The Fluval CO2 Diffuser is ideal for use in planted nano aquariums, including Fluval’s Flora Aquatic Plant Kit. The diffuser is a replacement part for the Fluval 88g CO2 Diffuser. The diffuser helps to effectively dissolve CO2 into your aquarium. The Fluval Ceramic CO2 Diffuser will help to properly ensure your fish live in a healthy and safe environment.
$ 5.13
Best and Cheapest Diffuser for CO2 in Aquariums,
I have been keeping planted tanks for a long time. I recently set up a DIY CO2 generator for my tank and had used this diffuser in the past in a similar setup. I ordered another for my latest planted tank.
You do not need to have commercial tanks of CO2, a fancy regulator, or an expensive setup in order to have lush CO2-assisted growth. I use an old Gatorade bottle, some black airline tubing, and this diffuser. I wasn’t going to get a bulbble counter but it was so cheap on Amazon that I went ahead and ordered Fluva’s bubble counter as well. It provides another piece of equipment that prevents the tank from leaking back out the tubing onto the floor and allows you to see if your generator is still producing gas.
For a DIY CO2 generator:
1. Gatorade or other thick plastic bottle. Many people recommend 2-Liters. I think these are too big.
2. Fleischmann’s Active Yeast, or some other baker’s yeast. Not the Fast Rise kind
3. Airline tubing. CO2 tubing is really expensive and since you are generating your own CO2 for pennies, don’t worry too much about gas escaping.
4. Check valve. Very important.
5. Plastic inline connectors for tubing
6. Bubble Counter (or not)
7. Diffuser
8. Silicone (if needed)
Drill hole in lid of platic bottle. Affix plastic inline connector INSIDE the bottle with one side pointing down into the bottle and the other pointing up out of the lid. (if necessary, you can use silicone to get an airtight seal) Attach a small length of airline tubing inside the bottle. This length should be short enough that it will not dip into the Yeast and sugar mixture in the bottle. Affix another piece of airline tubing to the connector poking out of the lid. Attach other end to the bubble counter. If you are not using a bubble counter, attach the other end to the check valve, then another piece from the check valve to the diffuser. If you ARE using a bubble counter, place the check valve between the diffuser and the counter.
The diffuser should go in the tank in a location that will provide for the maximum transfer of CO2 gas with the water. In my tank, I have attached it directly underneath the intake for my Fluval 305 filter. The CO2 goes into the filter, slowing through the media for a longer time of gas exchange, then hits the impeller as it is pushed back into the tank. You do not want to put the diffuser near the surface or around an airstone. In fact, you don’t want to use an airstone for oxygen in the tank during your photoperiod. Oxygen bubblers cause CO2 to not be in the tank long enough to have a good gas exchange. (I use an air pump at night to make sure that oxygen levels to not drop dangerously while the lights are off and photosynthesis has stopped for the day. I turn off the pump about an hour before the lights to come on to allow CO2 to build back up in the tank and be readily available to the plants when the lights come back on) If you do not wish to have your CO2 go through your filter, put it in an area as close to the bottom of the tank as possible, with as little water movement as possible. If you are not using a bubble counter, make sure you can easily see the diffuser to tell if CO2 is still coming out.
In the bottle, mix warm water with sugar, swirl it around until the sugar dissolves, then add the baker’s yeast. The amount of sugar and yeast that you use will determine how long the generator stays charged. I have had bottles last two weeks, and I have had bottles last two days. Basically, you want there to be enough sugar to feed the yeast as it reproduces. More sugar means longer CO2 production. Keep in mind that a whole packet of yeast will be waaaaaaaaaaaay too much and may cause your bottle to burst.
After putting the lid with its attached line back on the bottle, walk away. It takes time for the yeast to produce enough gas to provide sufficient pressure. You will be tempted to open it. Don’t. If after three hours there are still no bubbles coming through the diffuser, one of four things has happened:
1. You have a leak in your system (fruit flies and/or the smell of rising bread will tell you this)
2. You did not use enough yeast, your yeast was not active, or your water was too cold
3. You are impatient and still need to wait
4. You have water in your system and you will have to wait for internal pressure inside your bottle to overcome the water pressure from your tank (this is why I recommend the check valve)
The diffuser really is the key to all of this. What it does is use pressure to force CO2 gas through a microporous stone disc into very small bubbles. The smaller the bubbles are, the longer it takes for them to reach the surface, and the more gas exchange can occur. A regular airstone really won’t cut it.
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|wow these are nice!,
These things are small, maybe the size of a dollar coin.
Using the Hagen system instead of the dirty ladder, this diffuser makes 5 or 6 streams! When I used an expensive glass diffuser, the DIY CO2 canister would only spit out 2 streams of larger bubbles.
No venturi pumps with cords. No giant bubble collecting cups. No ladders than accumulate mulm.
Nice!
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|Works great!,
I have a DIY CO2 system and when I first hooked it up to this thing, nothing was coming out. I was a little scared. Then, about 30 min later, the thing was sending out a jet of tiny bubbles. Just what I wanted. So much better than using a chop stick. I’m buying another one for my other tank.
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