# DIY co2 diffuser



## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Would a power head be the best diffuser option for diy co2? I have a small one with the little air line barb on it. I'm experimenting with diy co2 generators. Is the best place to place the power head be close to the bottom do the bubbles have further to travel before they reach the surface?


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Also, do I need to leave this on all the time or just when the light is on?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

The powerhead will help distribute the bubbles and therefore help them be absorbed into the water.It is a better methodd then just letting the bubbles flow and rise to surface where they are outgassed.
I would shut the power head off at night,but you still have no control over the co2 output.Most DIY setups don't cause overgassing issues(they all run 24/7).Some run an air stone at night, but I'm not convinced it is necessary.
A drop checker will tell you if the amount of co2 being produced is even having an effect.
Glass Aquarium CO2 Drop Checker Test Optional 4oz 4DKH Liquid US Seller | eBay
This one can be ordered with 4 DKH solution(a must have).Just place solution in DC and add 3-4 drops of API pH reagent and you are all good to go.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Thanks CB, this is what I thought.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Would I also be able to tell if it's making a difference by checking pH.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Yea I think it is basically the same idea.If you know what your base pH is then I guess you could see if a noteable difference is found.
DIY co2 is very "changing".Often it is all go for first couple days after fresh mix then slows down.There are many different formulas out there to make mixes last longer or be more steady.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

good morning all when I was doing diy co2 I ran the air tube down in my eheim surface extractor and came out my eheim spray bar and that did very good.when I went to pressure co2 im using this one.it works very good. Fish & Aquatic Supplies: S5 CO2 Diffuser Aquarium Glass Carbon Dioxide Reactor | Fish & Aquatic supplies


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

I got the ph monitor kit from chris .I paid $116 dollars well worth the price.he is a little high but if I have any trouble with it I can take it back there and let him handle it plus I like to give him my bussiness.if your doing co2 it really comes in handy.here what it looks like.if you buy one tell chris I told you about it.American Marine Pinpoint pH Monitor


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

That's some fancy equipment! What name does he know you by?


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

I tried a power head I had but I found I did not need it.i also tried a airstone but made no difference.my eheim spraybar gives me lots of circulation.im using a eheim 2213 I had in my 55 gallon in my 29 gallon tank.if I was going to use one I like this one.its looks better than a power head to me. is .Amazon.com: Aqueon 06133 Circulation Pump, 950 GPH, 6.3-Watt: Pet Supplies


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

I tested it with the line run to the power head I already had(to not spend any $$). Visually it is sending a lot if tiny bubbles through the tank. I would love to go pressurized and higher light, but I'm lacking in the funds for that sort of thing right now. Im probably going to sell a couple of the non setup tanks I have so I can go high tech. My diy co2 generator is kickin out a lot of bubbles right now.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

Ron from Lebanon I think he knows im from Lebanon..thats realy comes in handy.it a must have for co2 users.i can see my ph change in real time and don't have to use strips to check it.my ph has been running in the morning from 7.4 to 7.6 and in the afternoon 6.7 to 6.8.it was running in the afternoon down to 6.3 but coralbandit said his did the same.now sense I got my co2 right it running high in the afternoon.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

I know about the money.i used all my stuff I used in my 55 gallon to set my 29 gallon up.i thought it would be a really over kill but all the stuff works great in it.the eheim keeps he water crystal clear.i clean it every few months when I see he spraybar decrease in pressure and yes the weekly water changes is the key.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

are you using a canaster filter with a spraybar?


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Yep, I'm running a eheim 2213 on this 29. I love it. I've only opened it up and cleaned it once. It wasn't even very dirty. The flow has never slowed.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

I am also using the eheim 2213 filter on my 29 gallon its a great filter.if you have the surface extractor you could run the airline in it.when I was doing diy I had a dc and it never turned green always blue.i could tell a little difference in the plants.i was only using 1 32oz coke bottle and a 160z for the bubble counter.i probly needed 2 32oz bottles.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

how long have you had it? I had mine sense 1996.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

I've only had it for a few months, but my buddy had it set up for a little more than a year with no problems. I'm also running a toms surface skimmer on the canister intake. For the diy co2 I'm using two 64oz ocean spray bottles with jello mix.learned about From a thread on this forum. Pretty easy and cheap. I'm just experimenting to see if it can make a difference.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

you should be able to run your airtube in the surface skimmer and that should work fine.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

How much of a pH change/drop would be a significant amount with diy co2? At what point is the shift harmful to the fish? My plants are giving off tons off little bubbles.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

I swing my 180g with pressurised co2 from 7.4 to 6.1! That turns my drop checker green and I have never seen any distress of fish.It really is a lot of co2.Have you noticed your pH drop?


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Yeah, bandit. Yesterday while running the power head with diy co2 my ph dropped from 7.4 to 6.8 or so. That was in the middle of the light cycle when I tested. I'll check at the end today. It's still producing a lot of bubbles. My plants are looking good and I don't see any stress from the fish.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Without a drop checker you really just got to go by your fish.If they look good then it is safe.If they are all at the surface gasping then your getting a little heavy!
Also besides just testing your pH you could also test your kH and use this chart for a reference.
Some really frown on these charts and others swear by them?
CO2/pH/KH table - Aquarium Plants
The more references you can have for safety the better is how I see it.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

I have to say, when there's all those bubbles on the plants, it looks like I just did a water change. I think it looks amazing. I feel like I'm going to want higher light an high tech co2 in the near future.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Co2 (pressurised) is the best thing I have added to my tanks since dicovering sumps!
The difference is night and day with plants.I really think the healthy, abundant live plants add to the quality of the fishes life.So it's a win win for me and my fish,tank looks great(more plants then ever/or then i need) and fish swimming amongst them"naturally".


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Just checked ph tonight at the end of the cycle and it's 6.6. My kh is 4. The chart you referenced puts me at 30.1 ppm co2. It's one space into the red, but my fish are not gasping for air at the surface or acting differently.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

30 I believe is the target number for co2 users.I believe that is a safe number for fish and a decent addition for plants.With the DIY it will vary as the mix ages out though,so next you need to see how long you mantain the level you prefer.


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Thought I would update this thread with the results. After a full week of dosing ferts and diy co2, my tank looks amazing. IMO. My algae problem is fading fast and the plants have never had so much color. I've got serious amounts of growth from the plants in just this one week. Everything looks so healthy and vibrant. I envision more and bigger planted tanks in my future. Livestock seems very happy too. It's just beautiful to see all the flora and fauna thriving. It's all starting to make sense to me. Pics later tonight!


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