CO2 Dispersion Increase?

My beginner setup has a 26 gallon tank with a hang on back filter. I have added CO2 capability but it only uses a small ceramic disc diffuser. I know this isn't optimum but it's what I have for now. When I have learned a bit more I intend to move up to a small canister filter with inline CO2 dispersion.

In the meantime, it occurred to me that I could increase the amount of CO2 dispersion in the water column like this: the intake on the HOB filter has an extension tube that reaches near the bottom of the tank. If I position the disc diffuser near that intake some of the CO2 bubbles will be drawn in and subjected to the turbulence of the filter impeller and then emitted into the outflow turbulence of the filter. Bubbles that rise to the surface will also be mixed into the outflow turbulence of the filter.

Will this increase CO2 dispersion in my current setup or am I completely off base?

 

Just inject more into the tank, place the diffuser near the bottom and in the outflow of the filter.

No need to blast your filter BB with max amounts of dissolved CO2 or risk running the impeller dry.

 

Just inject more into the tank, place the diffuser near the bottom and in the outflow of the filter.

No need to blast your filter BB with max amounts of dissolved CO2 or risk running the impeller dry.

Good point about the bacteria. Thanks.
I can increase the bubble count if necessary but I'm trying to be as efficient with the CO2 as possible because I'm using disposable cartridges for the time being. When I get the inline CO2 happening, I will use paintball cans.

 

Your on base drew . I recently did the same - under intake of my hob & the saturation was improved slightly plus it hides the " Bazooka Atomizer" .

 

I don't have any fish in this tank yet while I'm experimenting and learning. I have a small Fluval ceramic disc diffuser which I placed near to the intake pipe of my HOB filter, which extends near to the bottom of the water column. My CO2 is at about 25psi and using my metronome I dialed in 90 beats per minute = about 1.5 bps, for the small number of plants in the tank so far.

About half of the micro bubbles from the diffuser are sucked into the intake pipe of the filter and the others rise to the surface where they are caught up in the turbulence of the filter outflow. From a plant perspective this worked fantastically; there are micro bubbles swirling around everywhere in the tank indicating good dispersion. From a visual perspective I'm about to do a Lawrence Welk impersonation and yell "Turn offa da bubble machine". I no longer have clear water. There are so many micro bubbles that the light reflecting off them gives a slight clouded or "milky" cast.

I'm going to upgrade to a small canister filter next week so I considered ordering an inline diffuser but realized that might be more of the same, or worse. QUESTION: would a reactor disperse the CO2 more fully so that there is less of a visible bubble effect in the water? Any other suggestions?

 

I'm going to upgrade to a small canister filter next week so I considered ordering an inline diffuser but realized that might be more of the same, or worse. QUESTION: would a reactor disperse the CO2 more fully so that there is less of a visible bubble effect in the water? Any other suggestions?

Reactor set up properly will allow 100% dissolution and no micro bubbles.

 

Reactor set up properly will allow 100% dissolution and no micro bubbles.

Thank you. Did you see my other thread about CO2 useage with a reactor? Here:
CO2 Useage