DIY CO2 -- Air Stone Question

peterinwa · 01-22-2003, 05:25 PM

I was advised that a 2" diffuser would put more CO2 into my tank than an air stone because it had smaller bubbles. But the one I bought only sent out one string of bubbles where the rubber flange at the hose end met the stone. Nothing from the stone itself.

I got another and it did the same thing so I called the manufacturer and they said that diffusers need more pressure to work. I verified this by simply blowing into the hose which makes it work well with hundreds of bubbles coming from the stone. I guess my CO2 generator simply generates so little CO2 that it can all escape from the first hole it finds.

(I remain mystified why the diffuser works for another who posts -- should he be reading this.)

Next I got a simple air stone only to find the same thing happened. I just get bubbles coming out of a couple of holes.

Anyway, it seems to be generating enough CO2 for my little 10 gallon, so I guess it's not a problem. But I would like to ask:

Is anyone using a DIY CO2 generator able to run an air stone such that it has bubbles coming out of MANY holes like when I blow air through it? Maybe I was expecting too much.

BTW, I have also tried just running the CO2 into an upside down plastic cup. It works just great, filling up with CO2 and every once in a while a big bubble of it spilling out. But the air stone -- as poorly as it's working -- is putting much more CO2 into the water. I'm assuming this because my pH has changed from 7.6 to 6.8. I'm getting my KH test kit later this week.

Also, I've actually still got the upside down cup catching the bubbles at the top of the tank, but plan to remove this to see how much it affects things. I'm also going to try placing the air stone just below the intake of my Penguin Mini filter.

Hmm... I've rambled so much please remember my question...

GulfCoastAquarian · 01-22-2003, 06:46 PM

Well they are right - the airstone needs more pressure to actually send air through all of its pores. But it does help, I have found. Even if it is just from one small stream.
Put the airstone underneath your penguin and you'll see an even bigger difference!

Jim Miller · 01-22-2003, 11:05 PM

I used the Rena 2" diffuser fine with DIY but you really need to make sure you have no leaks from the bottle to the stone. I never had a problem with it but just running the output of the DIY bottle into the input of my System 3 filter worked nearly as well and the burps told me how many bubbles per minute I was getting. When the burps become too infrequent it's time to change the mix.

I thought at first the Rena was leaking around the top until I figured out that in my case it was collecting part of the finer bubble stream into larger bubbles which would then rise. That's why I recommend trimming the top flange flush rather than having it overhang.

I should add that there was seldom more than one pore emitting CO2 but the bubbles were extremely fine and most had shrunken to nothing by the time they reached the surface only 8" above. That gives me an idea! I could easily shorten the Rena to less than 0.5" with a dremel and reinsert the bottom plug since most of it is unused. I'll try it and report back since now that I've gotten the tank better balanced I'd actually like to get my CO2 from 20ppm closer to 30ppm and that might help.

I found the mist of bubbles produced with my DIY setup (64oz bottle, traditional mix) to be just fine. It's just in a 3 gallon aquarium I wanted as little additional stuff in there as possible. Now I just have a nearly invisible translucent green tube leading to a hose barb elbow which snaps into the inlet of the filter...simple and easily hidden behind the wisteria and annubias.

good luck

jtm

cousin it · 01-23-2003, 09:49 AM

I have been using sintered glass (long life ) air stones for a year or so now and they seem to give a good dispersal of co2 into the tank,
I passed one to a friend to use on his diy set up and it works very well there is quite a lot of bubbles coming out even when he has it near the bottom of the tank.
I originally thought about using these due to a lot of sintered glass diffusers being available on the market and at about £1 for 3 these seemed like a good cheap alternative.
on my 60l low light tank I am currently using one instead of the bubble counter/reactor which comes with the hagen system as I do not want any equipment visible in the tank and that is working superbly with my anubias pearling quite nicely.
they also do not take a lot of pressure to allow the gas to pass through them which is a big bonus over the more traditional type.

01-22-2003, 06:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
GulfCoastAquarian ///M (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5) Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Winston-Salem, NC Posts: 3,555	Well they are right - the airstone needs more pressure to actually send air through all of its pores. But it does help, I have found. Even if it is just from one small stream. Put the airstone underneath your penguin and you'll see an even bigger difference! __________________ - Sam P - plantedtanker in limbo - all tanks currently in storage

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01-22-2003, 05:25 PM	#1 (permalink)
peterinwa Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 67	I was advised that a 2" diffuser would put more CO2 into my tank than an air stone because it had smaller bubbles. But the one I bought only sent out one string of bubbles where the rubber flange at the hose end met the stone. Nothing from the stone itself. I got another and it did the same thing so I called the manufacturer and they said that diffusers need more pressure to work. I verified this by simply blowing into the hose which makes it work well with hundreds of bubbles coming from the stone. I guess my CO2 generator simply generates so little CO2 that it can all escape from the first hole it finds. (I remain mystified why the diffuser works for another who posts -- should he be reading this.) Next I got a simple air stone only to find the same thing happened. I just get bubbles coming out of a couple of holes. Anyway, it seems to be generating enough CO2 for my little 10 gallon, so I guess it's not a problem. But I would like to ask: Is anyone using a DIY CO2 generator able to run an air stone such that it has bubbles coming out of MANY holes like when I blow air through it? Maybe I was expecting too much. BTW, I have also tried just running the CO2 into an upside down plastic cup. It works just great, filling up with CO2 and every once in a while a big bubble of it spilling out. But the air stone -- as poorly as it's working -- is putting much more CO2 into the water. I'm assuming this because my pH has changed from 7.6 to 6.8. I'm getting my KH test kit later this week. Also, I've actually still got the upside down cup catching the bubbles at the top of the tank, but plan to remove this to see how much it affects things. I'm also going to try placing the air stone just below the intake of my Penguin Mini filter. Hmm... I've rambled so much please remember my question...

01-22-2003, 11:05 PM	#3 (permalink)
Jim Miller Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 37	I used the Rena 2" diffuser fine with DIY but you really need to make sure you have no leaks from the bottle to the stone. I never had a problem with it but just running the output of the DIY bottle into the input of my System 3 filter worked nearly as well and the burps told me how many bubbles per minute I was getting. When the burps become too infrequent it's time to change the mix. I thought at first the Rena was leaking around the top until I figured out that in my case it was collecting part of the finer bubble stream into larger bubbles which would then rise. That's why I recommend trimming the top flange flush rather than having it overhang. I should add that there was seldom more than one pore emitting CO2 but the bubbles were extremely fine and most had shrunken to nothing by the time they reached the surface only 8" above. That gives me an idea! I could easily shorten the Rena to less than 0.5" with a dremel and reinsert the bottom plug since most of it is unused. I'll try it and report back since now that I've gotten the tank better balanced I'd actually like to get my CO2 from 20ppm closer to 30ppm and that might help. I found the mist of bubbles produced with my DIY setup (64oz bottle, traditional mix) to be just fine. It's just in a 3 gallon aquarium I wanted as little additional stuff in there as possible. Now I just have a nearly invisible translucent green tube leading to a hose barb elbow which snaps into the inlet of the filter...simple and easily hidden behind the wisteria and annubias. good luck jtm

01-23-2003, 09:49 AM	#4 (permalink)
cousin it Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Devon, UK Posts: 221	I have been using sintered glass (long life ) air stones for a year or so now and they seem to give a good dispersal of co2 into the tank, I passed one to a friend to use on his diy set up and it works very well there is quite a lot of bubbles coming out even when he has it near the bottom of the tank. I originally thought about using these due to a lot of sintered glass diffusers being available on the market and at about £1 for 3 these seemed like a good cheap alternative. on my 60l low light tank I am currently using one instead of the bubble counter/reactor which comes with the hagen system as I do not want any equipment visible in the tank and that is working superbly with my anubias pearling quite nicely. they also do not take a lot of pressure to allow the gas to pass through them which is a big bonus over the more traditional type.

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