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Clogging DIY co2...

2K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  johnson18 
#1 ·
If my co2 lines in the soda bottle co2 system clogs after the check valve won't the check valve blow before the bottle? Are there any fail safes to keep bottles from exploding? How often should I change the airstone? Do they clo easily or at all? How much damage can those bottles do? Or is it just as mess.... I imagine the too just blows I first or the pressure exploits a weakness in the seal where the line goes in the cal. Does using the sealing-less
Method with the diameter of the hole smaller than the tubing fail before the bottle would explode?
 
#2 ·
If the CO2 line is clogged, then yes, there is the potential for a DIY CO2 pop bottle to explode.

The only real fail safe is to keep up with maintenance, ensuring that the line and/or the airstone does not become clogged.

The airstone probably does not need to be changed, but can use a good cleaning every so often. They will eventually clog if left alone.

In terms of damage; you will have flying pieces of plastic and a large yeast mess to clean up.

The weakest link in your chain of equipment will be the first to go. If (for example) your tubing is not on the check valve perfectly, it is possible that it will pop off, averting a disaster.
 
#4 ·
I can't imagine the need to glue on a check valve to be honest...I guess that is my fail safe. Also, any particular air stone? I just went with the small
Cheaper ones. It sits under a tetra whisper bio bag filter, nothing fancy, I know it is very inefficient, im working on a pair of custom diffusers or I might by some cheap glass ones next paycheck
 
#5 ·
I used to use the cheap airstones as well (when I was using DIY CO2).

For the glass diffusers with the ceramic discs, DIY CO2 may not be able to produce enough pressure for the diffuser to work correctly.
 
#6 ·
Okay, my new aquarium has a powered filter system so I get how I can diffuse it in there, but I also have an acrylic aquarium to build. First of all it's one of those 10 dollar corner aquarium. With an under gravel filter, is there a good way to diffuse co2 in that type of filter?
 
#8 ·
With an undergravel filter (and not a RUGF), you may be better off not injecting CO2 at all, since the surface agitation will quickly off gas any injected CO2.

Also, can you really get too much co2 from te yeast method? Is that possible in a 1.5 to 2.5 gallon tank?? I actually have one bottle running to two different tanks...
Yes, it is possible in smaller aquariums to inject too much CO2 via DIY CO2.
 
#9 ·
I'm running one bottle with 2 cups of sugar and a half teaspoon of yeast rigged up to a T fitting. One house going in a 1.5g the other into a 2.5 g, using an air stone on the end of the hose sitting under/around the filter inlet underwater so it probably isn't putting much viable co2 in the water itself I'm guessing a decent amount is jumping out of the water
 
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