# Ceramic diffuser makes large bubbles



## Aleks14

I turned my CO2 on for the first time today, and I carefully adjusted it so that I have one bubble per second through the counter. But my diffuser (standard ceramic disk) is making large bubbles that shoot up to the surface, rather than making a finer mist that diffuses through the tank. I made sure it is level, but other than that I'm not sure what else to try. Is there something else I am missing?

Here's a video of what's going on. Thanks!


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## rjordan393

From what I see and from others who use diffusers, everyone is wasting their CO2. Co2 is supposed to be dissolved completly and you should not see it as it enters the aquarium. Whether you get bubbles or a fine mist, most of it will go to the surface and burst to the atmospere.
The answer is to build your own CO2 reactor or purchase one. There are plans on the net for building your own. You will also need a 1/8 inch national pipe thread tap to accomodate a jaco fitting or a fitting supplied by us.plastics.com
I have a pH meter that tells me the pH of the water, so that I do not overdose CO2.


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## herns

Aleks14 said:


> I turned my CO2 on for the first time today, and I carefully adjusted it so that I have one bubble per second through the counter. But my diffuser (standard ceramic disk) is making large bubbles that shoot up to the surface, rather than making a finer mist that diffuses through the tank. I made sure it is level, but other than that I'm not sure what else to try. Is there something else I am missing?
> 
> Here's a video of what's going on. Thanks!


Something not right. You need to get a better ceramic disc diffuser. Nanos are cheap on e bay.


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## neilshieh

you have the equivalent of like an airstone, just go onto ebay and buy a glass ceramic diffuser. 

@rjordan, you should be able to see your mist because each bubble has a certain amount of surface area and it allows co2 to diffuse into the water. when done correctly, most of the co2 in the mist should diffuse into the water before reaching the surface. of course there will always be undissolved co2 but i'd say getting 100% dissolution of co2 is near impossible with this kind of stuff.


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## JeffyFunk

I, too, once had one of the CO2 ceramic diffusers that I bought from GLA. Crap. Mine worked pretty similar to yours - that is, it didn't work. Even after soaking the disk in peroxide and/or excel, i was never able to get nice tiny CO2 bubbles from it. I've found that the quality of the CO2 bubbles is very much dependent upon the ceramic disk. In other words, you get what you pay for. The nicest CO2 diffusers are definitely the ADA brand ones (not the Do!Aqua brand ones, I might point out). I've also tried cheap Chinese ceramic diffusers and they aren't do great either. Although I've only had one so far, I've had good luck with the Aquatek brand CO2 diffuser (though I find it very ugly). Sorry for the bad purchase and good luck getting something else.


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## rjordan393

I use a homemade reactor from plans off the net. The only time I see bubbles coming out of my spray bar is when I forget to shut down the power to the clippard solenoid, when servicing the filters and performing water changes. There is no visible fine mist either. I believe I am getting 100% dissolution of CO2. My CO2 checker and pH controller confirm this.
I also believe that the way the CO2 is applied to the reactor and the volume of water going through the reactor is the key to 100% dissolution. The CO2 is injected about two inches below the top of the reactor and the water enters at the top. Now this creates opposing forces. The CO2 will rise to the top of the reactor as the water flow tries to force it down and out at the bottom. If the water flow is correct, then no CO2 bubbles will be forced out of the reactor. Too much flow and bubbles will appear. Same goes for the CO2 bubbles. If the bubble count is too high or the pressure is set too high on the regulator, then this can cause bubbles to appear.
I have my pressure set at 7 lbs. rather then the recommended 10 lbs. I think this also plays a role.


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