DIY CO2 - who's used this exact setup, and what improvements/sugg. do you have?

S

slipstreamv2

AC Members
Jul 16, 2007
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Manhattan, NYC / Northern NJ
First off, sploke: thank you for the excellent article (perfect timing for me too!):

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=152401

Now here's the DIY setup I decided to go with -

http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html

I was placing a large bigalsonline order anyway, so I just bought all the parts (except the tower hobbies bulkhead fitting).

For those who are curious, I paid about $35 for everything (except bulkhead fittings and rigid airline tubing).

I'm planning on using it on a 20G long, with 55W of CF lighting. It will be a double bulb enclosure (kit came that way), but 110W would just present too many problems, right?

Any other suggestions/improvements not covered in this article (or sploke's article), or caveats that you've learned while making this C02 generator?

Here's the view:

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explodedsm.jpg
 
Do you have any experience with the DIY one? I feel a bit committed to it, since I bought and can't return the parts, but was curious if there was a huge difference, like 50% more effectiveness lets' say.

Then again, I only have a 20g, so it may not make a difference in this tank?

Also, what do people think long term about the "Goop" (brand? silicone?) vs. the bulkhead connectors? I definitely don't want to use regular silicone as I've heard in the long run, it starts leaking.
 
Well Slipsteam, I have just set up the exact same thing on my 29 gallon. It has been running about 4 weeks now. I don't have the reactor up and running yet, but I also bought all the parts. I personally didn't use any silicone, I just made the holes smaller than the diameter of the tubing. At first I wasn't getting any bubbles, and thought this was why, but it turned out to be the check valve had a crack in it.

Skip the silicone, and just drill a smaller hole. If it leaks you can always try the silicone.
 
I am using similar setup for the generator. For the diffuser, I bough a small canister filter already equipped with filter foam and... a baby milk bottle! - that' what I can find very cheap and simple. No air stone.

I am not sure how efficient the diffuser is in dissolving the CO2 but when I see no bubbles escape from the milk bottle, I assume that CO2 is totally dissolved.

Sorry I am no expert but just want to share.

MY DIY.jpg
 
I didnt click the links, but ive used the EXACT setup in the first pictures (down to orderng the correct Eheim foam) and it works better than any other DIY setup ive ever used short of building my own PVC reactor.
 
Great, thanks guys, this exactly the kind of feedback I was looking for.

J double R, did you also use the exact same R/C plane bulkhead fittings? I want to get this going, and I'm wondering if I can get similar fittings at a hardware store like Lowes/Home Depot.

And I tried looking for the exact Eheim filter pads, but I don't think they're made anymore. So I went with the pads for the Eheim 2227/2229, which are cylindrical in shape, almost the size of the Python tube, but just a bit too small, so that they will fall out...aargh.

Any ideas on how to remedy this? My first thought is to put a ring of filter floss material around it to make it more snug.
 
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