GPounda Posted August 13 Share Posted August 13 (edited) In general, is it more efficient to use a CO2 diffuser, or link the CO2 through your Canister filter output tube? also, if the diffuser, is the size of the diffuser related to the size of the tank, or is one size for all? Edited August 13 by GPounda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AllFishNoBrakes Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 Let me start by saying I’m not a co2 expert, but I do run co2 on several tanks. I’m also just going for a boost, but not absolute max growth. I believe it’s probably more efficient to run the co2 inline. However, I simply don’t. I only have 1 canister filter, and don’t run it inline on that tank. I know @Pepere is a big fan of running it inline with a spraybar at the back, pointing to the front, and creating a circular flow that keeps the bubbles in suspension much longer. Seems pretty efficient to me. Personally, I use smaller diffusers. I could probably upgrade to a bigger diffuser in my 55 gallon, but I’m not sure it’s actually worth it. I already had that diffuser so I just used what I already had, and if I needed more co2 I’d just crank up the bubble counter a bit more. You will get all types of answers here, but I’ve been successful without going full tilt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 The advantage I find from an inline diffuser and spray barbis that the bubbles stay in suspension in the tank. As bubbles reach the bottom of the tank after hitting the glass front they start rising but as they come under influence of the spray right below the surface of the tank, they are caught up in the flow and brought back down and stays in the water longer.. when I had simple diffusers the bubbles ran straight to the surface and escaped. i tried wavemakers to keep the bubbles in suspension but it paled in comparison to inline via spray bar. another method that intrigues me is featured in This thread on Scapecruch. https://scapecrunch.com/threads/co2-spray-bar-a-summary.1009/#post-12178 you have a spray bar under the water near the back jetting ater to the front glass, but instead of a diffuser, you have a half horizontal pipe just in front of it and the co2 gas fills the half pipe…. The surafce are between water and co2 gas determones your co2 levels and the water flow below it circulates the co2. No Seltzer water effect, very low cost and much safer than diffusers. In essence you simply can not over gas the fish as the ppm of CO2 is limited by the surface area you design for… I havent tried it yet, but I think I will someday… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPounda Posted August 14 Author Share Posted August 14 @Pepere, so in this scenario, if I'm understanding properly, the lily would be towards the bottom of the tank, or is it towards the top and relying on the spray bar to push it down towards the plants? With on canister, where is the second outflow source coming from? One for the lily pipes, one for the spray bar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 On 8/14/2024 at 8:54 AM, GPounda said: @Pepere, so in this scenario, if I'm understanding properly, the lily would be towards the bottom of the tank, or is it towards the top and relying on the spray bar to push it down towards the plants? With on canister, where is the second outflow source coming from? One for the lily pipes, one for the spray bar? I have a glass lily pipe intake with surface skimmer on my tanks and I do not have the outflow going into the tank through a glass lily pipe. My outflow attaches to a spray bar on the top back of the tank aimed to the forward glass. The flow hits the glass and deflects downward and then it forms a gyre back up to the spray bar. In the Scapecrunch.com thread listed above, the poster creates a half pipe of a certain design size dependent on the ppm of co2 you wish to achieve that is positioned in front and above the spray bar so flow passes below the halfpipe in order to distribute water that has absorbed co2 in it… Other people prefer glass lily intakes and out takes for various reasons. In my mind they work better on rimless tanks without a lid for various reasons and they certainly have an elegant aesthetic… The combination works best mounted on the side of the tank creating circular flow around the tank… some day should I opt for a high end low iron rimless display tank with no lid, I would likely go with glass lily intake and outlet pipes… 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPounda Posted August 14 Author Share Posted August 14 I will read the post, just don't have the time to create a profile at the moment. So the CO2 enters the tank through your spray bar? If I put the spray bar at the center back of the 72" would that be sufficient for the entire tank - both for CO2 and circulation?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted August 14 Share Posted August 14 (edited) On 8/14/2024 at 10:40 AM, GPounda said: If I put the spray bar at the center back of the 72" would that be sufficient for the entire tank - both for CO2 and circulation?? I am guessing you are talking about a standard 4 foot spray bar. The option always exists to buy a second and extend it to 6 feet…. Or an option is 2 canister filters each on a spray bar with the two bars overlapping.. or you can have a single centered in the tank…. All sorts of options…. And there are many ways to accomplish a task.. If I was doing it I would try it with 1 in the middle and see. If you are running co2, you can see the entrained bubbles in the water column and visually see what the flow looks like throughout the tank. If I wasnt happy with the results I would then consider alternatives.., I certainly went through many different set ups till I got something I was happy with… Edited August 14 by Pepere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPounda Posted August 14 Author Share Posted August 14 Thanks. You're on speed dial!!! 😄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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