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co2

456 views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  stagger 
#1 ·
Hey Guys, wonder if you can give me some advise here... I have a 20 Gal tank that I hooked up DIY Co2.
The tank has a Fluval 204 canister.

Im getting a bubble every 5 secs or so, using a Hagan Ladder diffuser.
The bubbles are riding up the ladder and after they exit the top the ladder, the bubble floats to the top of the water and pops.

I used 1 cup of sugar, and about 1/2 ~ 3/4 Teaspoon yeast, filled the 2 liter with warm water (wasnt too hot to kill the yeast), yeast dissolved quickly. took about 2 hrs to get the first bubble to show in the tank.

So my questions is: How long before I shoould see my Co2 levels climb?
I tested the PH about an hr after the first bubbles started showing in the ladder, and the PH was 7.6 (My normal PH for tank), almost 4 hrs later (last 2 of the hrs the lights were off) and my PH is still 7.6. I dont have too much surface agitation.

Am I doing something wrong?
 
#2 ·
One bubble every 5 seconds going thru an inefficient reactor isn't going to have much effect on the pH. You need at least one bubble per second, 5 times what you have, and probably even more. I used to get a bubble per second from a 3 liter bottle with 3 cups of sugar and 3/8 tsp of yeast. You should have 2 cups of sugar and less yeast - 1/4 tsp spoon would work fine. But, DIY just isn't going to be as effective as pressurized unless you use a couple of 2 liter bottles with staggered start times, and a good, efficient reactor.
 
#4 ·
...Im getting a bubble every 5 secs or so, using a Hagan Ladder diffuser. The bubbles are riding up the ladder and after they exit the top the ladder, the bubble floats to the top of the water and pops...
The Hagen ladder needs some "break in time" before it works right. For the first day or so when the bubbles get to the top of the ladder; they just go straight to the surface with very little CO2 dissolved into the water. After the ladder gets a little "gunk" on it, the bubbles are tiny when they come off of the top of the ladder. There are usually many small bubbles on the upper tiers of the ladder. This means it's working.
 
#6 ·
Thanks Left c, I will see what happens after a day or two.

So I guess I need to get some more sugar going in the container, and shoot for 1 bubble a sec right?
Are you using the Hagen container? If you are, just put the sugar level to the line.

If you are using a larger jug, bottle, etc. you can add more sugar if you like. But be careful that you get so much stuff in your bottle, etc. that it overflows into the tank. You'll have a mess then!
 
#9 ·
Im using a gatorade bottle that is slightly less than 2 liters (1.89 L) seems to have a nice solid base thats why I choose this bottle type. I also made sure my seal was good and tight, as I ran aquarium caulk around the tubing to make a good seal.

I will add more sugar and see what happens.

Im doing the DIY as a test, I have a brand new 10LB Aluminum tank, with regulator and solinoid, I just havnt gotten off my lazy butt yet to go have it filled :sleep:
 
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