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how is "putting diffuser undeaneath the intake" different...

jarthel

Member
Joined
12 Nov 2009
Messages
212
from using a reactor?

I got this photo from the "higher" tech tank tutorial. The article says this goes against filter makers recommendation? but how is this different from using a reactor? maybe there's no difference as reactors would have similar effect to canisters?

thank you for the help :)
 
jarthel said:
from using a reactor?

I got this photo from the "higher" tech tank tutorial. The article says this goes against filter makers recommendation? but how is this different from using a reactor? maybe there's no difference as reactors would have similar effect to canisters?

thank you for the help :)

Jarthel

When i was using an external reactor I experienced a tank full of tiny bubbles, now I have placed a diffuser underneath one of the intake pipe which draws my tiny bubbles emitted from the diffuser into the filter unit and mixes them even more - now at the other end - returning water to the tank I don't get any tiny bubbles, I would say that this is 100% mix of Co2 gas within the retuning water.

Regards
paul.
 
alot of people use this method , but alot dont because they say it sometimes get stuck in and comes out in 1 big bubble. i think thats only a problem with low output filters though.

i have not used this method because i read an amano article saying that the high amount of co2 in the filter can kill some of the bacteria which keeps the tank stable.
 
the difference is that a reactor is usualy/meant to be placed on the outlet of a external filter, this stop co2 bublles entering the filter canister. and puting a difuser under the intake goes against the filter manurfacturer's recomendation becuase if you have bubbles of co2 entering the cansiter they can rise up and perish the ruber seal. i dont know how true this is and wonder how many people have experienced this.
 
Hi Jartel,

Not sure why your still asking these questions when they have been discussed to the enth degree on other threads that you've instigated, but its good to talk anyway.

As far as disolving the co2 goes I would expect co2 being disolved within the canister to be as good if not better than within a reactor mounted post filter. This is a mute point however if your happy with the way your reactor performs.

Some have experienced a level of reduced flow with a post filter reactor, but if its set up correctly and your filters man enough for the job then this shouldn't be an issue.

Filter seals, damage to bacteria colonies and air locks (or co2 locks) could occur within the filter, if only in theory, but is it a chance your willing to take? The drain (or outlet) from the tank has to be raised quite a long way up from the substrate bed in order to facilitate the co2 diffuser (unless you use an inline diffuser) which will lead to the filters reduced ability to lift detrius from the substrate.

So you run the risk of problems occuring AND compromise the filters ability to do the job it's supposed to do. Its cheaper to set up but it does mean more equiptment in the tank. However it does work fine and many people run their co2/filter arrangement this way. Personally though I prefer to use a reactor which is specifically designed to do the job in hand.

Its always worth bearing in mind when deciding / fitting equiptment just how much water they are holding back, the pressure involved and what the volume of water would look like spread accross the floor within the general vacinity of your tank should somthing go wrong. For that reason alone I prefer to stick within the filter manufacturers recomendations.

Regards, Chris.
 
chris1004 said:
Hi Jartel,

Not sure why your still asking these questions when they have been discussed to the enth degree on other threads that you've instigated, but its good to talk anyway.

I did ask a similar question in the CO2 forum section. But this thread was created in the filters and filtration because it's mostly about effect of CO2 in the filter and not dissolving CO2 completely :)
 
chris1004 said:
Filter seals, damage to bacteria colonies and air locks (or co2 locks) could occur within the filter, if only in theory, but is it a chance your willing to take?

not just theory I'm afraid, i've tried it once and never will do it again.

firstly, co2 entered my filter....good for a while.

left it for a few days.....still good. green drop checker

a few days later, thought everything was hunky dory, but noticed blue drop checker....not good.

tapped filter, extreme amounts of bubbles then cam flooding out of filter.....not good.Filter made a terrible noise

because of that one instance, I then resorted to the tried and tested method.....ceramic diffuser.

I need to be 100% sure that something works. theory and chance to do it for me I'm afraid :D you wouldn't drive a car in the hope that the breaks work?......

try it if you like though
 
saintly said:
not just theory I'm afraid, i've tried it once and never will do it again.

firstly, co2 entered my filter....good for a while.

left it for a few days.....still good. green drop checker
snip...

what canister? thank you
 
jarthel said:
saintly said:
not just theory I'm afraid, i've tried it once and never will do it again.

firstly, co2 entered my filter....good for a while.

left it for a few days.....still good. green drop checker
snip...

what canister? thank you

Does it matter? If it can happen to one filter it can happen to any filter.

Regards, Chris.
 
chris1004 said:
Does it matter? If it can happen to one filter it can happen to any filter.

Regards, Chris.

maybe? the other member at the top said it only happens on low flowrate filters. that's why I asked :)
 
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