CO2 generator...necessary?
- Thread starter Diego L.
- Start date
Diego,
Not sure what you have. If it is silicone airline tubing, then it's fine -- it's usually blue colored. If it's regular airline tubing it will leak and turn to mush from the CO2.
If you need to purchase new tubing, you might want to look into ozone resistant tubing. It's a little more expensive, but it's a nice black and will last longer against CO2 than even the silicone tubing.
Roan
Not sure what you have. If it is silicone airline tubing, then it's fine -- it's usually blue colored. If it's regular airline tubing it will leak and turn to mush from the CO2.
If you need to purchase new tubing, you might want to look into ozone resistant tubing. It's a little more expensive, but it's a nice black and will last longer against CO2 than even the silicone tubing.
Roan
omg im confused.. do we have to go to this much trouble to get the plants to grow isnt ther any other way.. 
this CO2 stuff is driving me mad and those ones u buy from shops cost heaps! how is a 13 year old supose buy these sort of things man! :thud: those ones u make at home ,., people say they only last a week eek im confused to death :thud: :duh: 
c: :duh:
this CO2 stuff is driving me mad and those ones u buy from shops cost heaps! how is a 13 year old supose buy these sort of things man! :thud: those ones u make at home ,., people say they only last a week eek im confused to death :thud: :duh: c: :duh:
Depending on how much sugar+yeast, it lasts for a month.
Get a 2 liter bottle of some soda. Drink it, shouldn't be too bad, have fun. Empty it, then rinse it out thoroughly. Drill a hole in the cap of the soda, just enough for the airline tubing to run through. (Must be silicon tubing, not the black or clear stuff.) Get some aquarium sealant (silicone, not silicon.) run the tube through the cap, and place the sealant around the cap where the hose enters the bottle. Wait for the silicone to cure for 24 hours. Now, you are ready for the co2 mixture, just follow the direction for the yeast+sugar mix in the co2 sticky thread.
Or you could just buy this: http://www.thatpetplace.com/Product...ms/T1/F16AX+0462+0580/EDP/46496/Itemdy00.aspx
Its the same principal as above, but with a different container and better delivery system.
Get a 2 liter bottle of some soda. Drink it, shouldn't be too bad, have fun. Empty it, then rinse it out thoroughly. Drill a hole in the cap of the soda, just enough for the airline tubing to run through. (Must be silicon tubing, not the black or clear stuff.) Get some aquarium sealant (silicone, not silicon.) run the tube through the cap, and place the sealant around the cap where the hose enters the bottle. Wait for the silicone to cure for 24 hours. Now, you are ready for the co2 mixture, just follow the direction for the yeast+sugar mix in the co2 sticky thread.
Or you could just buy this: http://www.thatpetplace.com/Product...ms/T1/F16AX+0462+0580/EDP/46496/Itemdy00.aspx
Its the same principal as above, but with a different container and better delivery system.
Yes, but I don't know if there is regular airline tubing that is also blue and soft but not silicone. So, I can't say for certain that that is silicone unless it's still in the packageOnikun said:
No, the stealth tubing is just colored regular airline tubing. It's garbage for CO2 injection.
I know, I tried it, and it mushed in 2 weeks and strings of it stuck all over the check valve. Was gross
The stuff I use now is called "Ozone Resistant" tubing and is made out of Neoprene. Great stuff.
Here:
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=3696&N=2004+113403
You can get it cheaper elsewhere, but that link is the best for identifying the product if you are comparison shopping.
Roan
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Yes and no. Depends on how big your tank is. A 2L bottle of sugar+yeast lasts 4 days on my 36g. That's if I try to keep it consistant, between 15-20ppm, which is best.themadblimper said:
Couple of "substitutions" that can be used:
You can use black ozone resistant tubing that is made out of Neoprene. It's actually superior to silicone tubing, but it does cost a lot more.
Bathtub caulking also works well and it's much cheaper. Some say it's better. Dunno. I used caulk 'cause I had some sitting around.
Roan
............. :thud: okay....so I guess I can get the airline tubing stuff (it's blue right?) and not really expenisve...right im thinking 1-5 bucks? I can get that...so I can use caulking? I think I have that in the basement with the gun and everything...yes...I guess I do, It says:
Does it all! white/blanco
Vinyl adhesive caulk.
Bonds,Caulks,Seals
Indoor/outdoor
Caulk & Glue
Kitchen & bath
Water clean-up
Paintable
I also have a bottle of
Gorilla glue which expands as it dries so I'm guessing that might work...Oh...and I almost forgot...holy crap! 4 days....my aquarium handbook( it's quite new..2004)it says for a small to medium aquarium it should last for 4 weeks...
Does it all! white/blanco
Vinyl adhesive caulk.
Bonds,Caulks,Seals
Indoor/outdoor
Caulk & Glue
Kitchen & bath
Water clean-up
Paintable
I also have a bottle of
Gorilla glue which expands as it dries so I'm guessing that might work...Oh...and I almost forgot...holy crap! 4 days....my aquarium handbook( it's quite new..2004)it says for a small to medium aquarium it should last for 4 weeks...
You can get it in green at PetSmart and it's not all that much money. You will feel the difference immediately when you squeeze it. Soft and pliable.
The thing with DIY CO2 is keeping your pH stable by keeping your injection rate stable.
This is not an easy thing to do, so I suggest making up a bottle weekly and replacing the old one before it starts to fade on you. I think I remember getting 7 - 10 days of steady flow out of a bottle but different factors, water hardness being one, come into play to lengthen or shorten a bottles life. Also the quality and/or freshness of your yeast is a factor.
You will learn how it's pumping by frequently testing for pH. It's extremely important that you do this because CO2 injection can affect your water dramatically and the fish need to be considered above all else.
Len
The thing with DIY CO2 is keeping your pH stable by keeping your injection rate stable.
This is not an easy thing to do, so I suggest making up a bottle weekly and replacing the old one before it starts to fade on you. I think I remember getting 7 - 10 days of steady flow out of a bottle but different factors, water hardness being one, come into play to lengthen or shorten a bottles life. Also the quality and/or freshness of your yeast is a factor.
You will learn how it's pumping by frequently testing for pH. It's extremely important that you do this because CO2 injection can affect your water dramatically and the fish need to be considered above all else.
Len
Roan Art said:
Some bathtub caulks have additives that probably do not need to be in contact with fish things. But if you use it on the outside of the cap, that'd be fine. I used Liquid Nails on the outside of my cap and it worked great. I found aquarium silicone was too easy to get loose, I suppose it works best in compression, not in tension, any how it leaked a lot.
