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Old 27-06-2012, 06:04 PM   #96
JadeIceGreen
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Default CO2 System & ADA Pollen Glass Mini



Pressurised CO2 injection is critical to any successful and thriving aquascape. Even for aquascapes that features flora such as Java Ferns, Anubias Nana or any of the various Mosses, CO2 injection have shown to encourage healthier and stronger growth.

About a year back or so, cylinders in stainless steel, holding just under a litre of CO2 were made available. It was a most welcomed addition as stainless steel is more stylish than the conspicuous red, blue or green steel cylinders we were all using. Before the introduction of the 1 litre amount, the existence of other stainless steel CO2 cylinders were avialable. However, they were largely copies of ADA's CO2 system and their small size meant that a change every month or so was needed. A 1 litre amount is small enough to not be an eyesore but yet holding enough CO2 for a nano tank for many months.




An area of great importance in which sufficient attention should be given to, is the quality of the CO2 regulator. The accuracy and reliability of the CO2 regulator has a direct effect on the aquascape, especially in preventing algae outbreaks.

The accuracy of a CO2 regulator is based on how sensitive it allows for the adjustment of bubbles per second, while reliability ensures the holding of constant pressure based on the established bubble count over a long period of time. A good regulator will allow of the adjustment of every 0.5 bubbles per second and hold constant pressure till the CO2 cylinder runs dry.

Just the right amount of CO2 supplied is necessary for a balanced aquascape. Too little and CO2 becomes the limiting factor, leading to poor flora growth with excess nutrients being the catalyst for algae growth. Too much CO2 and fauna suffers or even dies. Another reason for algae is the fluctuation of CO2 injected into the aquascape, and this is one reason many overlook, blaming fertilisers or lighting levels. An aquascape is more forgiving of fertilisers and lighting levels as compared to the constant availability of the right amount of CO2 during the photo-period.





Of all the essentials of a healthy aquascape - lighting, CO2, filtration, substrate, fertilisers and temperature, CO2 was the hardest for me to get right. To determine the amount of CO2 needed for the aquascape in bubbles per second is not difficult, but to ensure that the CO2 is sufficiently diffused and spread evenly around the aquascape took some failures to learn.

There are many methods to ensure injected CO2 is processed into bubbles that are minute enough for prolonged exposure and ready intake by the aquascape. Utilising a ceramic disc, an atomizer, an inline diffuser or even the filter's impeller are common ways. Although the ways to introduce CO2 into the aquascape is diverse, they all work towards the same goal, to achieve as fine a CO2 mist as possible.

The quality of the diffuser is therefore paramount. Before the Pollen Glass Mini, I have always struggled with algae as the recommended bubble count does not seem to work in my aquascapes. After realising that the CO2 mist from my creamic diffusers are not as fine as ADA's, I increased the bubble count to achieved a sufficient CO2 amount.

Inferior diffusers do not evenly diffuse across the entire disc, creating bubbles of different sizes. More often than not, the majority of bubbles created are of sizes too big to be useful. Although I managed to get enough CO2 into the aquascape when using such diffusers by overloading the areas of the disc which are fine enough, the sight of so many of the bigger bubbles is distracting and a waste of CO2.

Manufacturing a ceramic disc that creates a fine enough CO2 mist throughout its entire surface takes some effort and cost. For diffusers which are retailing cheaply, the quality of the disc will have been compromised to a certain degree. For Nano I, I decided to go with Pollen Glass Mini to achieve as fine a CO2 mist as possible.




Like all ADA products, the packaging and protection afforded to the glassware is of the highest standards.








Simply beautiful.






The high quality ceramic disc that ensures a fine CO2 mist emits equally throughout the disc's surface.

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