A bubble counter is an essential component of a CO2 system. Without one you would simply be guessing at the quantity of CO2 you are dosing into your aquarium, and that makes accurately setting and adjusting your CO2 dosing impossible. A bubble counter solves this problem by enabling you to count how many bubbles per minute you are dosing, and can then make accurate refinements.The bubble counter also has an in-built check valve to prevent water siphoning from your aquarium and into your sensitive (and expensive) components such as solenoid or regulator. once water has entered these components it is difficult to remove, and can cause complete blockage or inconsistent output. Therefore, eliminating the possibility of that from occurring is essential.