diy co2 questions

Flying_Diamond

Flying_Diamond

RAWR
Dec 20, 2006
780
0
0
Michigan
i've decided i'm going to give a diy co2 setup a try in my smaller tanks, and i've been reading up about it a lot, but i still have a few questions;

1. does the size of the tank matter for the amount of the mixture?

2. what are some good diffusion methods? i have a couple of airstones, but i've heard some people have problems with them not diffusing well, and i've heard of putting the airline straight into the the filter intake, but i don't understand this method completely; do you literally put the airline into the sides of the intake tube, or do you take the grating off and put it up into the intake that way, or can you just stick it into the top of the filter and push it down by the impeller?

3. how often do i have to replace all of the mixture? i've heard it lasts around 3 weeks usually but will it hurt it to rinse it out and refill it sooner if i'm not sure?

thanks for any help. :thm:
 
I had success with the diy co2. I just used an airstone at the end but now I have the Co2 with a ladder which is much better.
DSC01136.jpg
 
i use a wooden chopstick cut short for a diffuser, works great. i replace it every month since algae will get on it, i used the glass diffusers and some worked and some didnt, not enough pressure on diy for them to work right. the chopstick has a tapered end so it slides right over the hose. i cut up a few dozen and sanded the end down so its tapered.
as for the mixture lasting 3 weeks id say no. it last me about 10 days max. its not doing much after that.
mixture i use is
1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tablespoon yeast
little over half 2 liter full of hot water.

diy isnt recomended for tanks over 30g but some use it on 40g fine. you would need 3 on a 55g to do any good.
 
I wasn't 100% sure my elaborate multiple bottle DIY CO2 system was actually doing anything in my 55g.

I switched to Florin-Axis (an excel equivalent- but different active ingredient).

Don't have to worry about having a tank full of dead occupants if the bottle falls on it's side. Don't have to keep refilling it. Don't have to worry about surface agitation making the CO2 evaporate.

I've only been using it a week or two- it appears to be achieving more growth than I got from DIY CO2... BUT... I also upgraded my lights a week or so before getting the Florin-Axis so it's hard to tell.

A $9 bottle is going to last me a long time so it's not terribly expensive. Mainly it's the peace of mind of knowing I can't kill my fish with it like some of the horror stories I read about DIY CO2 on here.
 
alright. i'll try to find some chop sticks. i'll use an airstone until then and hope it works. any other good diffusion methods?

i'm worried about fish loss too.. any way to avoid that?
 
if it's not something that usually happens easily, i don't think i'll worry about it. i'll just monitor the fish closely. thanks for the help everyone. i'm going to set this up today or tomorrow i think.
 
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