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Handling Excess DIY CO2
It occurs to me that blowout of a DIY CO2 system due to clogging of an
airstone or other such device could be prevented by connecting a second piece
of airline in parallel with the device. The second airline would run deeper
into the tank than the airstone.
-----------------------
airline from CO2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
tee +------------
| |
| |
--- |
airstone or | | | second airline
reactor | | |
--- |
|
|
|
|
|
| end of airline (unterminated)
------------------ tank bottom
If the airstone clogged, CO2 pressure would build only enough to force CO2
out the end of the second airline, when it would be released into the tank
water....not efficient in terms of getting CO2 into the tank, but it would
prevent a nasty mess.
The inefficiency of this method can be exploited in auto-regulation of DIY
CO2 systems....a shutoff valve could be placed to block flow to the CO2
reactor. Excess CO2 would then be vented out the second airline as
before...the inefficiency of the "airline reactor" should result in a drop in
tank CO2 levels....
Note that I haven't yet tried this....but it seems an easy and cheap way to
solve one of the DIY CO2 nasties.
PC