Aquatic Plant Forum banner

Tiny super efficient CO2 reactor

302K views 380 replies 156 participants last post by  jasonvthomas 
#1 · (Edited)
Go to any Petco and buy this tiny internal filter:
http://www.petco.com/product/13796/Hagen-Elite-Mini-Underwater-Filter.aspx

In the box you will find everything needed to make an extremely efficent in-tank Co2 reactor:

1. Discard the tubing that supplies air to the filter and is meant for aeration, you don't need it.
2. Open the filter - as if your intention is to clean the sponge.
3. Remove the sponge from the compartment.
4. Pull and remove the green flow control slider.This leaves a small opening on the side of the filter.
5. Close the filter without the sponge. When doing that put the CO2 tubing in the small opening mentioned above. Basically 1/2" of the CO2 tubing is now inside the filter, right under the intake, and it's held in place by the closed filter.
6. The filter comes with a flow nozzle. Put the sponge removed in step 3 over this nozzle.
7. Attach the flow nozzle to the filter.
8. Peel off the technical info sticker. It's white and attracts the eyes.
9. Done!

Basically you have done two things:
A. Put the CO2 tubing under the intake of the filter.
B. Attached the sponge on the outtake of the filter.

When the filter runs the CO2 bubbles hit the pump impeller and make a very gentle noise. This is your bubble counter. Count the bubbles with your eyes closed if you want. You will have to get about a foot from the reactor though - it's hard to hear if you are more than 2-3 ft. away.

When the bubles hit the impeller they get broken into tinier bubbles. These tiny bubbles then get trapped in the sponge with 60 gph of water flow disolving them almost 100%.

The few fine bubbles that escape the sponge look like a tiny cloud. It consists of bubbles so fine that they have a hard time floating up to the surface. Even the most gentle side flow carries them to the side and around the plant leaves.

Old design of mine but this $10 filter really makes it possible to make an ideal internal CO2 reactor in literally less than 1 minute. The filter is very small (easy to hide), black (doesn't attract the eyes), and has a strainer that makes the suction gentle enough so snails don't get stuck on the intake, die and block it. Virtually zero maintenance.

Maybe someone could post pictures showing how to do everything I described. I haven't picked up a camera in many months but it seems that life still goes on as usual.

--Nikolay
 
See less See more
  • Like
Reactions: milalic
#335 ·
Am I the only one that is unable to view the pictures on Page 2? I currently have been using the Hagen Mini Elite for my DIY CO2 diffuser but just have my CO2 line going into the intake valve on the sprayer. I am curious as to what the major difference is between what I am doing and what is explained as in Page 2. If there is a problem with the pics can we fix it or can someone send me a PM to have these pics emailed to me so that I can view them. Thanks!
 
#336 ·
Hi JEden8,

Sorry, I just checked an there no longer appear to be links for pictures in the post.
 
#337 ·
Here's a question for everyone out there using this. Where in your tank do you put this? Right now I have mine about 3-4 inches under on the back right side. I'm trying to grow carpet plants as well but they are in the middle left side. Should I put this down there closer or leave it where it is at?
 
#338 ·
Hi JEden8,

When I used mine, I tried to place it where the bubbles and CO2 enriched water were circulated throughout the tank.
 
#339 ·
Got a few PMs about the pictures on page 2. I couldn't edit my original post on page 2 so I've reposted it below with the pictures. BTW, the elite mini I set up in my original post is still in use to this day and still works great!

I was at my local Petco and they had an Elite Mini (they only had one left too) so I thought I would give it a shot as a co2 reactor after reading about it here. See pics below!

Elite Mini box


The box contains the filter, flow nozzle, and tube with a venturi aerator.


Water flows in from the bottom of the filter and exits from the hole below. The green tab is the flow control slider.


Take the filter apart and remove the filter sponge as well as the green flow control slider.


Place the flow nozzle into the filter sponge.


Put the filter back together. The hole where the flow control slider was is where your co2 tube goes.


Put the filter sponge nozzle on the filter and your co2 tube in the flow control slider hole.


Place the filter in your tank, plug it in, watch the bubbles fly and the plants pearl!


Overall, the reactor works great in my 56 gallon tank. I placed the filter behind some driftwood in my tank so its out of sight. The output from my canister filter is right above it to help push any bubbles that reach the surface around the tank. The first full day it was hooked up my pH dropped from 7.4 to 7 and could've dropped more had I increased the bubble count. I'm impressed with how tiny the bubbles are when they come out of the reactor and my plants have been pearling like crazy. As other posters mentioned earlier, the reactor does make some noise as co2 passes through the filter. For me, the fans on the lights of my tank are much louder than the noise the reactor makes, so I don't hear anything unless I'm right next to the tank. The filter itself cost me about $10 so its great for someone on a budget. Thanks for the great idea!
 
#341 ·
Woo-hoo! This thread will never die!

Or rather it will - when stingy people disappear. That would be about the same time when the ultimate tool (a hammer) cannot find an application any more, haha!

Joking aside I have to say that I have an interesting observation about this diffuser. It's about algae and it's simple: BBA and Cladophora happily develop on the top side of the sponge. Not every time of course, but I've seen in about 3 times now. So much about fighting algae with high CO2.

Other than that - I've had one of these diffusers in a heavily planted 55 gallon tank working for more than 2 years now. No cleaning, no maintenance.

--Nikolay
 
#345 · (Edited)
I was just chatting with a PETCO rep about the shipping, they said "but the item has been discounted already.." and "yes, the shipping cost has been decided upon the product itself." Luckily, I found where they carry it within a couple miles of my zip. I'd still like to know if this would work with a DIY contraption, although even with check valves, it seems the filter could 'suck' the mixture into the tank. I'm a newb though, admittedly.
 
#346 ·
Yes! This works with DIY CO2 reactors - self-made or store-bought!

You will save a bunch if you never buy a pressurized CO2 bottle!

I save even more by just blowing into the tubing and disolving the CO2 with my ingenious reactor. So far I've saved like $20 for just one year! Takes me only 7-8 hours every day!

I got so used to blow air for hours on end that I started to make very cheap furniture too. Here's a chair I made. The two paper bags cost only $0.99 each!



--Nikolay
 
#348 ·
has anyone tried just running the co2 line into the venturi? thats how i have mine set up and the bubbles it produce compare to the ones on youtube are considerably smaller and doesnt float straight up right away (though it is not a cloud/mist of bubbles). Im thinking about getting another one for another tank and run it the way everyone is doing it (co2 into the intake then to the propeller) to see if there is a significant difference
 
#351 ·
This is awesome at diffusing CO2 in my 29 gallon. Instead of placing the sponge on the outside of the flow nozzle, I left the majority inside and cut a small enough piece to fit inside the nozzle, between the impeller and output. This was done because I wanted to maintain some of the flow created by the filter, as I am currently using just a HOB. It is not as efficient, but it is now performing 3 duties for me as a filter, CO2 diffuser and mini-power head. Great DIY!
 
#352 ·
Hi there, I cant seem to open up those pics you kindlly posted on how you install the Co2 piping into the Hagen mini elite filter, any suggestions as to how I can download or open these these ?

Would this diffuser method still work for a 140Gl (720lts) planted tank, at say two to three bubbles per sec ?

Using a SAGA regulator
 
#353 ·
No, it will not work on tank larger than 2 gallons.

Note that this thread has more pages than the ones with pictures. All questions have been answered many times already.

Also exact planted tank advice over the internet leads to one single thing - more problems and more exact answers over the internet. First thing that comes to mind about bubble rate in a large tank is "What is your circulation?". I bet it's not much because most people don't have a lot of circulation. Establish good circulation and then play with the CO2.

If you ask what is "good circulation" I'd suggest using the Search function on this forum.

--Nikolay
 
#361 ·
Chopstick actually works great until a slime coat actually develops on the actual surface and you need to actually replace it. Not a big deal, cheap and fast. But tThe cheap Elite filter gizmo that we are discussing here does not need any cleaning if setup as described on page 1.

Also a chopstick cannot be used as a difuser on larger tanks. But it is tiny, while the Elite gizmo would be ugly in a nano tank.

Here, I have discissed in lengths the pros and cons of an item that costs nothing and another one that costs $8. Hope everybody is extatic now! :D

--Nikolay
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top