Use mineral oil. Can be bought at any pharmacy for about 5 bucks a bottle that will probably last you forever.

 

this is what i use as well and it works great

you're not going to blast mineral oil through the hose into your tank by putting it in your bubble counter lol... maybe extremely trace amounts but I use a reactor so that doesn't matter anyways.

 

I've heard of people using mineral oil before. I just fill mine with r/o water and seldom refill them. Either mine don't evaporate very much or I just don't notice it. Then again, they could be bone dry and I wouldn't know it. haha Once I get the needle valve dialed in and watch it for a few weeks to make sure it doesn't drift, I don't bother looking at the counter anymore. As long as the drop checker stays green, I know it's close enough.

 

Hello All,



I have a glass bubble counter on my planted tank's CO2 output but over time the water evaporates and it has to be refilled. Has anyone used baby oil instead of water so it doesn't evaporate? Any other options?



Thanks :grin2:

I don't use anything other than water. Mainly because I don't want to accidentally ruin my $40 diffuser by forcing $.02 worth of oil through it.

 

Eventually, that oil will make it into your system. Plus, gas traverses differently in oil than in water. As a hydrocarbon, the oil will also change the gas that flows through it. Sounds stupid, honesty.

You guys understand Chemistry? Big C.

 

Plus, gas traverses differently in oil than in water. As a hydrocarbon, the oil will also change the gas that flows through it. Sounds stupid, honesty.

CO2 will travel more slowly through the oil, but this doesn't really impact anything (the original question was regarding how to slow down/prevent evaporation of bubble counter fluid).

Also, oil will not change gas(es) that flow through it.

 

How about condescending? Big C.

 

I've found that by breaking the seal in the bubble counter itself I can back-suck water from the tank enough to fill it. Once it evaporates I do it again. Works with both an atomizer and an inline reactor.

Sent from my SM-G730V using Tapatalk

 

Neat idea. I feel like my diffuser creates back pressure and fills my counter anyways. I checked yesterday and the water level looks like it did when I filled it with water back in November.

 

Wouldn't a check valve (which you should be using) prevent any back-flow from making it to your bubble counter?

 

Check valve is built in the BC and is used to keep the water from the BC from entering the tube to the needle valve.

 

Check valve keeps water from entering the pressurized tank. The BC is before that between the line to the aquarium and the valve

Sent from my SM-G730V using Tapatalk

 

I’ve used both mineral and baby oil in my bubble counters. No issues....except once, the bubble counter turned horizontal while I was changing Co2 tanks. I didn’t realize this until he next day. The water was hazy and had a sweet smell. I did two water changes and all was well. Mineral oil seems like a better solution since it doesn’t have the “extra” ingredients baby oils includes (plus cheaper.)

 

Some scent is added to baby oil so it can mess with your water. Mineral oil has none of that which is it's the way to go. If you spill mineral oil in the tank nothing really happens.

 

Careful using oil if you have a brass jbj style bubble counter. Oil can screw those up, it happened to one of mine.

Not sure exactly why or how it does it. There's a couple threads about it you can find with the search function here, or google probably.

 

Hello All,

I have a glass bubble counter on my planted tank's CO2 output but over time the water evaporates and it has to be refilled. Has anyone used baby oil instead of water so it doesn't evaporate? Any other options?

Thanks :grin2:

I use Glycerine from Riteaid.

 

MCT C8 oil works too

 

I got some glycerine from CVS and it's been working for about a year no evaporation and the thicker liquid makes it easier to count bubbles. Light green CO2 meter, lots of plant growth, and consistent performance. Best part no having to refill the counter every month because of evaporation.

It's funny how much unnecessary snark exists on these forums from people who must be frustrated in other parts of their lives, LOL Enjoy your MCT oil

Bump:

I use Glycerine from Riteaid.

Thanks, I bought some from CVS and it did the job. One year no issues and less maintenance. Woo

 

I also use glycerine. Bought a small bottle years ago, and have barely used any (available at any drug store). Was recommended to me years ago. The amount stays constant (i.e. haven't had to add more glycerine to any of three bubble counters in use for months, maybe years). Isn't it fairly inert?