CO2 diffuser cleaning

[Scuba Guy]

Anyone know how to clean a CO2 glass diffuser?

Mine is starting to put out large bubbles instead of the tiny wisps it did when I bought it. The top of it has gone greenish from algae and I cleaned it as best I can with a wire brush, but it is still greenish (lighter). I can't seem to clean it any better than that and I am wondering if this is the cause?

Anyone know how to clean these things?

Thanks

[cocoa_pleco]

I use hot water to losen up the particles, then wipe at it like crazy

[Scuba Guy]

I tried something else after I posted this and it seems to work.

I used full strength muriatic acid (HCl) - the kind you use for a swimming pool. I placed about 2-3 ml in the top of the diffuser and let it sit. The green algae within about 10 minute turned brown (I guess it was getting burned) and the whitish areas of the diffuser started to show. After this, I cleaned the surface with a brush, but the brown was still there. I then took Clorox and did the same thing and let it sit for 10 minutes. The brown turned white and I could no longer tell that the algae was there - although I am sure dead cells certainly were....

I cleaned the diffuser with fresh running water for several minutes to make sure both the acid and clorox were removed and let the diffuser dry out a bit.

When I reconnected it to my CO2 supply I noticed a much better bubble pattern than before I did this. It is not as good as when it was new, but it is better. I suspect some of the pores are clogged with dead algal cells which are bleached white. In time, we'll see if they break free and the original bubble pattern returns.

I'll keep you posted.

[cocoa_pleco]

sounds like a good idea.

[jweintraub]

I'm curious as to what type of diffuser you're using? Mine is plastic and very consistant with the size of bubbles that travel up through it.

[jeffs99dime]

the smaller the bubbles diffused the better

[jweintraub]

With my diffuser, the bubbles start off large but by the time they reach the top they are very very small.

[Scuba Guy]

My diffuser is all glass with a glass bead top which makes very small bubbles - very wispy like.

[jweintraub]

Sounds neat! Do you have any pictures of it? I'd love to see what this thing looks like. I'm sure you know what mine looks like it's very common, like a ladder that the bubbles travel up through.