# asthma nebulizer parts



## Janice (Aug 12, 2003)

I was looking at my daughter's asthma medication nebulizer the other day, and wondering if somehow the nebulizer parts could be used to mix co2 into the tank water. This is not a hand held spray nebulizer, it is a dictionary sized machine that plugs into the wall and pumps air through a silicone tube and then through a chamber that holds the liquid medicine, which is then nebulized so she can breathe the medicated mist. It kind of looks like a futuristic hookah pipe. Whenever she has to get a treatment at the doctors office, they have to open a new package of the silicone tubing, pipe, chamber and mouthparts. The nurse can't reuse that same set of stuff on another patient so she just lets me keep it. As a result I have a few of these set ups and I think that they have planted tank DIY potential. 

I already checked and the standard tubing fits right onto an aquarium air pump and it all works together and blows air underwater.

I was wondering if the medicine chamber could be filled with liquid coz and then nebulized into the plant water? 

Are there any moderators or anyone really handy with this diy stuff that I could send one of these sets to that would be interested in experimenting with it?


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

I know what you are talking about, but how would you go about getting the nebulized co2 into the water? Plus you'de be losing CO2 as it is getting nebulized, and not to mention the difficulties of using liquid CO2.


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## malkore (Nov 3, 2003)

George is right...liquid CO2 has to be kept in a contain that withstand's high pressure, because CO2 at room temp wants to be in a gaseous form. Plus the amount of liquid CO2 you could fit into that device would probably only last a week or two.


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## Janice (Aug 12, 2003)

I was thinking about placing the plastic tubing and breathing aparatus parts under the water and the pump that remained outside the tank would force the nebulized liquid co2 to mix in with the water. 

The liquid co2 that I'm talking about is available at the LFS in little plastic ampules that are very similar to the albuteral ampules that I put in the asthma nebulizer. I never used it before so I didn't realize it was difficult.

I'm not very experienced with this kind of thing, but it does seem like somehow the apparatus could be useful.


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## George Willms (Jul 25, 2003)

I don't think it would be useful for an aquarium. Thhose liquid co2 ampules are meant to be placed directly into the tank. Plus if you're using an airpump you will have increased surface agitation which will outgas your co2 anyway.


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## malkore (Nov 3, 2003)

and those ampules, from what I've read, are actually very weak, making their use rather expensive.

you'd be much better off using Flourish Excel, which is a liquid carbon product, which won't be outgassed. just dose directly into the water...no need for nebulizing (though that sounds really cool - nebulized carbon injection)


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## Janice (Aug 12, 2003)

Thanks for all the replies. I wish I had more diy aptitude. Do any of you check the American Science and Surplus catalog or website for supplies? They often have good prices for things like minipumps and other things. Plus its really well written and funny. www.sciplus.com


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## Scorpion (Oct 10, 2003)

Hey Janice! Never heard of that catalog, but I am off to check it out. Thanks for sharing it with us.


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