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Can I Connect My Dive Clean Filters to My DIY CO2 Source?

848 views 8 replies 3 participants last post by  bsmith 
#1 ·
Hey, y'all. I am sure many of you know of connecting one of these Hagen filters to your DIY CO2 kits in order to disperse the CO2 into the tank more effectively. That sounds like a great idea.

However, I just received my Tom's Dive Filters for 10 gallon tanks. I bought them per another member's recommendation. I was not sure how they looked but so far I am really liking how they work. They are super silent and creating a nice flow and movement within the tank. The plants are swaying softly. I know they like some movement.

So the filters have a sub-exhaust outlet that you can have float up in the air and it pulls outside air into the water to aerate it. Of course, this would defeat the goal of supplementing with CO2. But I was wondering if I could connect it to a CO2 source like one of those Hagen filters. I would have to create a "T" line from the exhaust connection under the waterline in order to allow water to flow from inside the tank and not "siphon" my DIY CO2 canisters. So one end of the "T" line I create connects from CO2 canister to the "T" line, and from there one of the tubes will simply be underwater drawing water in from the tank. The other connection will connect to the filter and push the CO2 out. Or at least that is what I am thinking will happen. If I were to use 2 liter plastic bottles, wouldn't the CO2 produced inside the 2 liter bottle work well? It is not a very strong pull. At this point I can put my finger over the exhaust to stop the aeration and it is not a strong siphon or suctioning effect.

But I thought a better approach would be to create some sort of exhaust under the waterline in order to take the pressure off of the 2 liter bottles. This way the CO2 will be allowed to flow at its own pace while the water from the filter pushes it out.

What do you all think of this? If this would work this would save me a little money on buying additional Hagen filters.

Here is an image so that you all can see what it looks like:


Thanks for reading, comments appreciated. :icon_cool
Adrien
 
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#2 ·
If I understand correctly, you want to replace the air venturi with the co2 tubing? That would be ok but the co2 will just get pushed around. What you should do is insert the co2 tubing before the impeller so it will get chopped up and diffused with the water. Putting the co2 tubing after the impeller, it's just going to push the co2, but not diffuse it as much.

I'm not sure if that made sense... But yeah.

Air venturi being the tube that goes above the water line, that's what Hagen calls it.
 
#4 ·
Okay so after I read up a bit on having the CO2 go directly into the impeller I was reading that this can wear out the impeller faster and that it can also cause the impeller to rattle a bit and cause some noise. Is this true? I want silence in my home. I cannot stand rattling noises.

Well, even if I just push the CO2 around in the tank might that be a little better than just having a small bead of CO2 bubbles vertically going to the surface and popping? I am wondering if I direct the the stream downward and the bubbles are forced to travel downward that perhaps they will disperse a bit more into the water? If anyone can share some insight that would be great.

Otherwise what are the better air stones (lime?) and what are the better checkvalves for my CO2 tubing?

Thanks,
Adrien
 
#5 ·
If you put the co2 into the pump it will make some noise but you will get tiny little bubbles that have a harder time getting to the surface and get blown all over the tank. You will have much better results wit this then just letting it bubble into the tank (almost no affect at all). Its kin of a small price to pay for the extra growth and algae suppression co2 will give the tank.
 
#6 ·
Hym...so do I just position the CO2 tubing so that the CO2 goes into the body of the floss through the vents on the body of the filter which will eventually lead to traveling to the impeller?

Other thing is I have five of these tanks in my home so I will have five of these filters running.

Are there any diagrams or DIY CO2 for impellers? I am trying to Google search for some and am not finding them. I see a few for canister filters.
 
#7 ·
Dont worry about the impeller, it may wear out a little sooner but thats no big deal. I have been injecting co2 into my Rena XP1 for years and have had no issues yet with the impeller.

If you can get the co2 tubing into the inlet of the power filter I think that would give you the best results as long as there is no co2 escaping and getting to the surface.
 
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