# What should I use as a CO2 diffuser?



## davercomeau (Apr 13, 2008)

I just got a regulator from Sumo and a 10lb CO2 tank. What should I use as a diffuser?


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## 180gz71 (Apr 13, 2007)

Check the DIY Forum and search for co2



davercomeau said:


> I just got a regulator from Sumo and a 10lb CO2 tank. What should I use as a diffuser?


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## oregon aqua (Jan 30, 2008)

this is my favorite style diffuser. it works good. hidden from tank and its cheap.

http://cgi.ebay.com/CO2-Carbon-Diox...ryZ20754QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


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## lee1 (Mar 22, 2008)

a glass diffuser on ebay, how big is your tank?


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## oregon aqua (Jan 30, 2008)

my co2 tank? its a 68ci paintball tank. my main tank is 55gal.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

A DIY External reactor, per the sticky in the DIY forum, is a great and cheap way to get CO2 into the water, if you use a canister filter.


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## bear24 (Apr 16, 2008)

Thanks for the topic now I can skip asking the question myself.


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## overboard (Mar 11, 2008)

I recently switched two tanks from powered reactors to non-powered, and both showed increased CO2 levels. One 20 gallon went from a Plantguild power reactor to a glass diffuser from Aquatic Magic, and without touching the needle valve it went from 6 PPM to 20 PPM in the early evenings. Another I switched from a homemade reactor with the same design to the Nutrafin bubble-ladder thing, and it jumped from 6 to 14 ppm. Plus it was one less power cord, less cubic inches given up, and they each look good and don't need to be hidden.


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## MacsRock (Jan 9, 2008)

I agree an external reactor works the best and is hidden under the tank. I built one of these: http://www.rexgrigg.com/diy-reactor.htm and couldn't be happier with it. I was using a glass diffusor previously and this reactor is much more efficient and dissolving the CO2 into the water.


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## thefishmanlives (Feb 15, 2008)

This sounds like an assumption. Did you test it do see if it really does dissolve the co2 better? I have way better experiences with a glass diffusor under a spray bar then I did with an external, plus it doesnt hurt your filter flow at all if your runningo ther inline equipment.


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

I think the glass diffuser is a good thing to go with. They look nice and do a good job of dissolving co2. If you can afford it, get an ada diffuser.


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## isu712 (Feb 8, 2008)

Check out the thread labeled "Tiny super effecient CO2 reactor." I just set it up yesterday and it's doing better than my glass diffuser.


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## MacsRock (Jan 9, 2008)

thefishmanlives said:


> This sounds like an assumption. Did you test it do see if it really does dissolve the co2 better? I have way better experiences with a glass diffusor under a spray bar then I did with an external, plus it doesnt hurt your filter flow at all if your runningo ther inline equipment.


I had to reduce my bubble rate after installing the inline reactor to maintain the ph level I need. To me, that alone is proof enough for me.


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## thefishmanlives (Feb 15, 2008)

Sounds like the external works better for you. I am trying to find a definitive answer on this subject, but some like one others like the other. I think the ada ones are way too overpriced though. My $8 aquatic magic one works great


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## Afyounie (Aug 10, 2007)

I have an ada diffuser on one tank and an aquaticmagic diffuser on my 10 gal I'm setting up. I haven't seen the aqmagic one in action, but the ada creates a beautiful fine mist. All my plants pearl almost all day long. The ada diffuser is extremely expensive though.


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