DIY CO2 in a large Tank?

Blinky said:
I aim to go pressurized eventually, but for now I use DIY on my 65g with good results. I find the key to keeping the levels as consistant as possible is changing the mix every week - I mix up new bottles, let them sit overnight, and then switch them over at the same time I do my water change each week.
It takes six 2L bottles to keep the CO2 around 35ppm, and I'm certain if I added up all the sugar and yeast over a year pressurized is cheaper, but it'll have to wait - I just spend all our 'extra' cash setting up a nano reef :D.
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The yeast company must love you :)
 
phanmc said:
I think he's asking how long a pressurized CO2 tank will last, which depends on the size of the tank. If you go with a 5 lb tank it should last for at least half a year, much longer if you have a PH controller.
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I am talking about my pressurized Co2 tank! And I use a ph controller set to have a Co2 level of about 25ppm.
 
ashdavid said:
I am talking about my pressurized Co2 tank! And I use a ph controller set to have a Co2 level of about 25ppm.
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:soda: You're a special case, your tanks are bigger than my room. I'm assuming that 20 lb tank is fueling all of your tanks?
 
No, I have one one 20 lb bottle on each tank, but it is the 400g that constantly needs replacing. I have great plant growth, that needs trimming every couple of days to a week to keep it looking respectable. :soda:
 
But for a 55 gal tank a 5lb bottle should last half a year or so?

Also, what kind of diffuser are you using to get the CO2 into the water?
 
I run two 55's off of a 20# bottle and it's good for close to 5 months. Having to change bottles every couple of weeks sounds to me like there may be a leak somewhere along the line.
The reason that DIY is considered impractical is that the time used mixing yeast/sugar and setting up bottles gets really old, really quickly in a large tank(s).
Using Blinkey's method or setting up fresh bottles weekly at a rate of 50% of the bottles will act to maintain an even flow of gas and keep levels very consistent if your mix is consistent.
If you intend to go the DIY route, I suggest that you research the options for injecting and use the most efficient for your application. A good reactor makes all the difference in the world.

Len
 
I was planning on using the instructions outlined here. Is this method efficient enough or would you suggest something different?
 
That is a very nice treatise on DIY/CO2. Everyone adds little tweaks to the published stuff to improve flow for them, but it's a good starting point.
The Fourmost Bulkhead taps are something that I highly recommend. I had zero leakage once I started using them.
When/If you do order them, order a bunch as the shipping for 2 sets of them is the same for a dozen and they are dirt cheap to buy. Very effective little gadgets.

Len
 
I used two 3-liter Coke bottles on my 55g tank. I kept them in a 5g bucket of water heated(90-95F) with a small 25w heater and they lasted about 2-2.5 weeks before needing a recharge. The type of yeast you use does make a difference. Breadmaker yeast is the most practical, though wine maker's yeast lasts much longer as it is able to survive higher alcohol levels produced from the fermentation process. You'll also get much better results if you use a diffuser/reactor rather than just an airstone tossed into the tank...and check-valves are a must!
Recharging the bottles every couple of weeks does get old, however. Pressurized is definitely the way to go.
 
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