DIY CO2 questions

[Merth]

Its not exactly pretty but for free it works. I kept mine whole so I could use it as a bubble counter as well as diffuser. The syringe is available at any pharmacy I would think. Mine is a 10 ml version made for administering meds orally to babies. Good thing about these is no needle to deal with.

[Hoppy]

Originally Posted by P015

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/item.aspx?itemid=23369

Quite a few Kynar check valves, which size should I order Hoppy?

1/8 inch is the best size for CO2 system tubing. I'm almost sure that's the size I use.

[beedee]

Originally Posted by Merth

here is a pic of syringe diffuser method:

im using a syringe and a check valve as a bubble counter, works pretty good.

what did you stick in the end of the syringe to diffuse the co2?

[Merth]

Im just using plain cotton balls currently til i can get to the store and get some cotton pads, stuffed inside a short piece of hose stuck into end of syringe

[captainaqua]

hi gang. If I am allowing the CO2 into a cannister filter do I need to be concerned about this @ nighttime ? I have a 75 gallon planted tank running a 2217 E-heim cannister filter. Other than disconnecting the hose manually when the lights go out what are my choices?

[ADJAquariums]

Originally Posted by P015

Hey ADJ, where did you buy the check valves for the DIY Co2? I know you can order them online, but was wondering if lowes or home depot might carry them? What is the Syringe method to diffusing it Merth?

Sorry im so late here and for bringing this bad boy back up but i got mine at petsmart

[Darkblade48]

Originally Posted by captainaqua

hi gang. If I am allowing the CO2 into a cannister filter do I need to be concerned about this @ nighttime ? I have a 75 gallon planted tank running a 2217 E-heim cannister filter. Other than disconnecting the hose manually when the lights go out what are my choices?

The short answer is..."it depends"

If you have an extremely heavy plant load, the amount of CO2 they make at night could push it over the limit for fish (depends on their sensitivity, etc).

However, this problem is more common with pressurized CO2 and not DIY CO2. You did not mention how many bottles of DIY CO2 you are running, but it is doubtful that it will generate enough CO2 at night.

If you are concerned, you could put an air pump with airstone on a timer so that it comes on at night, but again, unless you are running a large number of bottles on your 75 gallon aquarium, you should be fine.

[ADJAquariums]

Hmm it doesnt appear like my Co2 bottles are producing any CO2 unless i shake it rigourously for like 10 minutes and then its only like 5 minutes its going, im using 1/2 tsp of yeast and Baking soda, 2 cups of sugar, 2L of warm water and waiting an hour for the yeast to acctivate, anyuthing wrong here or is it my flaw? might try shortining the tubing from generator to my second bottle where the CO2 gets seperated from any bad "stuff that comes with it

[Darkblade48]

Originally Posted by ADJAquariums

Hmm it doesnt appear like my Co2 bottles are producing any CO2 unless i shake it rigourously for like 10 minutes and then its only like 5 minutes its going, im using 1/2 tsp of yeast and Baking soda, 2 cups of sugar, 2L of warm water and waiting an hour for the yeast to acctivate, anyuthing wrong here or is it my flaw? might try shortining the tubing from generator to my second bottle where the CO2 gets seperated from any bad "stuff that comes with it

How long has your DIY CO2 been going for? After 2-3 weeks, it is time to replace the mixture.

[ADJAquariums]

I just started it yesterday, got no results from the reactor, restarted it today in hopes it was some simple error, 6 hours later absolutely nothing

[Merth]

I use boiling water in bottle first then add sugar let this cool to warm...in meantime I mix a tsp of yeast with a cup of warm water and a pinch of sugar. When bottle is just warm add the mix, cap and shake a bit then hook it in. Starts producing in an hour or two depending how much water is in line that it has to force back into tank

[Hoppy]

Usually when you see no CO2 production you have a CO2 leak, which could be at the bottle cap, or anywhere beyond that up to the bubble counter. The seal where the tube enters the bottle cap isn't good for much pressure, so a sticking or backwards check valve makes it leak there, or a sintered glass diffuser may take too much pressure to get gas flow through it, causing a back pressure and leak.

[Tomas4444]

Originally Posted by Hoppy

Usually when you see no CO2 production you have a CO2 leak, which could be at the bottle cap, or anywhere beyond that up to the bubble counter. The seal where the tube enters the bottle cap isn't good for much pressure, so a sticking or backwards check valve makes it leak there, or a sintered glass diffuser may take too much pressure to get gas flow through it, causing a back pressure and leak.

I think I may have this problem... I am using 3 two liter bottles with airline tubing pulled though the cap and sealed with silicone. I am getting a few bubbles through my counter (maybe 5 or 6 per min), but not as many as I would expect given 3 fresh bottles. Plus, if I shake the bottles I catch a whiff of fermentation (that putrid/overly sweet scent). Does anyone know a better way to seal 2 liter bottles? Would epoxy be a stronger seal?

And a totally unrelated question...
I have a 29 gallon moderately planted aquarium (same one as above) on which I am trying a DIY CO2 with a glass & ceramic diffuser. However, I use hang on back filters. I've read that the surface turbulence from these filters dissipates the CO2 from a DIY system so rapidly I may be wasting my time. Does anyone have a success story with HOB filters and DIY CO2?

Thanks

[Tomas4444]

Originally Posted by ADJAquariums

Hmm it doesnt appear like my Co2 bottles are producing any CO2 unless i shake it rigourously for like 10 minutes and then its only like 5 minutes its going, im using 1/2 tsp of yeast and Baking soda, 2 cups of sugar, 2L of warm water and waiting an hour for the yeast to acctivate, anyuthing wrong here or is it my flaw? might try shortining the tubing from generator to my second bottle where the CO2 gets seperated from any bad "stuff that comes with it

I use the same mixture as you. If you ever need to test a bottle, fill a pot with warm water (~95 degrees) and let the bottle float in it (without tipping over) for a few minutes. Yeast metabolism goes absolutely gangbuster with a slight increase in temperature (that's why we use it make bread rise quickly in an oven). If you still don't see any bubbles after a good 20 minutes, the mix is used up or the bottle is leaking. I can get lots of bubbles using this method even when I freshly mix a batch and test it less than an hour later.

[Tomas4444]

Here is my set up. Let me know if the pic doesn't work...