Everything needed for DIY Co2?

[Dudun]

I cant, for the life of me, seem to find just an exact list of everything I'll need to run a succesful DIY Co2 system. I know the ingredients, but equipment wise.

I've tried searching, but I'm still a noob.

Thanks.

[CBWMN]

Dudun

I use a heavy duty 1 gal plastic bottle. If you can find AriZona ice tea where U live, that jug is perfect.
Drill a hole in the plastic cap that is smaller than the OD of your CO2 tubing.
Pull the tubing through the hole with a pair of pliers. Now run that tube into a smaller plastic bottle using the same method. Now drill another hole in the second bottle and pull another tube through.
Send that line through a check valve to your diffuser. I diffuse through a filter.
The second bottle is empty, it' only use is to catch any CO2 mixture and prevent it from going into your tank. In the past I've had troubles with the check valve not allowing passage of CO2 gas.

I use one gal jug of mix on my 46g BF, diffuse through an XP2 and the PH drops
from 7.0 to 6.4 in a couple of hours.

Good luck,
Charles

[Dudun]

So i just need tubing and a check valve?

[CBWMN]

And a couple of bottles

[discusman54]

See if this helps. http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/co2-narten.html
I used DIY CO2 for for several months, it does work.The spring loaded check-valves seem to work better than the rubber diaphragm ones, they take less pressure to open and tend to not stop up. I had nightmares about an exploding CO2 bottle! Making a DIY CO2 diffuser or reactor was little more challenging. There"s a lot of ideas on the net, search under "DIY CO2 for aquariums"
Bob

[Bravofleet4]

You can use a use a 2 liter soda bottle. Just buy a soda bottle at the store. However, an even better choice is a juice bottle like the one's for apple juice b/c they're made with a more durable plastic and tougher. I used the bottles that costco sells for cranberry juice.

an important part with drilling the hole is that you choose a drill bit that is just slightly smaller than the tubing diameter. A good estimate can be obtained just by holding by the drill bit to the tubing. You do not want the hole to be too big.

In fact, you should have a hard time fitting the tubing through the hole. I personally have to pinch the opening and pull it through with pliers an inch or two through. You should now have an air tight seal which NO NEED FOR SEALANT!!!

[jpappy789]

I use 2L pop bottles as well...seems to work fine.

[small-fish]

i am having a lot of trouble trying to get the c02 to go through my diffuser, any help

[petluvr]

How are you diffusing?

[small-fish]

an airstone, it seems that there is water going up the tubing and no bubbles will come out. i ordered a glass diffuser, it should be hear next week though.

[petluvr]

DIY a lot of times doesn't have enough pressure to move it through an airstone. I tried them all, even the wood ones, and could never get enough pressure. I gave up and now use a ladder.

[jpappy789]

That's a possibility. Do you happen to have a canister filter?

[tackful]

I managed to get a glass diffuser working after sealing all bottle caps with silicone. If you use enough initially, it will form a solid, reusable plug so that you won't have to reseal when renewing your C02.