# DIY CO2 help



## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

I set up a DIY CO2 system last week for my 75 gallon and things are not going as planned. I have two bottles producing CO2. 
This is what my system looks like...
View attachment 78052


The way I planned to difuse the CO2 was with my Magnum350. I rubber banded the "CO2 out tube" to the intake of my magnum. I expected the bubbles to just bubble out of the tube and get sucked into the intake. After the system had been going for a day I took a look at the "out tube" and it was full of water up to the water line, thus no bubbles. I attatched the tube to my powerhead so that the CO2 got sucked up the tube and shot out. Every second a lil bubble would shoot out. So my bottles are producing CO2.
View attachment 78053


What I used to connect the tube to the bottle instead of using silicone
View attachment 78062


I don't want to use my powerhead as the diffuser because it is not efficient. I want to use my magnum but bubbles don't seem to come out unless they are sucked out like with the powerhead. Has anyone else had this problem and know what I am doing wrong?
Thanks for any help!


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## spree_rider (Mar 20, 2004)

you will probably need some rubber seal washers for those fittings, or silicone them in, i found a product called household glue worked excellent i just glopped lots on the top and it hardned up and bonded to both the silicone tube and the bottle lid, no leaks at all and i have 4 of these going now, it should bubble out rapidly if you put the tube in the water and wait for pressure to build up.


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## BigChuckP (Feb 9, 2004)

Thanks, I siliconed the top and bottom part last night, waiting for it to dry and will test it tomorrow.
I hope it starts to work.


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## Gumby (Aug 13, 2004)

BigChuckP said:


> Thanks, I siliconed the top and bottom part last night, waiting for it to dry and will test it tomorrow.
> I hope it starts to work.


You'll probably want to wait for some pressure to build up before gas will start bubbling out into the magnum. Give it a while. I'm using pressurized CO2 on my tank and I just ordered a Magnum 350 to use as a CO2 reactor. I'll let you know how it works.


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## petfish (Sep 16, 2005)

I just figured out the same problem a couple days ago with mine. What I did was I ran the air line from the co2 bottle directly into the sponge filter intake portion of the powerhead ( I widened the hole on the plastic tube inside the sponge part and stuck the airline through) I stuck an airstone on the line to keep it from slipping back out. So when the co2 comes out and into the intake of the powerhead, its already partly diffused because of the airstone. The powerhead will diffuse that even more when it shoots it out. If you really want to break up the bubbles, stick a sponge in the top area of of the sponge tube ( above where your airstone is). I hope I didnt lose anyone in the explaination. I will take pictures of it if I can get ahold of a dg camera.


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