Hope this hasn't already been done....I couldn't find it using the 'Search'...
Let's do up a table here - all the different ways of getting CO2 into the water with the pro's and con's of each.
The table then could be sorted in order of efficiency.
I could help put the table together, but input from the gurus would be required.
And let's assume that it applies to proper pressurised CO2, not DIY (i.e. soft drink bottles filled with yeast and sugar).
So, starting with the different ways of getting the CO2 into the water, in no specific order yet, and we can do the pros/cons afterwards...
* Airstone placed on the bottom of the tank
Pros: Easy, cheap, quiet.
Cons: Airstone can clog up over time. Would need to be coupled with decent circulation to get some kind of stability? Largish air bubbles - not the best surface area?
* CO2 tubing connected to intake of canister filter
Pros: Easy.
Cons: Can make filter noisy. Causes CO2 instability as the filter starts to clog up the CO2 is obviously affected. Canister filter alone would not provide enough circulation unless grossly oversized for tank capacity?
* CO2 tubing connected to intake of a powerhead (unmodified)
Pros: Easy, relatively cheap. Intake strainer easy to keep clean on a daily basis so that the flow rate stays consistent. Best way of getting good circulation?
Cons: Noisy. Bubbles all over the tank unsightly for some people.
* CO2 tubing connected to intake of a powerhead (modified - snipped and 'furred' up)
Pros: As above - but this time bubbles coming out are smaller, therefore have larger collective surface area and rise to the top more slowly thus an increase in water contact time.
Cons: Requires manual modification of powerhead impellor (risk of breaking it or otherwise stuffing it up I guess). Maybe a bit quieter with smaller bubbles but I'm sure it still wouldn't be silent? Bubbles all over the tank, unsightly for some.
* ceramic disk
I don't know much about these - they can clog easily though I think?
* external reactor (e.g. AM1000?)
I don't know much about these either. First though is that they are $$$.
* 'ladder' type internal reactor
Haven't used one of these - large and unsightly in the tank? Maybe $$$?
* CO2 bell
Pros: Cheap, easy, quiet.
Cons: Unsightly? Lots of small bubbles is going to provide much more surface area than one large bubble trapped inside a 'bell'.
Hey this is only a first draft - but with some refinement this could be a pretty useful table for us?
Scott.
Let's do up a table here - all the different ways of getting CO2 into the water with the pro's and con's of each.
The table then could be sorted in order of efficiency.
I could help put the table together, but input from the gurus would be required.
And let's assume that it applies to proper pressurised CO2, not DIY (i.e. soft drink bottles filled with yeast and sugar).
So, starting with the different ways of getting the CO2 into the water, in no specific order yet, and we can do the pros/cons afterwards...
* Airstone placed on the bottom of the tank
Pros: Easy, cheap, quiet.
Cons: Airstone can clog up over time. Would need to be coupled with decent circulation to get some kind of stability? Largish air bubbles - not the best surface area?
* CO2 tubing connected to intake of canister filter
Pros: Easy.
Cons: Can make filter noisy. Causes CO2 instability as the filter starts to clog up the CO2 is obviously affected. Canister filter alone would not provide enough circulation unless grossly oversized for tank capacity?
* CO2 tubing connected to intake of a powerhead (unmodified)
Pros: Easy, relatively cheap. Intake strainer easy to keep clean on a daily basis so that the flow rate stays consistent. Best way of getting good circulation?
Cons: Noisy. Bubbles all over the tank unsightly for some people.
* CO2 tubing connected to intake of a powerhead (modified - snipped and 'furred' up)
Pros: As above - but this time bubbles coming out are smaller, therefore have larger collective surface area and rise to the top more slowly thus an increase in water contact time.
Cons: Requires manual modification of powerhead impellor (risk of breaking it or otherwise stuffing it up I guess). Maybe a bit quieter with smaller bubbles but I'm sure it still wouldn't be silent? Bubbles all over the tank, unsightly for some.
* ceramic disk
I don't know much about these - they can clog easily though I think?
* external reactor (e.g. AM1000?)
I don't know much about these either. First though is that they are $$$.
* 'ladder' type internal reactor
Haven't used one of these - large and unsightly in the tank? Maybe $$$?
* CO2 bell
Pros: Cheap, easy, quiet.
Cons: Unsightly? Lots of small bubbles is going to provide much more surface area than one large bubble trapped inside a 'bell'.
Hey this is only a first draft - but with some refinement this could be a pretty useful table for us?
Scott.