co2 is going into your canister..

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