Alternate bubble counter fluid

[matt]

Why?

[matt]

You have too much time on your hands....look at the tank, not the bubble counter. BTW, you might look into a dwyer flowmeter if you want to really control your CO2 flow.

[GaryP]

Dwyer meter.

[NaCl_H2O]

Guess I am missing the point here? If the bubbles are coming out too fast to count, you either have it cranked up too high, or need to cut back on the coffee ;)

Wouldn't this get mixed in with the water going into the reactor? It would on my Korallyn reactor?

[matt]

I can't imagine water from the bubble counter mixing with tank water, but remember that the CO2 that moves through the bubble counter will be dissolved in tank water; meaning any effect that the bubble counter fluid has on the CO2 will make it into your tank. I have no idea if this is a realistic concern or not, but why take the chance? Another thing is that the ph of whatever fluid you have is going to drop like a rock off a cliff due to CO2 constantly being bubbled through it, at least I guess it would. Maybe I'm assuming something I shouldn't be.

Here's a solution for you; take a video of your bubble counter and play it back at half speed, then double the resulting bubble rate.

Just use salt water, jeesh....

[GaryP]

Another thing is that the ph of whatever fluid you have is going to drop like a rock off a cliff due to CO2 constantly being bubbled through it, at least I guess it would.

You can't have a pH in a non-aqueous media like vegetable oil or glycerin. To form carbonic acid, it has to react with water. The oil will become saturated with CO2, but it won't change pH.

[::pete::]

Joshua
Here (http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=KL3311&ast=&key=) is your glycerin.


That "special" fluid is nothing more than glycerin that can be found in any pharmacy for a dollar. I use it in my bubble counter and it is better than water. the bubbles rise slowly up the counter. Kinda neat.

[captexas]

I like the "Special high viscosity" fluid. The description is what adds the extra $5! lol

[captexas]

Josh - what kind of bubble counter do you have? The one Matt made for the CR I have is made entirely of PVC parts.

[alexwolf]

the ones im making are all C02 also. they are auto fill, so they fill with the water thats in the reactor, so no luck on the alternate fluid :(

[matt]

Josh - what kind of bubble counter do you have? The one Matt made for the CR I have is made entirely of PVC parts.

Er, Chris, that's cast acrylic, buddy!

Gary, I told you I was assuming something I shouldn't......

[captexas]

Matt - LOL, I know the body of it is, just the fittings are PVC. Didn't mean to hurt your feelings ;)