# Vegetable Oil as Bubble Counter fluid?



## 6t5Goat (Jan 17, 2008)

Would vegetable oil work as bubble counter fluid? 

I read that Mineral Oil is used... but I don't have any of that on hand... 

I have a gallon of Veggy oil.. or even some EVOO...


----------



## zzyzx85 (Feb 13, 2008)

edit: Oops, I guess jreich is right. cooking oil is biologically unstable and can spoil. forgot about that. Mineral oil is definitely better.


----------



## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

i would NOT use it. because cooking oil goes rancid VERY easily!


----------



## VisionQuest28 (Apr 18, 2007)

mineral oil is just baby oil...go to the closest convenience store and buy a small bottle


----------



## Tex Gal (Mar 28, 2008)

I believe it's glycerin that's used. You can order some from greenleafaquariums.com. I bet you can get it at the pharmacy too.


----------



## Avi (Feb 8, 2004)

Glycerine is preferable, yes. You can get it at a local pharmacy.


----------



## jmhart (Mar 14, 2008)

Eh, before going out and buying anything, use water. No sense in buying a bottle of something you'll only use a few mL's of anyway.

Water is perfectly fine in a bubble counter. Bubble counter's are subjective and only for your reference anyway. Water can do the same job as anything else.


----------



## lescarpentier (Feb 2, 2008)

VisionQuest28 said:


> mineral oil is just baby oil...go to the closest convenience store and buy a small bottle


Doesn't baby oil have some kind of scent added?



jmhart said:


> Eh, before going out and buying anything, use water. No sense in buying a bottle of something you'll only use a few mL's of anyway.
> 
> Water is perfectly fine in a bubble counter. Bubble counter's are subjective and only for your reference anyway. Water can do the same job as anything else.


The trouble with water is the fact that it evaporates pretty fast,however it will work in a pinch.
Who wants more maintenance?


----------



## jmhart (Mar 14, 2008)

lescarpentier said:


> The trouble with water is the fact that it evaporates pretty fast,however it will work in a pinch.
> Who wants more maintenance?



I've never had a problem with it, but if you do, I can see where mineral oil would be nice.


----------



## 6t5Goat (Jan 17, 2008)

So is baby oil and mineral oil the same stuff?

I have looked in the Target Pharmacy and not found any mineral oil...


----------



## A Hill (Jul 25, 2005)

Well my understanding is mineral oil is just oils that aren't veggie or nut based (someone correct me if I'm wrong) so baby oil should be a mineral oil... 

Baby oil should work fine, all you want is a liquid that bubbles will rise through, thicker substances like oils can slow the bubbles a bit more than water too.

Don't kill yourself over it, just get some oil out of your car if you must:hihi:

-Andrew

PS. Do Not use motor oil please... it was a joke


----------



## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

agree with water. it's in a sealed environment so evaporation is not noticeable.


I believe mineral oil is petroleum by-product from making gasoline.


----------



## smoq (Feb 19, 2008)

baby oil is indeed mineral oil . I couldn't find any without scent, so I am using a scented one. No problems so far.But I was suprised that it evaporates as well, maybe not as quick as water, but still..


----------



## daverockssocks (Dec 1, 2008)

mistergreen said:


> agree with water. it's in a sealed environment so evaporation is not noticeable.
> 
> 
> I believe mineral oil is petroleum by-product from making gasoline.


Psst, the bubble counter isn't a sealed environment otherwise the Co2 couldn't pass through...

I have to add water to my counter every two weeks but I don't consider it much of a nuisance.


----------



## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

daverockssocks said:


> Psst, the bubble counter isn't a sealed environment otherwise the Co2 couldn't pass through...
> 
> I have to add water to my counter every two weeks but I don't consider it much of a nuisance.


well, mine ran for a year and still haven't needed to refill it. I have check valves on both ends.


----------



## eyebeatbadgers (Aug 6, 2007)

Same here. I've filled my bubble counter up once in the two years it's been set up. Granted, it's a ghetto 1 liter bottle, but it's still just about as full as it was when it was filled up. I guess the pretty and small inline bubble counters evaporate?


----------



## TheCryptKeeper (Mar 9, 2008)

mistergreen said:


> well, mine ran for a year and still haven't needed to refill it. I have check valves on both ends.


damn! I need to get one of those. I have to fill mine about every 2 weeks or so. I find it to be a pain myself actually. I was getting ready to ask the same ? about what type of oil locally found can be used. so is the census that baby oil is mineral oil and can be used with no problems?



eyebeatbadgers said:


> Same here. I've filled my bubble counter up once in the two years it's been set up. Granted, it's a ghetto 1 liter bottle, but it's still just about as full as it was when it was filled up. I guess the pretty and small inline bubble counters evaporate?


:hihi: ghetto 1 liter huh.... sure it isn't a 40oz. ? :confused1:


----------



## jmhart (Mar 14, 2008)

Mineral oil really shouldn't be hard to find at a drug store. If you can't find it, ASK.

To be on the safe side, I would not use scented products, like "baby" oil.


----------



## Left C (Nov 15, 2003)

I use Marine Depot's German made bubble counter liquid. I haven't ever had to replace any from evaporation. It is maintenance free.


----------



## GTR (May 27, 2009)

Water in mine will last 3-4 weeks. Check valves are in place and functional. Even though it's called a bubble counter the rate is so fast it's really only showing me that CO2 is flowing. Until I added another check valve inline just past the counter adding water was a pain. The JBJ BC top air fitting isn't the easiest to re-secure. Now I can just pull the airline of at the check valve and unscrew the top of the BC. Takes less than a minute.

SteveU


----------



## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Torpedobarb said:


> damn! I need to get one of those. I have to fill mine about every 2 weeks or so. I find it to be a pain myself actually. I was getting ready to ask the same ? about what type of oil locally found can be used. so is the census that baby oil is mineral oil and can be used with no problems?:



I made my own bubble counter out of clear pvc 
Well, I guess the majority of you use the commercial product and is having this issue.

If you have check valves on both ends, baby oil/mineral oil shouldn't be a problem. I might switch myself but if it ain't broken....


----------



## andreidr9 (Aug 5, 2009)

i use vegi oil in my reef tank bubble counter never had a problem with it


----------



## jreich (Feb 11, 2009)

andreidr9 said:


> i use vegi oil in my reef tank bubble counter never had a problem with it


 it has not gone rancid on you? i guess it might not because its not exposed to air but i still would not risk it. i have a bit of a cooking background. and i know for a fact cooking oils are very prone to going bad. rancid oil is very grose to clean up.


----------

