pros and cons of up inline atomisers?

[markp35]

as the title says really. im very new to all this co2 stuff. im looking at using 1 and delivering the co2 via my spraybar . now i know i need good circulation , regardless of the diffusion method , thats not really what im asking . its a big tank im planning and so far this seems to eb the best way. but anybody with actuall experience of this gadget. whats its good and bad points?

also if i want to have a solenoid so im only running co2 when the lights are on how does that work? do i just put a check valve in the co2 line ?

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi Mark
The in-line atomiser is connected to your outflow pipe of your external there are three different sizes for compatibility with the tubing on your external filter mine is 12/16mm...there is a larger size 16/22mm and a small 8/10mm.
The pros and cons of the UP atomiser i will give this as a example as this is the one i use.
Pros
Produces Micro bubbles similar to a fine mist.
Uses less Co2 for more coverage of the aquarium.
Reaction time of the drop checker is quicker so you use less Co2.
No glassware or plastic diffuser inside the aquarium.
Needs less cleaning....more on that later.
Virtually unbreakable.
Easy to install.

Cons
Needs 1.7 bar and above to run....mine is set at 2 bar.
Removing for cleaning...need to shut down the filter and remove the outlow tube from the filter head.
Reaction time to pump Co2 into the aquarium when switched on can be a tad slow as it needs to build up pressure in the chamber.(This depends on what bubble rate you are running at).
Not many more I can think of.
Regards
hoggie

 

[G H Nelson]

Mark
Re Solenoid/Regulators
The Solenoid works in conjunction with a plug-in timer.
Set the timer a hour or two before lights come on and set the timer to switch off the solenoid a couple of hours before lights switch off.
A few pointers regarding purchasing a Regulator.
There are regulators that have solenoids attached to them.
I personally would go down the route and purchase the JBL regulator that I posted up on the other topic and buy a separate solenoid valve.
The reason if your solenoid becomes faulty your regulator becomes redundant.......... unusable, till you get it fixed or replaced
On a free standing solenoid the are two 6mm Co2 tube connection points in/out....there should be a :arrow:
that points in the direction the Co2 flows this is coming from your regulator.

Attach 1 piece of Co2 tubing to the regulator a check valve>Co2 tubing>in-bubble counter-out>Co2 tubing>in-solenoid Co2 tubing out>check valve> piece C02 tubing>in-line atomiser.
That's how i have set mine up.

Just another point I mentioned on the other Topic that it would be best if you could run 2 Co2 cylinders with 2 in-line atomisers on this size of aquarium.
Maybe I didn't give you as much information that you needed.....
If you have a problem with a single regulator system you could be without Co2....this could cause you all sorts of problems.
But if you have a 2 regulator Co2 system at least you have some sort of back up....to combat this.
You will find that a lot of the experienced members here have a contingency plan if they have some sort of regulator/solenoid...... fault/failure..me included.
Regards
hoggie

 

[markp35]

wow very detailed reply , thanks . i was looking at a regulator with solenoid attatched , but your argument against that makes perfect sense . it is for reasons like this that ive started researching so long before i actually do the tank. so i can make these little mistakes "virtually" rather than on the tank itself , and i give myself more time to learn before doing anything

 

[G H Nelson]

Mark
Yea your very wise to do lots of research....buying equipment is the most important thing you will undertake so it got to be up to the job in-hand....better spending some more cash than having equipment that's no good in the long run.
hoggie

 

[markp35]

exactly i would rather buy quality once than keep replacing cheap sub standard gear .

 

[vauxhallmark]

Pros

Reaction time of the drop checker is quicker so you use less Co2.

Mostly great advice, and I might have misunderstood this, but the method of dissolving CO2 in the tank water can't affect the reaction time of the drop checker (unless CO2 bubbles get in it and cause a false reading).

Could you explain this to me?

Many thanks,

Mark

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi
Yes mate I hope i can.... because your using a atomiser the over all coverage of Co2 will be more and this will affect the drop checker quicker.The smaller the bubbles the more time it stays in aquarium resulting in more dissolved Co2.
The area of the micro bubbles will be more than that of a glass diffuser bubbles......so more Co2 is diffused with less waste and this has the effect of getting your Co2 in the aquarium up to the required level quicker.
So in theory you use less Co2.
hoggie

 

[ceg4048]

Hoggie as Mark has mentioned, there is no relationship between the amount of dissolved CO2 and the reaction time of the dropchecker. The dropchecker still takes a couple of hours to display the information. It's simply that at the end of the 2 hours the reading will be more yellow if there is greater level of CO2 dissolved in the water than if there is less CO2 dissolved.

However, you are correct in that the effectiveness of the smaller bubbles is better as they dissolve more completely than do larger bubbles.

Cheers,

 

[G H Nelson]

Hi Ceg
It maybe my imagination but I'm sure my drop checker has been changing from Green to Lime Green a lot faster than when I used a glass diffuser.....never mind its still more efficient than any other diffuser Ive used in the past.
Cheers
hoggie