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Re: Best CO2 Reactor



James Purchase pointed out that ADA makes different sizes of diffusers
for different size tanks-- suggesting that that is why an ADA diffuser
might not do as well as other methods of injecting CO2.

I measured an Eheim diffuser in a 30 gallon tank against a simple home
made reactor and dropped by CO2 consumption by about half using the
home made reactor.  I suspect that, in relatively well sealed tanks
with relatively less turbulence, the differences between devices would
be less.  That is to say, when a tank, and the air space above the
water, is more easily held at saturation, the differences between
devices is less.

When I put the CO2 outflow from the Eheim diffuser so that it was
picked up by the filter outflow-forcing the bubbles back down into the
tank before they escaped the water -- that dramatically improved the
absorption of CO2 from the Eheim.  After I did that, I compared the
Eheim diffuser to the home made reactor.

I no longer use the diffusers I own but others use diffusers quite
successfully.  I recall reading that the maven, Neil Frank, used
(uses?) one with results he liked (likes?).  And Gomberg recommends
them also.  Those are strong selling points, imo.  Nonetheless, my own
experience and some others I have read lead me to think that it's much
easier to get 100% absorption of the CO2 with a reactor than with a
diffuser under a wider variety of conditions.  Also, performance is
much less affected by the need for cleaning.  I decided that, although
CO2 gas is relatively cheap, my time isn't.  So my diffusers are
sitting in a box in the basement somewhere.

Scott H.

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