Nutrafin Co2 System / Diffuser

[Ed Green]

I am using a Nutrafin yeast based CO2 system which isn’t working very well at all. The bubbles are very occasional and when they eventually flop out into the diffuser ladder they just stay there, not making it out into the water.

This doesn’t concern me too much as the sachets went out of date in 2007 (great work Nutrafin!) so I will go over to the DIY method mentioned in these forums.

My question is do I need to use the ladder provided or can I take it off and replace it with a more attractive one like this:

Has anyone had any experience swapping the standard one with something else? Is the pressure created by the bottle enough to push the CO2 through? Are there any advantages to using the standard ladder over these more aesthetic ones?

Thanks to everyone on this forum your knowledge has been very useful to me lately!!

Ed

Ed

 

[JenCliBee]

Use your own mix and you will be fine, as to the ladder apparently they are much more effective at disolving the CO2 according to someone that tested it on UKAPS, it may work with the diffusers you mentioned but it may well be nowhere near as effective


i brought the same kit a few mnths back and like you the sachets were 2 years out of date lol, i couldnt even get 1 bubble out of them so i went t5o the yeast and sugar method and within 10 mins it worked like a dream

 

[Ed Green]

Use your own mix and you will be fine, as to the ladder apparently they are much more effective at disolving the CO2 according to someone that tested it on UKAPS, it may work with the diffusers you mentioned but it may well be nowhere near as effective


i brought the same kit a few mnths back and like you the sachets were 2 years out of date lol, i couldnt even get 1 bubble out of them so i went t5o the yeast and sugar method and within 10 mins it worked like a dream

Hi

yer I have read on another site that someone had problems with the pressure in the canister not being high enough to push the co2 through the glass diffuser. Shame because the ladder is freakin massive in my 35l nano. oh well!

I contacted Nutrafin, not because I cared just because it annoyed me that they sell a product that went out of date getting on for 3 years ago - they weren’t especially helpful though! I will go to Sainsbury’s ( only the best for my plants!) later and get a diy setup going.

Thanks for replying!

 

[Gav935]

You can use a glass diffuser with these, though I was using two bottles linked together to provide enough pressure, I'm not sure if one on its own will be enough. if you do decide to go for it, go for the smaller diffusers, you can get 2 for a fiver on ebay.

 

[Ed Green]

You can use a glass diffuser with these, though I was using two bottles linked together to provide enough pressure, I'm not sure if one on its own will be enough. if you do decide to go for it, go for the smaller diffusers, you can get 2 for a fiver on ebay.

I thought about trying it with two canisters. Might give that a go. I want to get as much out of the tank as possible - looking for a good external filter for a planted tank and a smaller heater because it looks a bit equiptmenty right now!

 

[Gav935]

I know what you mean, I've only got the filter inlet and spraybar in my tank now, everything else has gone external!

 

[degsod]

I have been using the nutrafin system on my tank for about 3 months now and the plants are growing like mad!! The tank is 130 litres. I think 2 bottles on a nano is overkill to be quite truthful.

I am using the diy yeast in my Nutrafin, one thing I did find is not to top up with water to the second mark I top up to about 5mm below the mark, that way I don't get any goo in the tank.

 

[JenCliBee]

I have been using the nutrafin system on my tank for about 3 months now and the plants are growing like mad!! The tank is 130 litres. I think 2 bottles on a nano is overkill to be quite truthful.

I am using the diy yeast in my Nutrafin, one thing I did find is not to top up with water to the second mark I top up to about 5mm below the mark, that way I don't get any goo in the tank.

Having to 2 bottles will produce more presure though 1 tube to maximise going through a glass diffuser, also helps to stablise the amount going into the tank, changing each bottle at seperate times in the week.

 

[degsod]

I have been using the nutrafin system on my tank for about 3 months now and the plants are growing like mad!! The tank is 130 litres. I think 2 bottles on a nano is overkill to be quite truthful.

I am using the diy yeast in my Nutrafin, one thing I did find is not to top up with water to the second mark I top up to about 5mm below the mark, that way I don't get any goo in the tank.

Having to 2 bottles will produce more presure though 1 tube to maximise going through a glass diffuser, also helps to stablise the amount going into the tank, changing each bottle at seperate times in the week.

Very true, but I don't think you need a diffuser, the nutrafin ladder is very good, you can see the bubbles getting smaller as they progress along the ladder. I hace an internal filter in my 130L tank and I have arranged for the bubbles as they emerge from the ladder to be directed into the intake of the filter.

Pics of tank

 

[JenCliBee]

I agree i think the ladder is far better but i do admit its not the pretiest of things to have in the tank lol, again even with a ladder 2 bottles will still keep the CO2 at a more stable amount.

BTW m8 tank looks superb

 

[Ed Green]

I have been using the nutrafin system on my tank for about 3 months now and the plants are growing like mad!! The tank is 130 litres. I think 2 bottles on a nano is overkill to be quite truthful.

I am using the diy yeast in my Nutrafin, one thing I did find is not to top up with water to the second mark I top up to about 5mm below the mark, that way I don't get any goo in the tank.

Having to 2 bottles will produce more presure though 1 tube to maximise going through a glass diffuser, also helps to stablise the amount going into the tank, changing each bottle at seperate times in the week.

Very true, but I don't think you need a diffuser, the nutrafin ladder is very good, you can see the bubbles getting smaller as they progress along the ladder. I hace an internal filter in my 130L tank and I have arranged for the bubbles as they emerge from the ladder to be directed into the intake of the filter.

Pics of tank

Thanks that’s a pretty good idea. So the ladder is just below the intake for your filter? I cant do that unfortunately as the ladder is almost as tall as the water line in my tank ( only about 10 cm of water above it. I can position it so that they dissipate into the flow pushed ut of the filter though, that might help.

 

[degsod]

I have been using the nutrafin system on my tank for about 3 months now and the plants are growing like mad!! The tank is 130 litres. I think 2 bottles on a nano is overkill to be quite truthful.

I am using the diy yeast in my Nutrafin, one thing I did find is not to top up with water to the second mark I top up to about 5mm below the mark, that way I don't get any goo in the tank.

Having to 2 bottles will produce more presure though 1 tube to maximise going through a glass diffuser, also helps to stablise the amount going into the tank, changing each bottle at seperate times in the week.

Very true, but I don't think you need a diffuser, the nutrafin ladder is very good, you can see the bubbles getting smaller as they progress along the ladder. I hace an internal filter in my 130L tank and I have arranged for the bubbles as they emerge from the ladder to be directed into the intake of the filter.

I agree i think the ladder is far better but i do admit its not the pretiest of things to have in the tank lol, again even with a ladder 2 bottles will still keep the CO2 at a more stable amount.

I might give it a try .....

 

[Ed Green]

I agree i think the ladder is far better but i do admit its not the pretiest of things to have in the tank lol, again even with a ladder 2 bottles will still keep the CO2 at a more stable amount.

BTW m8 tank looks superb

Yep looks like i will invest in another unit to help with stability. i will run the tank on 1 for now though and see how it goes

 

[JenCliBee]

I agree i think the ladder is far better but i do admit its not the pretiest of things to have in the tank lol, again even with a ladder 2 bottles will still keep the CO2 at a more stable amount.

BTW m8 tank looks superb

Yep looks like i will invest in another unit to help with stability. i will run the tank on 1 for now though and see how it goes

Keep us updated on the progress m8

 

[degsod]

I agree i think the ladder is far better but i do admit its not the pretiest of things to have in the tank lol, again even with a ladder 2 bottles will still keep the CO2 at a more stable amount.

BTW m8 tank looks superb

Yep looks like i will invest in another unit to help with stability. i will run the tank on 1 for now though and see how it goes

I got mine off ebay for a tenner