ramssl Posted October 3, 2023 Share Posted October 3, 2023 Hi all I'm new to adding co2 to my tank and just trying learn so I'm sorry ahead of time for any stupid question I may ask:) I have a cascade 1500 on a 75g I'm looking to buy the NilocG Aquatics | Intense Atomic Inline Co2 Atomizer Diffuser but I also have a Coralife Turbo-Twist UV Sterilizer. I know I have to put the co2 after the UV light but, CO2 distribution requires high flow and UV sterilization requires low flow. How can I get around this? Does anyone have a inline diffuser with a UV light? I don't want to get a separate filter just for the UV Light. Is my only solutions a in the tank diffuser? Also if I install a inline diffuser and have my outflow at the surface for some agitation would I be wasting a lot of co2? Would I have to have my outflow below water level more? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 (edited) On 10/3/2023 at 3:18 PM, ramssl said: I know I have to put the co2 after the UV light but, CO2 distribution requires high flow and UV sterilization requires low flow. How can I get around this? Does anyone have a inline diffuser with a UV light? I don't want to get a separate filter just for the UV Light. Is my only solutions a in the tank diffuser? Also if I install a inline diffuser and have my outflow at the surface for some agitation would I be wasting a lot of co2? Would I have to have my outflow below water level more? I would take a look at the specific UV you have and verify installation procedure, per the warranty use requirements. Once you have that set in place, if need be, check with NilocG for some technical support on where to best install the CO2 diffuser. Edited October 4, 2023 by nabokovfan87 removed poor recommendation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenman Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 You could have an issue with the life of the filter if you put the CO2 diffuser on the filter inlet. When you combine CO2 and water you form carbonic acid. It's not an especially strong acid, but prolonged exposure in the relatively small volume of a canister filter can lead to issues with filter components, notably the impeller. There are lots of anecdotal reports of these issues. Filter components wear out over time anyway, but there are reports that carbonic acid will accelerate the wear. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 Thank you for the help. I wont install it on the inlet I read a lot of reviews that it will cause a lot of air pockets inside the canister thus burping a lot and causing a lot of noise. I have the Coralife Turbo-Twist UV Aquarium Fish Tank Sterilizer 3X and gave them a call, my filter is way to fast for it so I will have to get a smaller one just for that which solves my problem, didn't want to but have no choice:) My other question was if I install a inline diffuser and have my outflow at the surface for some agitation would I be wasting a lot of co2? Does everyone keep their outflow near the top or below the surface a few inches. I like the surface agitation for more oxygen in the tank. Or should I just forget the whole inline thing since I don't have to worry about the UV and go with a co2 reactor? Sorry for all the questions just trying to learn and do it right the first time. Thanks for all the help:) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 Wow PePere what a awesome explanation, helped me understand it all a lot better. Thank You for you time:) I also wanted to add a inline diffuser to avoid what everyone calls 7up water and I didn't want to add the wave makers as well. But now that I have to get a smaller canister filter for the UV light I'm looking into adding a reactor but still leaning with the inline one, just seems so much easier then a reactor. You mind me asking what inline diffuser you went with? Thank you again 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 Thank you Pepere you have been so much help, inline diffuser it is:) What you just described is exactly what I was looking for, some bubbles adhering to the plants without the 7up effect. What regulator would everyone choose? Leaning towards the GLA just read they are built like tanks. Love the price of the aquarium co-op and Fzone regulators:) Priced low to high Aquarium Co-Op CO2 Regulator Fzone Pro Series CO2 Regulator GLA PRO-DS-1 Dual Stage CO2 Regulator Co2art Pro-Elite Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 I’d either run the CO2 off a separate pump or run the UV off a separate pump. Does add equipment to the tank but running both off one pump is going to cause head pressure drop. Sicce pumps will run inline and are affordable. I have switched to DC pumps but your budget may matter. Mightyjets are affordable though and have a flow controller. You 100% want to maximize surface agitation and you want excellent flow throughout the tank. All the plants should have movement. Spray bars work well here. I hate sprite water and prefer reactors. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 I forgot regulators. I’m not a fan of the cheap GLA/CO2art regulators. Once you’ve used a precision regulator, there’s no going back. I have an Alan Lee regulator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 Alanle custom co2 regulators are out of my price range lol. I'm just starting out and as it is if this doesn't work out I'm going to have some expensive paper weights lol Those regulators must be in a class of their own for you to say the GLA one is cheap, everything I read about them is there built like tanks and have a lifetime warranty. I also read they are 10x better then CO2art regulators. I know they probably don't have a precision needle valve and gauges like the Alan Lee ones but for what I need it for,1 tank should be good enough:) Like I said I'm new to this so if it doesn't work out ( expensive paper weights ) :):) I am going to run the UV off a separate pump, makes things so much easier plus I need a lower GPH for it anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 I use to think the same for GLA, but it just leaks from everywhere and only got a year out of it. I know @gjcarew built his own at a value and is probably the only other route I would go these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjcarew Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 I didn't build my own, I bought a super cheap (like $50) regulator off Amazon that has lasted at least 4 years. There is some drift in injection rates, but I just bought a flow meter so I can adjust as needed. The thing about regulators is a certain percentage are gonna be duds unless you're going custom. So I'd just go with one that is relatively cheap and has a warranty. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 Alan Lee On 10/4/2023 at 6:47 PM, Mmiller2001 said: I use to think the same for GLA, but it just leaks from everywhere and only got a year out of it. I know @gjcarew built his own at a value and is probably the only other route I would go these days. Wow now I really don't know which one to buy I almost ordered one lol. Did you get another one they say they have a lifetime warranty? I tried looking up Alan Lee but I don't think he even makes them anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 On 10/4/2023 at 4:54 PM, gjcarew said: I didn't build my own, I bought a super cheap (like $50) regulator off Amazon that has lasted at least 4 years. There is some drift in injection rates, but I just bought a flow meter so I can adjust as needed. The thing about regulators is a certain percentage are gonna be duds unless you're going custom. So I'd just go with one that is relatively cheap and has a warranty. Ah, thought you built your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 On 10/4/2023 at 6:54 PM, gjcarew said: I didn't build my own, I bought a super cheap (like $50) regulator off Amazon that has lasted at least 4 years. There is some drift in injection rates, but I just bought a flow meter so I can adjust as needed. The thing about regulators is a certain percentage are gonna be duds unless you're going custom. So I'd just go with one that is relatively cheap and has a warranty. Like you said I think no matter which brand you get they all have duds, been reading good and bad reviews on all of them. Maybe your right just pick one that doesn't cost a fortune and with a warranty and cross your fingers:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted October 4, 2023 Share Posted October 4, 2023 On 10/4/2023 at 5:07 PM, ramssl said: Alan Lee Wow now I really don't know which one to buy I almost ordered one lol. Did you get another one they say they have a lifetime warranty? I tried looking up Alan Lee but I don't think he even makes them anymore. He does still, only had mine for a couple of months. I just gave up on the GLA, they told me to use plumbers tape and kind of just lost me as a customer. So never went forward with the warranty service. I’ve had a couple of duds now and probably just jaded at this point. A flow meter is a good idea. Budget matters, so get what offers you the most value. Just keep an eye on it and check for leaks with soapy water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 4, 2023 Author Share Posted October 4, 2023 What did it cost you if you don't mind me asking? Does he offer any kind of warranty? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 Offered me a 7 year warranty and it was 300. I added a flow meter and shipping was 40 or so. It’s really heavy, maybe twice as heavy of a GLA. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 Wow OK I thought they were like 500 that's not much more then the GLA. Do you have a pic of yours and how can I order one from him? I just need a dual stage with solenoid for 1 tank What is the flow meter for? Would I need that for 1 tank. Sorry told you I was new to this lol 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 On 10/4/2023 at 7:59 PM, Pepere said: I bought the co op unit first, and got a replacement one as original one was defective out of the box. 2nd one failed after a few weeks and took the refund instead of offer of another replacement. I bought the CO2Art elite pro. I have not had any issues with it at all for10 months. The needle adjustment of injection rate and the fit and finish was head and shoulders above in terms of quality of the coop unit, but also came at a significant price premium over the coop unit…. I didnt hear of the Alan Le regulator until after I bought the co2Art model.. I do not have any complaint about the CO2art unit. I dont perceive any shortcomings with it, but I felt the same way with the second co op regulator when it was working. After experiencing the difference, I had no regret at the extra expense. I cant say whether I would feel the same after experiencing an Alan Le regulator. Yea I heard a lot of problems with the co op not going there. I'm just trying to get it right the first time without going threw buying a bunch of regulators. If a Alan lee is the better option I dont mind spending a little more to get it right the first time. I only heard of him by searching but didn't fallow up when I seen some selling for 500:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 On 10/4/2023 at 6:04 PM, ramssl said: Wow OK I thought they were like 500 that's not much more then the GLA. Do you have a pic of yours and how can I order one from him? I just need a dual stage with solenoid for 1 tank What is the flow meter for? Would I need that for 1 tank. Sorry told you I was new to this lol 🙂 Excuse the wire madness. The flow meter is really old. I will upgrade it to one smaller and in CC’s in the future. It works and that’s all I need. Flow meters visually show the amount of flow at all times so you can maintain stability and see if drift occurs. You don’t need one but it’s nice to have when you want to really dial in CO2. He’s on Facebook and ScapeCrunch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 Wow That looks awesome and very well built. I will try and reach out to him tomorrow. Thank You so much for your help! Probably more stupid questions but... I dont see a bubble counter does the flow meter replace that? and I dont see a solenoid can this be on a timer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 (edited) On 10/4/2023 at 6:21 PM, ramssl said: Wow That looks awesome and very well built. I will try and reach out to him tomorrow. Thank You so much for your help! Probably more stupid questions but... I dont see a bubble counter does the flow meter replace that? and I dont see a solenoid can this be on a timer? The flow meter replaces the bubble counter. BPS doesn’t give much information where the flow shows exact flow. It’s nearly impossible to determine 10bps vs 11bps. Just tell him your budget and see what he can do. On 10/4/2023 at 6:25 PM, Pepere said: @Mmiller2001 when I wore a younger mans clothes I was a paramedic and we hada device with a small weighted ball that would rise and fall in a tube with numbers on the side that indicated how many liters per minute of O2 we were giving to a patient. is this how a flow meter for CO2 works? that would indeed be worth a price premium for. Discriminating how many bubbles per second gets to be a real bear once you get past 3 bubbles per second… Exactly the same thing. Just get a scale higher than 50 in CC’s. Seems to be the popular scaling. Mine is in LPM and only use 1 LPM. I would like more precision honestly. Edited October 5, 2023 by Mmiller2001 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramssl Posted October 5, 2023 Author Share Posted October 5, 2023 Thank you for all your help, patience and understanding with me trying to learn I will contact him tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted October 5, 2023 Share Posted October 5, 2023 On 10/4/2023 at 6:28 PM, ramssl said: Thank you for all your help, patience and understanding with me trying to learn I will contact him tomorrow. Of course. I wish I knew this stuff when I got into CO2. Bought 2 CO2 arts and a GLA. I could have bought a digital Alan Le for that price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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