[George]

I have two units in my Juwel Rio 125. I use supermarket yeast (activator) and bi-carbonate of soda (stabiliser). They're much cheaper and it allows me to increase the co2 output by adding more yeast. I change the solution every 14-20 days and have acheived wonderful results. I use nearly half teaspoon of yeast, level teaspoon of bicarb, fill just over the line with sugar and over the line with water (slightly warmer than tepid which gets the bubbles started much quicker). The bubbles are flowing normally after 2 hours, max flow after 3 days, constant for about 10 days then slowly dwindling after 14. I change the mixture when there are 3 bubbles or less in the diffuser. HTH

 

[observant_imp]

I found this on another forum and the person who submitted it got pooh-poohed a little, but I decided to try it anyway. It's working for me.

Use lightly packed dark brown sugar instead of white sugar in the recipe that most of us seem to be using. I've no doubt I will need to redo much more often, but after a week I'm still getting a bubble every 2-3 seconds. This is more like what I was getting during the summer when the house was warmer. Now that it's cooled off, I was only getting a bubble every 7-9 seconds with the white sugar. My plants have really perked back up.

Cheryl H

 

[amanda huggenkiss]

Interesting. Thanks Cheryl. I'll have to give the brown sugar a try in one of my units. I've got two on my 29g so I can run them side-by-side and see how they compare.

 

[observant_imp]

Amanda,

I do put my finger over the tip and gently invert the bottle twice to give it a little start on mixing. Probably a little more necessary with the packed brown sugar than the white.

 

[Momotaro]

Too bad this wasn't posted a day earlier, I just bought a pound of white sugar! I am going to have to give the brown sugar a try.

I give the Hagen canister a good shake. I figure it helps aerate the whole solution.

Mike

 

[amanda huggenkiss]

I always give it a good stir.

I'm thinking this'll be a good way to get rid of the hard brown sugar that I don't want to bake with! roud:

(I need to get one of those little brown sugar savers!)

 

[Kris]

did you run the two side-by-side,amanda? how did it compare?
after the KU-COL game, i am running to the supermarket to buy some supplies and so i wanted to know...brown or white sugar?

 

[supaoopa]

I'm sick of my hagen packets. :icon_conf The second batch i just put in the canister hasn't produced anything. tHe first batch only lasted about 2 weeks.

How long does a average recipe last with champaine yeast?

 

[WolverineFan]

What I want to know is it easy to find champaign yeast locally or do you have to order it?

 

[critrcrazy]

I am trying Anona's recipe using champagne yeast.

I will update!

Mike

So Mike...what were the results??? Inquiring minds would like to know

 

[Momotaro]

The champagne yeast works very well!

I have had the best results with champagne yeast. I tried a beer yeast, and that one was also thumbs up, but the champagne yeast seems a little more consistent over a longer period of time.

Mike

 

[Kris]

i like the brown sugar better than white...

 

[uncskainch]

Hagen w/ 29 gallon?

I'm planning to add CO2 to my 29 gallon. Will the Hagen system with a homemade yeast mixture suffice for that size tank? Thanks for any advice!

 

[Thanks]

i got sick of having my DIY bottle leak... so i re-hooked up the hagen bottle.
im amazed. with my recipe (i use redstar active dry), i get 1 bubble every 4 seconds on my 37 gallon... i run it into my filter intake. Today, for the first time in a while, my plants started pearling like crazy. Even the Anubias nana. It's flower has constant streams of bubbles... the rummynoses love swimming through them.

PS. Im thinking about adding another bottle... 1 bubble every 2 seconds with 95% dissolving efficiency... sound good? I dont want to overkill on CO2

 

[Momotaro]

It also goes to prove the hobby is in a constant state of flux, that ideas and perceptions are constantly changing as new information become relevant.

Mike

 

[supaoopa]

Hey where exactly do you buy champagne yeast? Online?

 

[uncskainch]

Yeast

I haven't gotten my CO2 started yet, but I do brew beer at home and www.ebrew.com (Alternative Beverage) carries wine-making supplies as well as beer brewing supplies. Here's a link to the champagne yeast: http://www.ebrew.com/wine/wine_yeast.htm#L-EC

I suppose one could COMBINE home brewing and aquarium enthusiasm to hook up the CO2 system to a brewing batch of beer, but somehow I suspect that 5 gallons of fermenting stout might throw off a bit more CO2 than my 29 gallon tank really needs. You'd also have the problem of needing to have a batch brewing constantly...but then that's not really so much of a problem, really, is it? :wink:

Will the Hagen do the trick for a 29 gallon, using a home-made yeast recipe? I saw elsewhere that it was only recommended for tanks up to 20 gallon, but then I've seen a lot of people here using it for 30+ gallon tanks. Thanks for any info!

 

[rwong2k]

I'm curious how long do these recipe last?

my 2 tanks are about 15 feet apart and I'm considering buying a manifold,difussor/reactor+bubble counter for my current co2 system to split it or just to grab one of those hagen co2 system it's $30 CND compared to $90 CND ish, hmm decisions...

oh the new tank's a 21 gallon tank


Raymond

 

[cake fan]

This is a great thread btw roud:

I have a small question, what is the approximate temp of the water you're adding? (or cold/warm/hot ?)

 

[Kris]

i boil the water and add the sugar and then let it cool to room temp.
i live in texas too, so sometimes "room temperature" means that it goes in the fridge for a bit if the kitchen has taken a bit to cool back down!