CO2 - Best way to 'dissolve' it

[Daz]

Give the amount of equipment available in the market, can anyone advice which is the best method to get CO2 to 'dissolve' into the water in your tank? Diffuser? Flipper? Reactor?

Personally I have tried Flipper and a DIY reactor, feel that the reactor is a better choice. But I have no proper equipment to measure, thus hope that someone will shed some light.

From my own observation
Diffuser - Break a big bubble to smaller bubble. simple float to top, look like a lot of wasted CO2 IMO.

Flipper - Bubble going round and round. Finally, rest at the top but will escape when a new bubble comes along. Didn't notice the bubble getting smaller as it goes up, wonder the water get the CO2, I have already put in near my filter outlet, hope more water movement = move CO2 dissolved.

Reactor - Me using DIY, sponge and a small bottle. CO2 in is above the sponge which is in turn right above the outlet to tank. New Bubble break into smaller one and then gradually disappear in the 'reactor' chamber. Dun look like any wasted CO2.

Anyone can help? should I stick to my awful looking reactor or a nice demure looking flipper?

[PeterGwee]

If looks and efficiency are what you are looking for, an external reactor is your best choice provide you have space to hide the external reactor. []

[benetay]

I've tried using an atomiser inside an external reactor, sorry for being kiasu, it's faster in diffusion.

[vinz]

Your tank size and filter is a factor too. For very high flow filters, external reactors are the most efficient. For low flow ones, and internal reactor is good enough.

I used a flipper for a 200 litre tank. Not too bad... plants weren't complaining, but after some uprooting, the detritus tend to settle in the flipper and jam up the bubbles. Algae can do the same thing.

Diffusors... I dislike the itsy bitsy, teeny weeny bubbles floating all over the tank.

[Daz]

Can anyone show me the URL of a external reactor? I dun think I ever seen it in my area LFS.

As I am using a DIY CO2 method, am worried that the CO2 might escape instead of going into the tank thus using flipper instead of reactor, for visual confirmation of CO2. But now my ricaa is not pearling since using the flipper, thus I start to doubt the flipper effectiveness.

My filter is an overkilled Jebao 918, rated at 1200L/hr for my 2ft x 1ft x 1.5ft tank. CO2 count rate - 8sec per bubble currently.

[joe]

Check out NA opposite Thomson Medical Center. They sell an external reactor.

[hoppinghippo]

Hi Daz, if you're using DIY co2, then I think reactor is the most user friendly cuz the rest require high pressure to function efficiently, like diffusors. And you're rite, reactors are good in that they don't waste co2 and personally, I think they are the most efficient. You can see it for yourself by injecting CO2 into the reactor till the reactor is filled with co2, then stop the co2 flow. watch and see how quicky the co2 dissolves in the water as the water level in the reactor rises. my only gripe is that the internal reactor takes up quite a bit of space in the tank, and diffusors give nice tiny bubble streams which I find pretty.

[nbk3]

you can always use the Reactor Externally . Just buy the Reactor , and a tube of Silicon sealant . And also buy two or more Metal hose clamps and also a couple of 90 degree joints And you're set