A CO2 diffuser is an essential part of a CO2 system for a planted aquarium, and to keep its best performance, it requires regular cleaning. There are countless CO2 diffusers made of different materials, which can have other maintenance requirements. However, they all have one thing in common – a ceramic membrane, which should be cleaned sometimes because its tiny pores can clog, and the operation no longer runs as desired. Here, you can discover which cleaning method and agent suits the respective CO2 diffusers.
How To Clean A CO2 Diffuser?
There are special chlorine-based cleaners from various brands in the aquarium hobby for effective cleaning of glassware, acrylic ware, and CO2 diffusers/membranes. These often have the advantage of smelling less strongly of chlorine and are usually more economical than standard household chlorine cleaners. For the household ones, we recommend using those without fragrance additives.
Depending on the type of CO2 diffuser, there are different cleaning approaches:
Glass & Acrylic CO2 Diffusers – The cleaning of such CO2 diffusers is probably the easiest. The diffuser can be easily removed from the aquarium with the attached tubing and placed in a chlorine bath. It is very advantageous to have the diffuser in operation during chlorine treatment. Because the CO2 prevents chlorine from entering the diffuser, removing chlorine residue is much easier, as it only appears externally. Ceramic membranes cannot be removed for these types of diffusers.
Stainless Steel CO2 Diffusers – Most stainless-steel diffusers can be unscrewed to remove for cleaning or replace the CO2 membrane. This allows the membrane to be easily cleaned in a chlorine bath without the stainless-steel parts contacting the substance. Contact with chlorine substances lead to the corrosion of stainless steel parts. We recommend having an additional replacement membrane at home so the stainless-steel diffuser is ready for use again after a short time.
Glass & Acrylic CO2 Diffusers – The cleaning of such CO2 diffusers is probably the easiest. The diffuser can be easily removed from the aquarium with the attached tubing and placed in a chlorine bath. It is very advantageous to have the diffuser in operation during chlorine treatment. Because the CO2 prevents chlorine from entering the diffuser, removing chlorine residue is much easier, as it only appears externally. Ceramic membranes cannot be removed for these types of diffusers.
Stainless Steel CO2 Diffusers – Most stainless-steel diffusers can be unscrewed to remove for cleaning or replace the CO2 membrane. This allows the membrane to be easily cleaned in a chlorine bath without the stainless-steel parts contacting the substance. Contact with chlorine substances lead to the corrosion of stainless steel parts. We recommend having an additional replacement membrane at home so the stainless-steel diffuser is ready for use again after a short time.
Safety instructions for cleaning CO2 diffusers with chlorine-containing substances
If you act correctly, you can protect yourself, your livestock, and your plants from health hazards when handling chlorine-containing substances. Therefore, you should read the following instructions and make yourself aware!
- Always wear disposable gloves when using chlorine-containing substances.
- Always rinse the parts thoroughly with water after cleaning and then place them in a container filled with a tap water and water conditioner mixture – the water conditioner should be able to remove chlorine! It is advisable to place the CO2 membrane in the water conditioner bath for at least 15 minutes. In the case of glass and acrylic diffusers, keep the CO2 running during this step.
- Just as with the cleaning, let the CO2 run in the case of glass and acrylic diffusers for the water conditioner bath.
- IMPORTANT! Before the cleaned parts can be returned to the aquarium or put into the filter circuit, an olfactory test should always be carried out. If the parts still smell chlorine, they should be rinsed again, and the water conditioner bath should be repeated if necessary.
- A used chlorine bath can be reused several times. However, when storing chlorine, the manufacturer’s instructions should be followed as a matter of urgency. In general, chlorine should not be exposed to direct sunlight, should not be stored together with food or feed, and should be in a well-ventilated room.
Possible Indicators For Cleaning
A whistling CO2 diffuser – One reason for whistling and then rather annoying CO2 diffuser is when sediment builds up, e.g., from algae, and clogs too many membrane pores.
Large CO2 Bubbles – Another sign of cleaning is large CO2 bubbles, indicating a clogged membrane.
No CO2 Bubbles Get Through – This phenomenon can be – but very rarely – attributed to membrane pollution because then the pollution would have to be obvious and ignored for some time. If you are sure that the CO2 diffuser is not clogged and still no CO2 bubbles are coming out of it, it may be due to a too-low working pressure of the CO2 regulator.
Pollution Without Mechanical Impact – Pollution often does not lead to mechanical problems. It just doesn’t look beautiful and can be disturbing for the viewer.
