Reactor VS Diffuser

[beanbean]

Hi folks, sorry if this has been mentioned before.. bud i just wanna get things clarified. it sounds like a classic battle though its not.

Reactor or diffuser? Teo's mentioned that it was much more efficient to use a reactor than a diffuser because the latter wastes up to 70% of CO2. Whereas GenX mentioned that since pple came up with the idea of using a diffuser first, efficiency wise, credits should go to the latter...[] *confused*

one thing to mention from my short experience of using the 2 types: im using a manual regulator, so when its time to cut off CO2 injection, a diffuser 'cuts' off the CO2 on time, done in tandem with switching off the lights.

Whereas a reactor doesnt 'cut' off CO2 injection because it will have some leftover which has yet to be 'diffused'. So everytime i will have second thoughts about switching off the lights together with turning off the cylinder at the same time: don't wana have CO2 poisoning... *confused*

[Goondoo]

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On 2/20/2003 6:54:39 PM

Hi folks, sorry if this has been mentioned before.. bud i just wanna get things clarified. it sounds like a classic battle though its not.

Reactor or diffuser? Teo's mentioned that it was much more efficient to use a reactor than a diffuser because the latter wastes up to 70% of CO2. Whereas GenX mentioned that since pple came up with the idea of using a diffuser first, efficiency wise, credits should go to the latter...[] *confused*

one thing to mention from my short experience of using the 2 types: im using a manual regulator, so when its time to cut off CO2 injection, a diffuser 'cuts' off the CO2 on time, done in tandem with switching off the lights.

Whereas a reactor doesnt 'cut' off CO2 injection because it will have some leftover which has yet to be 'diffused'. So everytime i will have second thoughts about switching off the lights together with turning off the cylinder at the same time: don't wana have CO2 poisoning... *confused*
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I just read an article recently... but forgot the address...

Anyway, this is what I had understand. Diffuser need high pressure to work. That is why when you turn off CO2, pressure is cut and CO2 stopped immediately. Reactor on the other hand, work in low pressure condition, getting CO2 to dissolves while the water mixed in. The excess pressure, from the valve of the cylinder to the bubble counter still exist and that's why it didn't stop immediately. Since it takes about 1 hour to come to a total stop, I off my CO2 1 hour earlier than my lights.

Pros of Reactor includes better distribution, higher CO2 dissolving rate and it's better to be used in tanks above 3'. Cons, Bulky and need powerful internal/external filter to work.

Diffuser is suitable for smaller tanks but the dissolving rate is alot lower too. I had seen aquarist using it for 4' tanks but their Diffuser is extra big *smiling at Sherwin*. The ceramic part of the Diffuser risk getting choke by algaes.

Hope this helps...

[vinz]

Don't worry about CO2 poisoning from the leftover CO2 in the reactor... there isn't enough to do that.

[beanbean]

ALright, thanks for the invaluable advice yet again... [:] But, but, but Normally, when CO2 isn't 'switched' on, the reactor seems to contain no air near its upper area, bud i woke up dis morning to find that there was still air contained inside the reactor, could it be that there was still CO2 trapped in the reactor and has yet to be diffused??? *confused*worried*

[Goondoo]

From what I had read from an Dennerle Article, CO2 tanks has more than liquid CO2 in it. It contains other gases to maintain CO2 in its form, nitrogen or something like that which is insoluble in water. Those gases, though in very small amount, will not dissolve in water and will be trap on the top of the reactor, you might have to release those gases out once in a while manually, or get an reactor which is at least five times more expensive simply for that concern. Those reactors are designed to release undissolve gases by expelling them out from another valve.

Go Dennerle web site under Cyclo for more details.

[bclee]

Actually gas diffuse both way. CO2 from bubble to water, other gas from water into bubble. That's what the Dennerle instructions meant by "osmotic exchanges" explaining why there is bubbles undissolved.

BC

[DEA]

why i finally gave up on diffusers
they were algae magnets
it's simply not worth the time and trouble to take them out, clean them and put them back in when the flow got erratic

i use external reactors, 2 of which i got from nature aquarium
works very well