# Is my DIY C02 Diffuser Functioning Properly?



## mfpreach (Feb 9, 2006)

Hello all,
Thanks for looking at my post. I'm fairly new to the aquarium world, and I am loving every minute of it!

Anyways, I built my own C02 injector and just have one question.
The reactor is working fine and so is the mixture. Currently I am just using tubing with a piece of chopstick wedged in the end (no ladder or commercial diffuser). The result are very tiny bubbles.

My question is, are those bubbles being absorbed into the water? They go to the surface and then are thrown against the glass, and sometimes just dissapear at the top. They get thrown towards the glass because I have placed the tubing under neath the AquaClear 300 filter (a considerable current).

I can see molecules in the water, and the water is a little bit more hazy than usual because of these molecules.

SO, is the c02 diffusing inside the water?
I have only had it running for about 2 hours and the ph has stayed pretty much the same, I don't have a kh kit here so I can't test that out.

Also, how many bubbles should I have going out, it spurts out pairs of tiny bubbles. Hope i'm coherant enough.

As and aside, i went to purchase the Ebo Jager bubble counter diffuser from drfostersmith.com and learned shipping to canada is $40 fed ex! That for a 1.19$ piece. If someone wants to buy one in the states and ship it to me that would be awesome.

see: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produ...ll&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Np=1&N=2004&Nty=1

Thanks.


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## MatPat (Mar 22, 2004)

mfpreach said:


> SO, is the c02 diffusing inside the water?
> I have only had it running for about 2 hours and the ph has stayed pretty much the same, I don't have a kh kit here so I can't test that out.


You say your CO2 isn't dropping much but how much is much, 0.2, 0.4? Also, how old is your mixture? If your pH isn't dropping I would think either your reactor isn't as effective as it should be or your mixture isn't putting out enough CO2 yet


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## Bill Weber (Jul 17, 2005)

It sounds like your set up is correct. I found that injecting co2 into the water is confusing expecially since you are new. There are so many different methods so choosing the best for you is trial and error. I have used the chopstick method and found it adaquite at best. I found another product at the LFS called discard a stone diffusair from Lee's aquatium and pet products. I found that more co2 got into the water. There will always be some co2 that is lost due to floating to the surface. Important note do not use an air stone while the co2 is working. The co2 will be released into the air along with the bubbles. My air stone operates at night to keep the scum off the water surface. I also saw that hagen or aqua medics has a co2 reactor and a small rio built into 1 unit that looks interesting. Maybe someone has tried this and can comment.

Also, give the ph a chance to adjust to the new enviroment. 2 hours is not a lot of time. Make small changes, watch and be paticence. Hope this helps some.


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