Can anyone tell me the best Co2 setup to use. i had something bookmarked on this site a long time ago that came with a picture but now it's gone. i know about using a 2liter bottle and tubing but what ingredients are suppose to be used. every page seems to have different instructions. thanks
co2?
- Thread starter lexmarkz22
- Start date
This is the way I did it. (the best way 
)
Fill a 2 liter bottle half way with warm water. Add 4 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of yeast, and a pinch of baking soda. Shake is up. Get some air tubing and make a hole in the middle of the bottle cap the width of the tubing. Insert the tub about an inch or so in the cap and seal it with super glue on both sides. Wait for the glue to dry. On the other end of the tube, put an air stone and put it in your tank by the bottom. Put the cap on the bottle and wait for the bubbles to start comming up. This will last for about two weeks.
I have 3 bottles on my tank. They are hooked up to a 3 way valve. A few times, I looked at the tank and nothing was happening. It turns out that the bottles were leaking because I used hot glue, but it didn't stay. The best way to see if the bottle is leaking it to put some dish soap on you finger and rub it around the tube at the cap. If there is a leak, then you will see little bubbles. What also happened was that the mixture was too cold for the yeast to ferment. What most people do(including me) is put the bottle/bottles into a bucket of water with a crappy heater to keep the mixture warm. Make sure that the glue fully dries. I didn't and some of the glue went to the side of the cap and I couldn't get it off, so I had to throw out the whole bottle. I will have pics soon(when I am not lazy and take some.)
When you notice the bubbles slowing down significantly, dump out about 75% of the mixture and refill it half way with warm water and add another 4 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of baking soda. What happens is that the mixture will make alcohol and the yeast will not be able to ferment with that high of an alcohol level. When you dump out the 75% of the mixture, there will still be usuable yeast in it.
)Fill a 2 liter bottle half way with warm water. Add 4 tablespoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of yeast, and a pinch of baking soda. Shake is up. Get some air tubing and make a hole in the middle of the bottle cap the width of the tubing. Insert the tub about an inch or so in the cap and seal it with super glue on both sides. Wait for the glue to dry. On the other end of the tube, put an air stone and put it in your tank by the bottom. Put the cap on the bottle and wait for the bubbles to start comming up. This will last for about two weeks.
I have 3 bottles on my tank. They are hooked up to a 3 way valve. A few times, I looked at the tank and nothing was happening. It turns out that the bottles were leaking because I used hot glue, but it didn't stay. The best way to see if the bottle is leaking it to put some dish soap on you finger and rub it around the tube at the cap. If there is a leak, then you will see little bubbles. What also happened was that the mixture was too cold for the yeast to ferment. What most people do(including me) is put the bottle/bottles into a bucket of water with a crappy heater to keep the mixture warm. Make sure that the glue fully dries. I didn't and some of the glue went to the side of the cap and I couldn't get it off, so I had to throw out the whole bottle. I will have pics soon(when I am not lazy and take some.
)When you notice the bubbles slowing down significantly, dump out about 75% of the mixture and refill it half way with warm water and add another 4 tablespoons of sugar and a pinch of baking soda. What happens is that the mixture will make alcohol and the yeast will not be able to ferment with that high of an alcohol level. When you dump out the 75% of the mixture, there will still be usuable yeast in it.
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Ok, I got my lazy butt up and took a few pics.
These are the bottles in a bucket of water with a heater.
This is the air stone that the Co2 is comming out of. It is important to have one so the the Co2 diffuses in the water. Once it reaches the top of the water, it is released into the atmosphere. That is why I said to keep it close to the bottom so that it has more time to diffuse in the water.
These are the bottles in a bucket of water with a heater.
This is the air stone that the Co2 is comming out of. It is important to have one so the the Co2 diffuses in the water. Once it reaches the top of the water, it is released into the atmosphere. That is why I said to keep it close to the bottom so that it has more time to diffuse in the water.
Dangerdoll
Global Moderator
that's pretty impressive Devil......I'm curious though..... is this setup recommended for a certain size tank, which would last 2 weeks? and how long have you been using this setup?
Thanks.
I would recommend a bottle for every 25 gallons or so. Since my tank is 72g, I have 3.
About the duration, I'll tell you everything from the start. The first day I got the plants, I made one bottle and just used that for a day or two. Then I realized that the tank was too big for only one bottle, so I made two more. I hooked all 3 to a 3-way valve I had from an old tank. Nothing was happening after a day or so, and I read on here that sometimes the yeast will be too cold to ferment. So, I went downstairs, emptied a big electrasol dishwasher soap bucket that I had little army men in years and years ago(seriously), put the bottles in it, filled it with water, and put an old heater in it at the hottest setting. Then, after a few days of finding leaks and other stuff, everything was fine for a few days, until the alcohol level got too high in the bottles, so I did the 75% change. Then, I completely changed one bottle on Monday, then changed the other bottles yesterday, and everything is doing great today.
I would recommend a bottle for every 25 gallons or so. Since my tank is 72g, I have 3.
About the duration, I'll tell you everything from the start. The first day I got the plants, I made one bottle and just used that for a day or two. Then I realized that the tank was too big for only one bottle, so I made two more. I hooked all 3 to a 3-way valve I had from an old tank. Nothing was happening after a day or so, and I read on here that sometimes the yeast will be too cold to ferment. So, I went downstairs, emptied a big electrasol dishwasher soap bucket that I had little army men in years and years ago(seriously
), put the bottles in it, filled it with water, and put an old heater in it at the hottest setting. Then, after a few days of finding leaks and other stuff, everything was fine for a few days, until the alcohol level got too high in the bottles, so I did the 75% change. Then, I completely changed one bottle on Monday, then changed the other bottles yesterday, and everything is doing great today.
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lexmarkz22....
Here is some very informative reading about DIY CO2 setups... A Treatise on DIY CO2 Systems for Freshwater-Planted Aquaria I just finished making a reactor similar to the instruction on this site... I now have 100% co2 saturation... Granted, it's not the prettiest feature in the tank, but VERY useful... There are external DIY reactors that I think I'm going to try once my canister filter arrives, but they could also be run off of an external water pump...
The above website outlines a formula that is very similar to the one I use and works very well... I change my bottle out every week to ensure a consistant CO2 level, instead of waiting for the mixture to run out... I would rather throw out good yeast than have the flucuations stressing the fish and plants...Actually, I will start the new bottle the day before so it's up and running when I need it... I don't buy fancy yeast, just the stuff in the grocery store.....And I don't boil my water before hand... Actually I use cold tap water and it's usually bubbling away within 12hrs, at room temp....
I'm looking to purchase a 125g tank in the very near future, at which time I will switch to pressurized CO2. Right now, with my 29g tank, the DIY is working wonderfully, so why fix what ain't broke...
Another tip, when gluing the tubing to the cap, use "GOOP Adhesive and Sealant" it's available at Walmart and most grocery stores... I read on the net that it is the best glue for bonding plastics, I use it and have had NO leaks.... Also, use silicone tubbing not the vinyl stuff, it won't hold up to the CO2 as well....
I hope some of this helps....Read the above website, it has more about DIY CO2 setups than I ever wanted to know,
Here is some very informative reading about DIY CO2 setups... A Treatise on DIY CO2 Systems for Freshwater-Planted Aquaria I just finished making a reactor similar to the instruction on this site... I now have 100% co2 saturation... Granted, it's not the prettiest feature in the tank, but VERY useful... There are external DIY reactors that I think I'm going to try once my canister filter arrives, but they could also be run off of an external water pump...
The above website outlines a formula that is very similar to the one I use and works very well... I change my bottle out every week to ensure a consistant CO2 level, instead of waiting for the mixture to run out... I would rather throw out good yeast than have the flucuations stressing the fish and plants...Actually, I will start the new bottle the day before so it's up and running when I need it... I don't buy fancy yeast, just the stuff in the grocery store.....And I don't boil my water before hand... Actually I use cold tap water and it's usually bubbling away within 12hrs, at room temp....
I'm looking to purchase a 125g tank in the very near future, at which time I will switch to pressurized CO2. Right now, with my 29g tank, the DIY is working wonderfully, so why fix what ain't broke...
Another tip, when gluing the tubing to the cap, use "GOOP Adhesive and Sealant" it's available at Walmart and most grocery stores... I read on the net that it is the best glue for bonding plastics, I use it and have had NO leaks.... Also, use silicone tubbing not the vinyl stuff, it won't hold up to the CO2 as well....
I hope some of this helps....Read the above website, it has more about DIY CO2 setups than I ever wanted to know,
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I've never had to glue my caps...I just always drilled a hole slightly smaller in diameter than the flexible airline tubing.. squeeze the tubing through the hole and it seals itself...but it really works best with the blue flexible tubing as pictured in NJDevilsfan's picks.
If you decide to go "pressurized" on the CO2, here's a link of where I got my system.
FloridaDriftwood CO2 regulators and more..
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NJDevilsFan,
Nice looking DIY set-up!
Now - is there a better way to diffuse the CO2
before the bubbles reach the top of the tank?
Can you put a small powerhead near the airstone to scatter the CO2 bubbles? Or, 'compact' reactor? ...just wondering..
Better yet, this is a quote from 'tfish', "Then I bubbled the CO2 into the intake of a small powerhead. Worked like a charm...within hours! Just a tip ....."
The bubbles flowing 'into' the powerhead....
FloridaDriftwood CO2 regulators and more..
--------------
NJDevilsFan,
Nice looking DIY set-up!
Now - is there a better way to diffuse the CO2
before the bubbles reach the top of the tank?
Can you put a small powerhead near the airstone to scatter the CO2 bubbles? Or, 'compact' reactor? ...just wondering..
Better yet, this is a quote from 'tfish', "Then I bubbled the CO2 into the intake of a small powerhead. Worked like a charm...within hours! Just a tip ....."
The bubbles flowing 'into' the powerhead....
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I used the glue because I was paranoid about leaks, but when I made my reactor I didn't glue and it seems to be sealing just fine...Of course it's not under the same pressure...
FYI, Right now my pH is at 7.0, which is exactly where I want it, kh is 7...Only thing different is the reactor...that was $30 and 20 minutes well spent...
FYI, Right now my pH is at 7.0, which is exactly where I want it, kh is 7...Only thing different is the reactor...that was $30 and 20 minutes well spent...
I am using a DIY systemn myself for my 29Gal.
I have flourite in the substrate and use the venturi intake on my powerhead 201 to "pull" the CO2 from the bottle (through a check valve of course). The powerhead does a nice job of shooting the microfine bubbles of CO2 throughout the tank.
I can't get the picture to turn out, but I have the powerhead in the deep back corner and a chunk of driftwood to obscure it from view, but still leave a path accross the back wall of the tank.
The system works great with 96 ounces of water (3/4 gallon), 1 cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of active yeast (which I also use in my breadmaker). I get 30 to 45 days of solid production, and by 60 days the production is almost 0. I use a twin bottle setup so I can add the new bottle at 30 days and then remove the dead bottle at 45 days and recharge the solution.
Also, one last note, if your line gets blocked up, the bottle pressure can cause an explosion, so a non-glued line has the possibility to blow out as a pressure release instead of the bottle popping. As long as the solution is only about 3/4 of the total volume it shouldn't spray out the hole like champagne.
I have flourite in the substrate and use the venturi intake on my powerhead 201 to "pull" the CO2 from the bottle (through a check valve of course). The powerhead does a nice job of shooting the microfine bubbles of CO2 throughout the tank.
I can't get the picture to turn out, but I have the powerhead in the deep back corner and a chunk of driftwood to obscure it from view, but still leave a path accross the back wall of the tank.
The system works great with 96 ounces of water (3/4 gallon), 1 cup of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of active yeast (which I also use in my breadmaker). I get 30 to 45 days of solid production, and by 60 days the production is almost 0. I use a twin bottle setup so I can add the new bottle at 30 days and then remove the dead bottle at 45 days and recharge the solution.
Also, one last note, if your line gets blocked up, the bottle pressure can cause an explosion, so a non-glued line has the possibility to blow out as a pressure release instead of the bottle popping. As long as the solution is only about 3/4 of the total volume it shouldn't spray out the hole like champagne.