The bubbles that get smaller and smaller are pure CO2 gas which forms carbonic acid in water and that is why they appear to shrink as they ionize. In the beginning when you first set up the Hagen or change the mix in it, most of those bubbles are Nitrogen gas which is very insoluble in water and that is why they don't shrink. It takes time for enough CO2 to build up and displace all the Nitrogen.
Hagen CO2
- Thread starter Brandonv19
- Start date
another thing i was wondering is, should i have stirred the mixture up or just left it? the instructions didnt say anythign about stirring it so i didnt, so i added the sugar, then there 2 additives then the water and hooked it up
Brandonv19,
Take it from me. DIY on a 29 gallon will get tedious after a while.
I did DIY for almost a year. It was a nightmare, but, I couldn't afford a pressurized system at the time.
I bought the Hagen co2 setup and used it first on a 20 gallon long. That wasn't so bad. Actually, the DIY worked very well. Unfortunately, when switching to a 29 gallon, I couldn't use the reactor anymore (Hagen co2 setup is for 5 to 20 gal. tanks) and so I started using 2 (2) liter bottles, DIY yeast mix, and the ladder to get better results. There was a lot of co2 fluctuations. Finding the right yeast mixture took a long time, and the mixture only lasted about a week (for me, at least). You have to fiddle with the thing to get a good batch to work (some people have been successful at this). When you do make a good batch, you should see bubbles within a few hours. Don't use Hagen's yeast. Most of the time, their yeast is just crap, and on top of that, expensive.
If you can, start saving for a pressurized co2 setup. It'll save you a lot of time and money in the long run. I use pressurized, and the co2 is always consistent using the Hagen ladder.
Before injecting co2 into your tank, you should first test for Kh and Ph. Your Kh should be 3 or above. Anything below 3 will cause ph swings that can be harmful to your fish. You should understand the relationship between Kh and Ph in order to achieve good co2 concentration for your plants (depending on wpg), but safely for the fish.
HTH
Lissette
Take it from me. DIY on a 29 gallon will get tedious after a while.
I did DIY for almost a year. It was a nightmare, but, I couldn't afford a pressurized system at the time.
I bought the Hagen co2 setup and used it first on a 20 gallon long. That wasn't so bad. Actually, the DIY worked very well. Unfortunately, when switching to a 29 gallon, I couldn't use the reactor anymore (Hagen co2 setup is for 5 to 20 gal. tanks) and so I started using 2 (2) liter bottles, DIY yeast mix, and the ladder to get better results. There was a lot of co2 fluctuations. Finding the right yeast mixture took a long time, and the mixture only lasted about a week (for me, at least). You have to fiddle with the thing to get a good batch to work (some people have been successful at this). When you do make a good batch, you should see bubbles within a few hours. Don't use Hagen's yeast. Most of the time, their yeast is just crap, and on top of that, expensive.
If you can, start saving for a pressurized co2 setup. It'll save you a lot of time and money in the long run. I use pressurized, and the co2 is always consistent using the Hagen ladder.
Before injecting co2 into your tank, you should first test for Kh and Ph. Your Kh should be 3 or above. Anything below 3 will cause ph swings that can be harmful to your fish. You should understand the relationship between Kh and Ph in order to achieve good co2 concentration for your plants (depending on wpg), but safely for the fish.
HTH
Lissette
yeah i cant afford pressurized right now, what the price of one? they dont seel them on big als right?
I don't think Big Al's carry co2 tanks. At least, not that I know of. It's too heavy an item for shipping. However, there are a lot of other places on the Internet that sells them. Check out Ebay and compare prices.
You can also look in the yellow pages under fire extinguishers, and welding shops. You might find one near you that will either sell you a tank, or rent it out to you. Do a search on this forum and read other member's posts on where you can purchase a tank and about refills.
A 5lb tank can cost $50 to $75, depending on where you go.
Lissette
You can also look in the yellow pages under fire extinguishers, and welding shops. You might find one near you that will either sell you a tank, or rent it out to you. Do a search on this forum and read other member's posts on where you can purchase a tank and about refills.
A 5lb tank can cost $50 to $75, depending on where you go.
Lissette
