Ok. Lets start me off there. Iv got a 20g with 2.25 WPG. Iv got low light plants that are not looking so good. So I want to start injection C02. Where can I get started?
C02
- Thread starter Kasakato
- Start date
Swimfins
This is as good as it gets.
Today. Well actually tomorrow. Make up your sugar and water, yeast mix today. Add the bicarbonate soda. Let it sit for 12 hours capped. Get your tubing, airline, check valve, and figure how to diffuse it (airstone or bell) I use a clear plastic spice bottle, run my spraybar thru a hole in the top, and enter the airline co2 tube at the bottom, thru another hole in the spice bottle cap, and watch the co2 pool at the top of the clear bottle. Or you can get a Hagen diffuser ladder for 20 dollars or so (at my LFS anyway). However, the method I used works just fine.
What bugged me was triying to attatch the airline tubing to the bottle cap, it springs leaks after a time and then your co2 just poofs away into the atmosphere :devil: Soooo, I've been working on ways to get around the necessity of silicone glue. I've found that plastic electronic thermometer probe covers, as used on electronic thermometers, the kind you take a persons temperature with, can be forced through a small hole in the cap, and seal the hole enough to prevent leakage. They can be picked up cheaply at any pharmacy or visit your area hospital and ask for one or 2 lol
Or in your tank flourish excel will work just as well. I'm having good growth and results with the flourish excel just after a few days of use.
I stopped my co2, and growth is just as strong with the excel.
I used co2 in my 25g, when I had 2 watts per gallon and it did help alot.
Just fyi.
What bugged me was triying to attatch the airline tubing to the bottle cap, it springs leaks after a time and then your co2 just poofs away into the atmosphere :devil: Soooo, I've been working on ways to get around the necessity of silicone glue. I've found that plastic electronic thermometer probe covers, as used on electronic thermometers, the kind you take a persons temperature with, can be forced through a small hole in the cap, and seal the hole enough to prevent leakage. They can be picked up cheaply at any pharmacy or visit your area hospital and ask for one or 2 lol
Or in your tank flourish excel will work just as well. I'm having good growth and results with the flourish excel just after a few days of use.
I stopped my co2, and growth is just as strong with the excel.
I used co2 in my 25g, when I had 2 watts per gallon and it did help alot.
Just fyi.
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Im also using Excel. The plants arnt using it, so I decided to go with C02. One thing im not sure about is my GH and KH. Il post them in a sec. I was just at the hospital. Aggg next time I go, Il get some.
Swimfins
This is as good as it gets.
Your ph and kh are about the same as mine. I'd add a teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda) to the mix because as I remember, my kh dropped to 2.8 after co2 injecting. DJLEN advised me to add bicarb, and the kh rose to 3.9 which is better. My kh got to 4.5 with 5 x 2 litre bottles baking soda in each one. My co2 rate was about 30 dwindling down to 10 ppm on average after 7 days. PH was around 6.8. On the 25g tho my ph went down to 6.6 so you might want to watch it.
Hmm, I guess it hasn't been long enough for me to evaluate the flourish excel yet. I only started it Sunday. I might re-rig my co2 later, because the plastic probe cover looks like it will work, must clip off the tip of it but it fits the airline well. Why didn't I think of this before.
Hmm, I guess it hasn't been long enough for me to evaluate the flourish excel yet. I only started it Sunday. I might re-rig my co2 later, because the plastic probe cover looks like it will work, must clip off the tip of it but it fits the airline well. Why didn't I think of this before.
Kas, what do you mean when you say your plants aren't using the Excel? Are they not growing well? CO2 should help, but there might be a nutrient deficiency involved as well.
SF, the only thing I'd do differently is to leave the mix UNcapped overnight - Mine's going like gangbusters after a few hours, I'd be scared it would blow if I capped it for very long
SF, the only thing I'd do differently is to leave the mix UNcapped overnight - Mine's going like gangbusters after a few hours, I'd be scared it would blow if I capped it for very long
Blinky said:Kas, what do you mean when you say your plants aren't using the Excel? Are they not growing well? CO2 should help, but there might be a nutrient deficiency involved as well.
SF, the only thing I'd do differently is to leave the mix UNcapped overnight - Mine's going like gangbusters after a few hours, I'd be scared it would blow if I capped it for very long
no kidding, if i left mine capped for 12 hours it would explode for sure. once i add the yeast even if i cap it for just a couple minutes and then open it it makes the sound like when you open a pop, imagine after 12 hours
Swimfins
This is as good as it gets.
I've been capping them all along and never had anything happen. co2 never built up strong enough but to cause a fizz after opening the bottle. I can't imagine an explosion! :huh:
I usually just unscrew it and let the pressure out overnight, and hook it back up about an hour before the lights come on. Jst make sure either you have a valve that prevents backwards siphoning, or that your CO2 reactors are higher than water level.
CO2 injection is especially helpful if you have a very understocked tank... I noticed a HUGE increase in the health and growth of my plants in just a week of injection.
with a 20g, try a 2L, mix up a couple packs of jello, three or four tablespoons of baking soda, saturate it with sugar, then mix up 1/8 tsp yeast in some warm sugar water, add to your reactor, and you'll be set. That's what I have running on the 30.
and if you're paranoid about water parameters, monitor them religiously for a week or two until you get a good idea of how much the CO2 affects them... It will only get weaker after the first week. Then every now and then, take a funnel, dump in some more sugar with a tablespoon or two of baking soda, and it'll keep on bubbling.
CO2 injection is especially helpful if you have a very understocked tank... I noticed a HUGE increase in the health and growth of my plants in just a week of injection.
with a 20g, try a 2L, mix up a couple packs of jello, three or four tablespoons of baking soda, saturate it with sugar, then mix up 1/8 tsp yeast in some warm sugar water, add to your reactor, and you'll be set. That's what I have running on the 30.
and if you're paranoid about water parameters, monitor them religiously for a week or two until you get a good idea of how much the CO2 affects them... It will only get weaker after the first week. Then every now and then, take a funnel, dump in some more sugar with a tablespoon or two of baking soda, and it'll keep on bubbling.