latte hiatus

I've tried looking for the Hagen Elite Mini at three retailers in my surrounding area (East SF Bay, CA): the LFS, Petco, and Petsmart, and all have discontinued carrying it. Ended up ordering it through Petco.com, and can't wait to try it out when it arrives. Unfortunately, future DIY aquatic botanists may have to find another internal filter to modify into a powered CO2 reactor.

supersmirky

So do you need a pump with higher GPH if you have a larger tank?? Or does it really not matter?

My tank is 7ft long, and getting across the tank seems to be a hard thing to accomplish

stuckintexas

just make sure that whatever you use to get co2 into the water is efficient. reactors work best i think. for a tank that long, just make sure you have good flow to distribute nutrients. maybe you need a koralia 3 or 4 to do this...i dont know because ive never used one nor have i ever owned a tank that long. whatever you do, find a way to move the water around.

Tex Gal

I can't imagine this little device being able to serve your tank. I have a 6' tank and just went to a DYI 3" diameter 18" long CO2 reactor. It's powered by a 950 gph pump. It's returned to the tank by a 6' spraybar along the back wall of the tank. It works great. Haven't noticed dead areas. I have plenty of flow as this is coupled with 2 XP3's - one spaying out at each end.

niko

One of these Super Magic Chinese Elite filters is enough for a 75 gallon tank. A standard 75 is 4 ft. long. So I'd say 2 of these filters will be good for a 7 ft. tank, no matter how crazy that could sound.

--Nikolay

supersmirky

LOL...thanks!

davezub

Just went to pressurized co2 and was looking for a good diffusion method (can't user reactor have HOB). Went through just about everything and saw this thread. Popped out to the Petco and gave it a try. At first I thought it was not working! The bubbles were so minuscule compared to my ceramic diffuser, and other methods, I could barely see them. I had to get down on my hands and knees and mush up to the glass. Much smaller than the videos I've seen. If I took a video I don't think the bubbles would be seen A lot of bubbles almost too tiny to see.

I did do some modifications:

1. Used an exacto knife (easier than drilling for me). To make a hole in the lower case rather than squeezing it through the flow connector. Twisting the exacto in makes a almost perfect hole. This also allows you to still use the flow adjustment for smaller tanks.

2. I then used a connector from one of my cheap white airstones I had around (the piece that goes into the stone and connects the tubing). I put this inside the lower case (smaller hole size end inside) with the barb poking out. I then connected the tube. This keeps the tube from coming out of the case, reduces the bubble size somewhat since the hole is smaller, and allows you to locate the end right under the impeller without the tube hitting the impeller. One of those elbow connectors would be better, but I did not have one. This could be glued or caulked but I wanted to see how it worked first. I did not use the actual airstone just the connector.

3. Noise. I hear a lot of people complain about the noise, but I don't know if it was the airstone connector, or it is behind a rock, I can only hear it when I put my head next to the tank. Even then it is very hard to hear anything if you were not looking for it.

4. To sponge or not to sponge that is the question. I tried both ways and only like the sponge if I remove most of the internal sponge and the outlet is fairly close to the outside of the sponge (thin piece of sponge). I am currently using the sponge. I think this is because the bubble size is so small even without the sponge.

So I will be selling my ceramic diffuser and other stuff - LOL. Got to say best 9 bucks I spent.

hellohefalump

oh my goodness this idea is the best best best!!!!

My neighbour gave me a tiny filter (which just happened to be the hagen elite!) so I thought 'give it a try'.

My drop checker has changed colour! This diffusing method is sooo much more efficient (for the record, I've been used the JBL spiralling diffuser, with extension kit).

You can see the teeny tiny bubbles at the other end of the tank - and my tank is 5' long!

I'm going to be buying another Hagen elite filter, and doing the same thing at the other end of the tank (I'm using two CO2 kits one at each end).

The only thing is, it's noisy. Also I had to make the hole bigger, which I did using toe nail scissors. The filter wouldn't shut properly before I cut the hole bigger.

taoyeah

i bought the mini underwater filter today.i saw alot tiny co2 bubbles comes out from the sponge.my tank is 30G.im afraid the fish will die there too much co2 in the tank,so i put a airpump with airstone inside the tank to increase the oxygen.

Pat Bowerman

Another big thumbs up on this one. I bought the Hagen Mini, followed the instructions posted here, and that little thing is amazing. Now, I've tiny, tiny little bubbles floating around my tank and the plants are pearling like crazy. I'll admit to being nervous that it might be too efficient, but I left it on last night and the fish were fine this morning. I also really don't mind the noise. Without it, I wouldn't know how many bubbles per second I was putting in. (no bubble counter on this one) I've got a 20L and I'm adding CO2 at the rate of 1 bubble per sec.

So far, so good. Thanks for posting this.