CO2 pressure ? water ? Whats going on.

[Antipofish]

I have a FE CO2 rig with TMC V2pro regulator, fluval bubble counter, and Up inline diffuser that connects into the INTAKE of my G6 filter. (I put it on the intake following advice from the person I bought it from who also runs a Gseries filter and who finds this is the best way to ensure no CO2 mist/bubbles in the tank, as the CO2 is all dissolved by the time it reaches it).

It comes on an hour before lights on, but just never seems to get going properly. The diffuser fills with water. I have no idea if this is correct or not. But it seems that the gas has to push a lot of the water out of the way before it starts getting diffused. In fact I put a check valve on close to where the CO2 line enters the diffuser as the CO2 line use to fill back with water too ! I took this valve off today in the hope of seeing the gas pass through more quickly.

I am now an hour and a quarter after starting the CO2, the water is still half filling the diffuser chamber and I cannot get more than 1 to 2 bps max. I dont necessarily want more than this but hey, should it not allow me to if I want it ?

Also, the working pressure is 1bar, no more. IT does sometimes increase to 2bar but not for ages.

There must be something amiss.

Is the UP inline diffuser the wrong way round or something ? Does/Should it matter ? Maybe the check valve between the solenoid and bubble counter could be clogged ? Im a novice with this stuff so need some advice please guys.

Here you see the water in the diffusor

And here is the working pressure and chamber pressure.... 1bar working 50bar chamber

Any suggestions ? Cheers.

 

[niru]

Hi

this is usual issue with atomizer... try increasing the pressure to near 2ish bar... or make a DIY reactor... thats pretty good and much better dissolution.

cheers
niru

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi
I would switch the atomiser the other way round...and also put it on your outlet pipe.
If your going to switch the Co2 2 hours on you will only see a few hours of misting before it switches off.
Sometimes I cant even see the micro bubbles as I have to really look closely to make sure the Co2 is running.
Put your check valve back on just behind the atomisers Co2 in tube.
hoggie

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi
I would switch the atomiser the other way round...and also put it on your outlet pipe.
If your going to switch the Co2 2 hours on you will only see a few hours of misting before it switches off.
Sometimes I cant even see the micro bubbles as I have to really look closely to make sure the Co2 is running.
Put your check valve back on just behind the atomisers Co2 in tube.
hoggie

There is one other thing you can try before you increase the working pressure.
Remove the bubble counter and have the Co2 line from the needle valve only.
If the chamber of water empties reasonable quickly...then you may have a leaking bubble counter.
hoggie

 

[ian_m]

Couple of things.

1. I understand you should put the UP atomiser on the output of your filter, as per the instructions, as it is rumoured the CO2 can damage (harden) rubber seals of your filter, much the same way CO2 can harden/attack non CO2 proof airline (if used).

2. These atomisers do require more pressure than simple glass diffusers, mine is set at 2bar and works fine. As a side effect of this my needle valve is much more easily controllable from 1 bubble per 10 seconds to full blown hurricane compared to glass diffuser where it was extremely difficult and sensitive to get a reliable bubble rate.

3. When the CO2 switches on it does take a while 1/2-2hrs before any sign of CO2 on drop checker is seen.

4. Yes when running at high bubble rate you can see a fine mist of CO2 bubbles if you look carefully.

 

[m_attt]

its the reg mate, they arn't man enough for the atomiser. Also they are not that great i had mine replaced three times before they gave me a re-fund then got an up aqua one and it works fine (nothing in the setup was changed, just the reg)

 

[ian_m]

There is one other thing you can try before you increase the working pressure.
Remove the bubble counter and have the Co2 line from the needle valve only.
If the chamber of water empties reasonable quickly...then you may have a leaking bubble counter.
hoggie

When I first setup my CO2 system I had issues setting a sensible bubble rate. So I dunked my bubble counter completely in a jug of water and slowly opened the needle valve. Bubbles started appearing in the bubble counter but beyond a certain opening of the needle valve the bubble counter started leaking between the clear "jar" and its lid . The supplier I got it from replaced it no problem.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

Up atomizers require a working pressure of 2bar. You need to increase the working pressure on your regulator mate. It will work fine after this.

 

[G H Nelson]

Up atomizers require a working pressure of 2bar. You need to increase the working pressure on your regulator mate. It will work fine after this.

Don't think this regulator has a adjustable working pressure....anyone verify this.
Looking at you Matt.
hoggie

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

Don't think this regulator has a adjustable working pressure....anyone verify this.

Oh dear. Houston, we have a problem.

 

[m_attt]

its deffinatly not adjustable, you can fiddle with the bit on the front and get it working but it only seams to last untill it turns off, then when on again it wont build up the pressure, had to constantly play about with it to get it to work the atomiser, then shortly after they just give up.

 

[G H Nelson]

its deffinatly not adjustable, you can fiddle with the bit on the front and get it working but it only seams to last untill it turns off, then when on again it wont build up the pressure, had to constantly play about with it to get it to work the atomiser, then shortly after they just give up.

Cheers Matt
So its a glass jobbie diffuser for the fella now.
hoggie

 

[Antipofish]

its the reg mate, they arn't man enough for the atomiser. Also they are not that great i had mine replaced three times before they gave me a re-fund then got an up aqua one and it works fine (nothing in the setup was changed, just the reg)

You mean the tmc reg? Is this a common problem with them?

 

[m_attt]

yes the tmc v2 pro or whatever the name is sorry its not what you wanted to hear, but I found it to be a terrible reg, had it replaced three times over 4 maybe 5 months. It works fine with a glass diffuser but the atomiser seamed to kill them pretty quick.

 

[ian_m]

With some regulators there is pressure adjustment screw, to adjust using an allen key, under the large nut on the front. But I suspect if your regulator instructions don't mention it then it is either glass diffuser or new regulator.

 

[Quetzalcoatl]

With some regulators there is pressure adjustment screw, to adjust using an allen key, under the large nut on the front.

This was the case on my JBL. It was covered with a plastic cap. No mention of it in the manual either. There may still be hope Chris? Failing that you could get a AM1000 reactor.

 

[Antipofish]

Hi

this is usual issue with atomizer... try increasing the pressure to near 2ish bar... or make a DIY reactor... thats pretty good and much better dissolution.

cheers
niru

What will a DIY or AM1000 reactor do to my flow rate ? I cannot change the pressure. Its fixed on the TMC v2pro and is supposed to reach 2bar as far as I am aware. For some reason mine is not getting anywhere near it. I will see if I can find any leaks.

 

[m_attt]

where did you read 2bar? from the 3 i had and my mates one i'd say 1.5bar was there general working/max pressure.

 

[Antipofish]

Couple of things.

1. I understand you should put the UP atomiser on the output of your filter, as per the instructions, as it is rumoured the CO2 can damage (harden) rubber seals of your filter, much the same way CO2 can harden/attack non CO2 proof airline (if used).
Yeah I have heard this, but don't get it. If there is CO2 dissolved in the water, its there. Period. It is circulating in your system and through your filter. So what difference does it make where the point of injection is ? Its there anyway. But I appreciate the comment. Perhaps you know the answer to this and the theory I have just put forward


2. These atomisers do require more pressure than simple glass diffusers, mine is set at 2bar and works fine. As a side effect of this my needle valve is much more easily controllable from 1 bubble per 10 seconds to full blown hurricane compared to glass diffuser where it was extremely difficult and sensitive to get a reliable bubble rate.
The TMC V2pro is supposed to be set for a working pressure of 2bar too. Go figure.


3. When the CO2 switches on it does take a while 1/2-2hrs before any sign of CO2 on drop checker is seen.

No i see it going through straight away but it takes a good hour or two to get rid of the water in the diffusor chamber

4. Yes when running at high bubble rate you can see a fine mist of CO2 bubbles if you look carefully.

 

[Antipofish]

Up atomizers require a working pressure of 2bar. You need to increase the working pressure on your regulator mate. It will work fine after this.

I cant. The working pressure of the reg is fixed.