My DIY CO2 Diffuser/reactor

1676 Views 7 Replies 3 Participants Last post by mistergreen, Sep 8, 2007

essabee

Discussion Starter · Sep 6, 2007 (Edited)

I always wanted the best utilization of CO2 in the aquarium. Using the venturi of a power-head was an easy but wasteful process. So what I had done is used a 1/2" elbow and a 1.5L pet bottle to trap the bubbles. When I used a 1/2" elbow the power head would not suck CO2 from the DIY system unless a pressure had built up. That meant that some CO2 would remain unutilized. Today I used a 1" elbow, and although my DIY is depleted today, this gadget is still drawing CO2.

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mistergreen

· #2 · Sep 6, 2007

cool, I think I'm going to make one too. I have an old vacuum siphon tube I can use... And I guess the elbow joint doesn't have to fit exactly on the powerhead.. or does it?
I'll go browsing the hardware store to see what I can find.

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essabee

Discussion Starter · #3 · Sep 7, 2007 (Edited)

mistergreen said:
cool, I think I'm going to make one too. I have an old vacuum siphon tube I can use... And I guess the elbow joint doesn't have to fit exactly on the powerhead.. or does it?
I'll go browsing the hardware store to see what I can find.

I used a bit of tape around the powerhead output and a 1/2" reducer for a snug fit.

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mistergreen

· #4 · Sep 7, 2007

tape? i that going to last? I might try silicone.

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essabee

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 7, 2007

mistergreen said:
tape? i that going to last? I might try silicone.

Try epoxy putty, I went with tape for trying it out.

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mistergreen

· #6 · Sep 8, 2007

I just made one and I didn't have to use glue or tape at all. Everything fits tightly and snuggly. The hardware store is a great place.

Do you know if a reactor is more effective if the output/reactor part is above the substrate or is actually in the substrate.

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tropicalfish

· #7 · Sep 8, 2007

Perhaps you could try running the CO2 into the powerhead intake. Suction on the CO2 tube would be slightly weaker, but the bubbles get chopped much smaller.

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mistergreen

· #8 · Sep 8, 2007

tropicalfish said:
Perhaps you could try running the CO2 into the powerhead intake. Suction on the CO2 tube would be slightly weaker, but the bubbles get chopped much smaller.

I do that and the reactor.. I want to see how high I can take with this CO2 reator.

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