How long has this pressure been sustained? Pushing yeast will usually result in a very shortened life cycle thus needed more frequent refills in your bottle. A good and bad situation.
for those diyers out there that want more co2 out of your setup
i recently posted about wanting to double my bps. i was advised to start 2 bottles (which i will do) and it was good advice but wasnt satisfied with that. i felt sure that there was a way to get more production with a single bottle so i did some research. i was using just the regular bakers yeast with sugar and a pop bottle. i then decided to make a better generator which could take high pressure giving me the ability to attach a regulator valve to the top and give me a 3 litre volume instead of 2(used pvc and will provide instructions if anyone wants). after this was done i started playing with the yeast mix. this time i used 1 tsp wine yeast, 2 cup brown sugar, 2 tsp yeast nutrient, 1 tsp baking soda, and 2 litres of water. the effects were nearly instantaneous. after 15 mins i was up to 30 bpm!!!! NO JOKE!!!! after 24 hours i am up to almost 4 bps!! again no joke!!! i am very pleasantly surprised! so if ya want more co2 use the afore mentioned recipe and have at er!!
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
A step by step would be good to see. Any pics of the setup? How long have you ran this setup for? +1 gitmoe-sounds like this will run out pretty quick.
Another way to increase the production of CO2 is to use a warm water bath for the bottles to sit in. Cool water slows down the production, so maintaining warm water will maximize the CO2 production. You can do this with an aquarium heater in the water bath, set for 100F or lower temperature. I'm not sure about the upper limit, so you would need to do some research before trying for the upper limit.
this mix is only into its 2nd day now. i have no idea how long it will last but will keep this updated. ill try to get pics of the generator soon but no guarantee. its 4" diameter pvc. i used about 12" long and got an end cap and a threaded lid. drilled a half inch hole in the top, attached 1/2" air line and downsized to 3/8" airline. it runs to a powerhead/vacuum diffusor. ive heard about keeping the liquid warm too and am trying to figure a way to put a heater right inside the generator. ive got more pvc and a submersible heater so i thought id try it next weekend.
so at day 3 the mix seems to have died. (not very surprised) its down to 30-40 bpm now. live hard and die young!! lol. am going to try a variation on this recipe basically halfing the nutrient and sugar and see what happens. today i picked up a simple ball valve to see if i can control the co2 coming out of the generator. if it doesnt work im going to get a regulator. i am going to build the new generator model and will do a step by step with pics soon. it will include a built in heater and either ball valve or regulator.
so... the next gen generator holds 3 litres of water no sweat!!! i still havent figured out wheather a ball valve will work or if i have to use a regulator. updates are coming... unfortunatly, the camera is in the shop due to a drop onto concrete so pics will not be forthcoming... still using 4' PVC but i increased the height to about 18" tall. i found that the threads dont provide an adequete (spelling?) seal so i siliconed it shut on model 1. i am trying to find a rubber seal but no luck so far. the new recipie is putting out about 1.5 bps and has been running for 4 days so far. keep in mind that this is still with a 2 liter water volume and is going to change. 2 bottles are a definite possibility because of sustainability. still experimenting... weeeeeee!!!!!
If you're purchasing more ingredients and bits and pieces, perhaps the money would be better saved for a pressurized system?
I enjoy experimenting too, but I did the math on my costs over a year, plus the hassle factor and pressurized CO2 came out a winner for me.
I enjoy experimenting too, but I did the math on my costs over a year, plus the hassle factor and pressurized CO2 came out a winner for me.
i am starting to lean that way but am still enjoying experimenting. plus the wife doesnt mind the odd 10 bucks here and there but would be choked about 500 for a pressurised set-up! lol
You can build a pressurized system for far under 500 bucks. Plus if you're not in a hurry just start buying parts slowly so the cost doesn't seem so bad. For reference my dual stage regulator setup has only cost me 200 bucks to build..spread out over a 3 month period.
Hmmm. really? what do i need to get? i know i need a regulator and needle valve right? what else?
I agree about the wine yeast because it is more resistant to alcohol so it lasts longer. Also champagne yeast is good, I think it is a lil more bubbly. Has anyone ever drank the leftover brew? I poured it over ice in a highball and gave it to my unsuspecting roommate. He liked it!
I agree about saving money for a pressurized setup. The only parts I payed for were the airline tubing and silicone. I used soda bottles and a bamboo chopstick as a diffuser.
I agree about saving money for a pressurized setup. The only parts I payed for were the airline tubing and silicone. I used soda bottles and a bamboo chopstick as a diffuser.
1 - 12 of 12 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
The Planted Tank Forum
A forum community dedicated to Aquatic tank owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about flora, fauna, health, housing, filters, care, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Recommended Communities
