FishProfiles.com Message Forums

I was thinking of adding co2 to my 20g, however im not that great at DIY. Co2 systems are pretty pricey in Oz so i was wondering if any of these could do the job.. or would i be better off trying a DIY compared to these kits?

http://www.aquariumproductswholesale.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=477

http://www.aquariumproductswholesale.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=565

http://www.aquariumproductswholesale.com/cart.php?m=product_detail&p=84

if anyone could suggest anything else that would be great too.
thanks

---

Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

They are all just DIY yeast CO2 systems dressed up and expensive. You'll probably get less production as well because the fermentation chambers are generally small and restrict the amount of yeast, sugar, and water one can add. I'd just DIY it. Besides it will be fun.

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Thanks Matty
ive heard your quite the DIY person around this site!

Do you know any good (and easy) links to DIY co2?

---

Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Not a problem!

http:// www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/co2-narten.html <--That is a link to a pretty darn good explanation of the yeast method. Unfortunately FP code has a problem hyperlinking it so you'll have to cut and paste and remove the space between the // and www. There's a portion of the text that talks about how to attach the tubing to the bottle. The first "reaction chamber" I made I used a barbed hose ending shoved through the cap. Didn't work well. Just drill a hole in the cap 1 size smaller than the air tubing and force it through by whatever means necessary. Pliers help with this. Honestly that should be plenty to seal it off as it is a realy tight fit. If you like, or if necessary, you can smear some silicone around the seal on the inside and out.

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

Thanks for that link Matty

I read through it and it doesnt seem to difficult so this weekend i think ill spend some time constructing! if i have any probs will post back. and will definately post if i succeed!

thanks again!

---

Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

it didnt work

im not sure (apart from the mixture) what went wrong but here is how i set it up.. any help would be appreciated!

got 2 litre coke bottle and drilled hole through lid slightly smaller than silicone tubing and pulled tubing through and put silicone around tubing to make sure it was sealed.

got ceramic airstone and one way valve and placed valve near the coke lid and the airstone on the end.

made mixture using 3/4 cup sugar.. 1/4 teaspoon of dry yeast and 6 cups of water - placed all ingrediants in bottle.

attached coke lid to bottle .. and nothing happened...

waited 4 hours.. still nothing.

help!

---

Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Hi,
It could be any one of several things and you will have
to work your way through them.
1st, the obvious, you have a leak somewhere. Did you let
the silicone dry for at least 24 hours before you mixed
up the recipe and sealed the bottle? Take some liquid
soap and mix it with just a little water. Drip the soapy
water mix at each joint including the needle valves.
Needle valves are notorious for leaking past the seals
into the atmosphere.
How fresh is the yeast? Old, stale, yeast will barely
work at all.
Lastly the air stone. It may take more pressure from the
pump (mix) to force air through it than the mix is making.
Some air stones offer very little resistance to the flow of
air while others require surprisingly quite a lot.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

i left the silicone for at least 24 hours to dry.. the hole was a tight fit for the silione tubing so im hoping that helped prevent any air leaks... and then the silicone tubing attached the the one way valve and then to the airstone.
it may be the mixture.. ill buy some new yeast and give that another go.. is the sugar and water amounts right?

---

Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Sometimes it takes days to start a mixture. It's good to have a 2nd bottle to mix up a few days before you need to replace your current bottle for that reason. I've also had absolutely no luck just fitting the tubing through a hole in the cap. Even when it's very hard to fit the tubing through and I coated the tops in a large amount of silicone there always seems to be a tiny leak and even the tiniest of leak will allow enough pressure to be released that the co2 isn't forced down into the tank. After many many tries at DIY I gave it up for over a year just because I couldn't get the bottles to stop leaking. This time I sealed them with aquarium epoxy designed to hold rocks together or marine corals to rocks and am on my 2nd bottle that actually works. It took 24hours for the first bottle to work and 2days for this 2nd one. The co2 output continues to increase for several days before it levels off for awhile.

Generally I use 2 cups sugar but it shouldn't matter initially. You'll still get co2 but the yeast may run out of food early and quit producing co2 a few days earlier.

thanks
i will check for leaks tonight and see if thats a prob.. and after that ill make another mixture and see what happens this time!

will keep you updated

---

Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

Most probably a leak. You can even try detecting a leak by listening to the sound of the gas escaping (at least, it works for me )
The quality and age of yeast can also effect the time a mixture takes to start. I prepared a new bottle last night and it just took 45 minutes to start bubbling. I was using yeast fresh out of a new sealed packet!

I would say that if it isn't working 4 hours after you mix it up it's just not been given enough time to start producing. Mine would need at least 6-8 hrs. Overnight usually worked. You can tell if your mixture is producing if you have a clear bottle, you can usually see little bubbles and whatnot.

If it's a leak you can use soapy water around any fittings to to see if any air bubbles are coming out.

If that doesn't work, I found that temperature was pretty important for CO2 production. Make sure that any water used is room temperature, and maybe try dechlorinating it as well.

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

that first bottle actually worked! yay!!!

i checked it last nite (i had given up looking at it since making it) and i noticed bubbles stuck to the glass of my spare tank where i was trialling it first.. and i gave the bottle a shake and bubbles came out of the airstone!

maybe the mixture wasnt quite right.. i have since purchased some new yeast so will make another mixture and see how it goes.. i dont think there was enough pressure in the mixture..

so excited!

do i just place that airstone into my tank now? do i need a proper diffuser and bubble counter or will that do?

---

Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

HI,
In my experiance the DIY system does not generate enough
pressure to properly power a diffuser. Those are designed
to be used with bottled systems. A reactor would be a
better idea with a low pressure system.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I have rigged up this system for my very small 6G. Works pretty efficiently. Im using yeast/suger for CO2 production.
http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k96/mughal113/reactor.jpg

Good to hear it worked, I thought that would be the case. I agree with Frank. Try to make yourself a reactor, preferably external if you have a cannister filter and a bit more DIY power up your sleeves. That way you don't have equipment in your tank. The airstone by itself just isn't going to cut it and will really waste all your hard work. At the very least a bell to hold the gas under water should be used.

---

Critical Fertilator: The Micromanager of Macronutrients

thanks.. i think a reactor is definately needed so will be constructing one this weekend.. doesnt look too hard.. i have a spare siphon lying around will just need to buy the submersible pump and some foam and contruct it all!

will let you know how this attempt goes! never knew i could be (almost) successful at DIY!!

thanks everyone for all your help with this project!

---

Truth doesn't always win friends but it influences them

I just run it to the empty frame of a large corner sponge filter. All I did was remove the media from the inside and didn't modify it at all. The bubbles break up going through the openings on the front. It produces a fine mist of bubbles except the occasional large bubble from co2 that sits trapped just inside the top of the frame. It was going to be temporary but it works so well I almost end up with too much co2 in my 55g from one 2liter bottle so I'm just gonna keep using it.