# White Fungus on CO2 diffuser



## sketch804 (May 27, 2007)

Ugh.. So I was just wondering if anyone else has had a problem with some sort of white fungus or sumthing that looks like fungus growing on the ceramic part of the CO2 diffuser??? because i just noticed that it keeps building up and preventing my diffuser from creating the small bubbles it is suppose to. It will just give me regular size bubbles like out of an air stone with in a week or less of cleaning it. I run DIY CO2 and my water is prolly PH: 7 to 7.4. i also do a weekly water change taking 30-40% of the water out when i do my change. Im just dumbfounded because i have no clue what it is or where to start my research. thanks so much! :/


----------



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Bacteria that likes the conditions right where the CO2 comes out (pH probably). Be grateful that is not the black kind which will force you to bleach your diffuser, neutralize it with dechlorinator and generally speaking work too much.

Just clean the diffuser every few days with a brush. Remember that quite a bit of what you see on pictures/videos of ADA tanks is exactly that - a result of old school methodical hand scrubbing of glass, decorations, etc. Don't expect everything to be pristinely clean with our vast misunderstanding how to properly run a planted tank.

--Nikolay


----------



## brokefoot (Aug 23, 2011)

I had that as well as the problem of the airstone just getting clogged within a couple of weeks with DIY CO2. I ended up just creating bell-type diffuser that fits in my hang-on-the-back filter. People will say that bell diffusers are inefficient, but it's all about surface area and the surface's connection with new water. It seems to me that a small bell in the constantly flowing water of the filter is not too bad for DIY. Plus there is 0% chance of clogging or any other maintenance issues.

I plan on taking pictures and posting it in the DIY forum soon.


----------



## chrisinmontreal (Sep 16, 2011)

I had the same when running diy co2. I read it was something to do with the bacteria in the yeast solution and to add a bubble counter. I did this and never saw it again.


----------



## Silvering (Jun 10, 2011)

That white stuff is nasty, whatever it is. I get it too.  

I like the bell diffuser in an HOB idea, too bad I don't have an HOB on my planted tank anymore. Guess I'll just be cleaning with elbow grease instead!


----------

