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Is there any benefit to getting the Hagen CO2 Natural system instead of just rigging up DIY CO2? I plan on setting up 2 2L bottles and then diffusing the bubbles into the intake of my HOB filter. Is there any benefit of using the ladder and all that? Just wondering before I set up some DIY. I know it will be more expensive to get the Hagen system for my 29g, since I will need 2 of them. I would rather go DIY, but just making sure it won't be a complete mess that I could have prevented.

Thanks for any help.

Info: 29g tank, lightly planted now with wisteria, rotala rotundifolia, dwarf sag, ludwigia repens, and crypt wendtii red. More plants to come. 1 65w power compact for 2.24wpg.

*Kristin*

I setup about 5 bottles and never got them to stop leaking. One also emptied into my tank for no known reason and made a huge mess. Luckily I tested it all on a tank with just plants and no fish or I would have lost all the fish in my main tank. I used up 2 tubes of silicone and tried some super glue without getting the bottles to stop leaking. Eventually I bought a carbo plus co2 system which cost me quite alot of money but worked much better.

Ok. That's what I'm afraid of with DIY, a big mess. I am not a DIY type of girl. I do have fish in the tank I want to add CO2 for and I don't want to kill them. I also don't want the yeast mixture all over my room. Not a good picture. So, maybe I'll get a few more opinions and then decide. I just like the fact that DIY is less expensive, being on a budget, that is a good thing for me.
But, I am willing to by the Hagen brand CO2 system, which from what I understand is like the DIY mixture, but without the bottles and stuff.

*Kristin*

It's basically an already put together diy setup without the potential leaks and actual diy work. I was thinking of trying one for my 10g because it's not worth buying a pressurized or carbo plus system for it. Problem is the lfs wants $40 for one so I'm waiting till there are enough things I need to place an online order. Most sites I looked at have the hagen sytem for around $25.

I used the hagen system for a while, and it is very easy to set up, and I had no problems with leaks, siphoning, or nasty smells. I do suggest using a check valve on your tubing, though. The one major problem I had with the hagen system was getting my CO2 output to be consistent over an extended period of time. The cannisters are just too small to maintain steady production of CO2 for more than a week or two, so I was constantly changing them, which can get expensive if you're using the hagen tablets, and just a pain if you're using you're own yeast (1/3 tsp. of yeast to the normal amounts of sugar and warm water recommended in the instructions)

I have a friend who uses regular DIY CO2 in the soda bottles hooked up to an airstone that rests under her filter, and she gets great CO2 production, but again, sometimes the fluctuations cause problems. Green water is perhaps the most common problem, or lack of sufficient ferts to support the increased growth rate of the plants.

If I were to do it again, I'd go DIY rather than the Hagen system, but on the other hand, I'm thinking of saving my pennies and getting a pressurized system if I were to use CO2 again in any tank. Right now I'm using Flourish Excel all the time, and it's going well.

Hoping that there must be a word for everything I mean...

Hi GirlieGirl8519
CO2 DIY instantly gives me a headache when I think about it
Have a read of a thread I posted under Planted Aquaria on 25th Feb titled CO2 Injector. Thanks to Upikabu I settled for fertilizers and the correct amount of lighting for my tank and plants. No more headache and to date healthy Plants /:'

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