I have a 15G 'long' plant grow-out tank, no fish, no air, no pumps. 3WPG of cool white flourescent (for now)
I also have 3-5 PSI CO2 available from a 30lb tank pushing a beer keg. The CO2 tank is ~30' away from the plant tank. Both are in the basement.
I'm thinking...tee off the CO2 and run some over to the plant tank. Not looking for optimum levels, just a bit of help. I'm also frugal AND I like engineering things.
30' of good airline is pretty cheap, and cheap to replace...or if that's gonna be too much restriction I could maybe go with 1/4" line for a few more $$$...Run the CO2 into an airline check valve, then an inexpensive plastic needle valve (to try it)...then into either:
-a hagen bubble ladder...or
-the air input from a Penguin 660R powerhead (which I just happen to HAVE already)
The 660 would add circulation to the tank which it doesn't have and could probably use. I'd run the powerhead and CO2 24/7. I'd use the plastic needle valve that comes with the 660R air intake kit...
None of the plants are expensive and there are no fish to kill.
Thoughts/problems/warnings?
I'll be interested to see how the plastic needle valve lasts with CO2.
Worst case? 30lb of CO2 should be about 270 Cu ft and IIRC it's heavier than air...so I shouldnt sleep directly on the basement floor? If the whole tank dumped it would be less than a foot of CO2 on the floor...in theory...
on the other hand...i've had CO2 in the house for >3 years, no problems. It's just always been going from point A-B about 3 feet....not 30 feet around the room.
--Don
I also have 3-5 PSI CO2 available from a 30lb tank pushing a beer keg. The CO2 tank is ~30' away from the plant tank. Both are in the basement.
I'm thinking...tee off the CO2 and run some over to the plant tank. Not looking for optimum levels, just a bit of help. I'm also frugal AND I like engineering things.
30' of good airline is pretty cheap, and cheap to replace...or if that's gonna be too much restriction I could maybe go with 1/4" line for a few more $$$...Run the CO2 into an airline check valve, then an inexpensive plastic needle valve (to try it)...then into either:
-a hagen bubble ladder...or
-the air input from a Penguin 660R powerhead (which I just happen to HAVE already)
The 660 would add circulation to the tank which it doesn't have and could probably use. I'd run the powerhead and CO2 24/7. I'd use the plastic needle valve that comes with the 660R air intake kit...
None of the plants are expensive and there are no fish to kill.
Thoughts/problems/warnings?
I'll be interested to see how the plastic needle valve lasts with CO2.
Worst case? 30lb of CO2 should be about 270 Cu ft and IIRC it's heavier than air...so I shouldnt sleep directly on the basement floor? If the whole tank dumped it would be less than a foot of CO2 on the floor...in theory...
on the other hand...i've had CO2 in the house for >3 years, no problems. It's just always been going from point A-B about 3 feet....not 30 feet around the room.
--Don
