# CO2 diffusion: Atomizer vs Diffuser



## Tvadna (Jan 17, 2013)

When it comes to CO2, dissolution into water is the tricky part. The better the dissolution, the more bang you are getting for your buck. I've used some cheap ceramic diffusers before and had some success. They seem to clog up and with any fluid, the CO2 finds the easiest path which means larger bubbles then desired. 
How do atomizers compare with bubble size and clogging up? The only thing I know about them is that they require higher pressure (20-30psi range) which makes me believe that the pores the gas is being forced through are smaller with leads to smaller bubbles. 

Which one would you choose to go with?


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## Jester946 (Mar 30, 2013)

I hated the inline atomizor I had - forgot the brand, but it was horrible. 

I then built the DIY reactor and loved it - except it killed my filter flow.

No my 12g long I have right now - I don't see a reason to go with anything beyond just a basic diffuser.


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## bsantucci (Sep 30, 2013)

I run an inline atomic diffuser and it works great. I clean maybe once every three months, that's all it really needs. 

When I had a black background I noticed the smaller bubbles a lot more. I've moved to an etched glass background with colored LEDs behind it and I don't see any other bubbles. I recommend these completely. I prefer it to a reactor cause it's much smaller and not taking up more space in my cabinet.


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## AnotherHobby (Mar 5, 2012)

Jester946 said:


> I then built the DIY reactor and loved it - except it killed my filter flow.


If it killed your flow, it could have been the fittings and/or the tubing you were using. I made a Cerges reactor and was using clear 5/8" ID vinyl tubing hose throughout on my Fluval 306 with glass lily pipes. All of the fittings on the reactor were 1/2" fittings, and my flow was really constricted. 

A few months ago I re-plumbed the whole thing and pulled out all of the vinyl hose and replaced it with standard black Fluval ribbed hosing. This allowed me to swap out all of the fittings on my reactor to 3/4" fittings instead, and because the tubing is more flexible, I used less fittings overall. At the same time I swapped out for stainless flow pipes, but they are the same diameter, so they didn't affect anything.

My flow returned to very strong and I'm quite happy now. The reactor is not inhibiting flow at all. So, long story short, it wasn't the reactor itself killing flow, it was my choice of fittings and tubing.

To the OP, ever since I switched to a reactor, I'd never go back to anything else. I love it, and you never have to clean them. Downsides are space, and priming your pump if you ever happen to let all of the water out of the pipes.


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## klibs (May 1, 2014)

Reactors are definitely the way to go. You get the satisfaction of building it yourself and plumbing it and they are easy to maintain. My cerges is very efficient, I recommend a 20" long canister if you go that route.
Re-priming your filter can usually be avoided with the clever use of ball valves to hold water in your system when you do maintenance.


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## Phil G (Apr 23, 2014)

I use a ceramic diffuser placed below the outlet from my canister filter, and placed low in the tank. The CO2 bubbles rise into the water stream from the filter outlet and are blown all around the tank. The CO2 appears to be completely diffused into the water.


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

I have never used a Reactor though it may be in my future, I finally have room in my stand for one.

Between an Atomizer and a Diffuser. I found that I have to clean my Atomizer far less often. I may have only cleaned it about 2x over 1.5 years, though I will use an oral syringe to put some H2O2 or Excel through it every few months. The downside is it's much more of a pain to clean, you need to remove it from your tubing (if inline) to clean. I have had luck just adding a simple plastic piece with barbs on two sides but it's not nearly as easy as just pulling out a diffuser. I don't know that an intake one would go that long without cleaning, the inline gets no light, and therefore, it won't get surface algae. It doesn't seem to get much build up either when I remove it but sometimes I will run my spring washer through it as well.

I haven't had issues with a diffuser, easy to clean, you can see it working, so you know when it's time to bleach it. Because it's so easily cleanable, I find I can have it entirely cleaned in under 30 minutes, 15 minute bleach soak, rinse, soak in water, rinse, soak in water again, rinse, dechlorinate and it's back on. Actually, it can be quicker for me to remove and clean than just removing and reattaching my inline diffuser.

The other potential downside of the Atomizer, inline or in tank, is that does use higher pressure. It doesn't mean you will have more problems with it but I have found leaks come much more easily. I have not had a lot of leaks but they have been pretty hard to track down.

Really, my guess is both do about the same job. Some claim the Atomizer gives more uniform CO2 but I don't really get how, most of use get micro bubbles which are the same as glass diffuser bubbles. They do get moved more easily as they are already in the flow but if you have too little flow, I don't think you would have less of an issue than too little flow/improper placement with a glass diffuser.

As with any in tank vs. inline, I personally think anything looks better when you can't see it. However, glass diffusers are not ugly to me, maybe one of the more attractive things you can put in your tank so that's really a personal choice. I do thing glass diffusers look way better than an in tank atomizer.


Now, if you can put in a reactor, you get the best of both worlds, and some. They are extremely efficient, easily hidden (though way bigger than an inline atomizer), and don't need high working pressure, or much cleaning. Ideally, you should never see any bubbles either.


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## Toronto planted tank (Mar 28, 2014)

Hi

Can someone suggest an atomizer that I can connect to output of Ehein 2075. 

My tank is 300 lit, high light.

Thanks


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Toronto planted tank said:


> Hi
> 
> Can someone suggest an atomizer that I can connect to output of Ehein 2075.
> 
> ...


It looks like your tubing size is 16/22mm. That means you would want a 16/22mm diffuser if inline. 

http://greenleafaquariums.com/co2-diffusers/atomic-inline-diffuser-16.html

Hopefully someone can verify that.

If in tank, I am not sure, it's about 80 gallons US so I would think the biggest would be best. Most people go inline or, more often, use reactors after about 60ish gallons.


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## Toronto planted tank (Mar 28, 2014)

Thanks.

After reading through it states that requires 30 psi working pressure.

What is your pressure setting at regulator LP side gauge? And there is pressure drop at needle valve .

I wasnt sure if 30 psi is achievable.

ame


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Toronto planted tank said:


> Thanks.
> 
> After reading through it states that requires 30 psi working pressure.
> 
> ...


I personally use 35 PSI. I was higher but I found I was more likely to have issues, I was using 45 PSI for awhile. 35PSI is the lowest I could get where it would get through the diffuser quickly enough.


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## Toronto planted tank (Mar 28, 2014)

I see..

what regulator and needle valve are you using.

how many bubble per sec do you inject ?


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

UpAqua atomizer 16/22 on eBay or Amazon, same thing but cheaper.

I use them on my 2075 and 2026 @ 40psi.

v3


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## talontsiawd (Oct 19, 2008)

Toronto planted tank said:


> I see..
> 
> what regulator and needle valve are you using.
> 
> how many bubble per sec do you inject ?


I have a Hydroponics setup I acquired, was left at a friends house by a shady roommate who bounced on him (you may be able to put that together haha). My setup actually works well but I am not sure I would recommend it, changed out the metering valve for a Fabco needle valve.

OVT, who posted above would be a great resource. He is using the same setup you want with that same filter on a similar sized tank.


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## Tvadna (Jan 17, 2013)

I should have clarified on my question. I know that the inline atomizers are the way to go beyond a doubt. They introduce the CO2 into the water earlier then in a tank allowing more time to diffuse.

What I meant was the in-tank variety of atomizer, not in-line. 
Canister filters aren't always an option like in my case, a 10 gallon tank. Canister flows are too high for small or nano tanks.

The big question is, Does the atomizer create smaller bubbles then the diffuser? Cleaning is also a big factor. Would someone have to push Hydrogen peroxide through the atomizer at 30psi in order to do so? Or is it more simple then that?

Lastly, I have noticed that the swagelok needle valves I have been using (Model: 1RF4) have a very small window of usable flow rate. They can be very tough to dial in at the low pressure using just cotton jammed into the outlet. Does higher pressure with an atomizer make it easier to dial them in?


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