I've just started up a nano planted tank with coarse sand as the substrate. I've just planted some hairgrass and am using JBL fertilizer balls in the substrate. I'm planning on running DIY CO2 when it settles down a bit. The bottle sits on top and will pump CO2 down though the back of the shelf. The airline runs down into the tank where it connects to an airstone under the CO2 bell. I was just wondering if my setup was okay? Also, what proportions of yeast, water and sugar do you other DIY CO2'ers use?

Here are some pics:

Make a better diffuser, can you plumb it up to a external filter?

You may have co2 loss due to pressure around that hot glue on the lid

If you cut the airline tube on a diagonal,

and then drill the hole in the cap 1mm smaller than the tube,

you will have a tight fit with no gas loss.

A simple diffuser is to put a powerhead pump in the tube end of a gravel vac, and a sponge in the wide end, then drill a small hole in the top of the tube at near the powerhead pump end for the CO2 tube outlet. Then the powerhead pump forces the CO2 bubbles through the sponge making them tiny, and they dissolve into the water column of your tank.

Oh an yeh you want to make heaps of tiny bubbles, its all about surface area

I wouldn't use an airstone with DIY Co2, as it creates a white goop around the end of the tube which could block the airstone (and make your bottle explode and spray heinously smelling goo all over the room). I tried DIY Co2 for a few months and didn't notice any discernible difference, then I switched to Flourish Excel and shazam!

What light are you using?

What plants are you putting in?

I was going to set up a nano tank, but I just stole the missus's AR-380 instead .

Hello all. I have this attachment on my internal filter:

Any ideas on what I should do with this? It's only a small 27L tank so I can have anything big in it and I'm not too fussed if it isn't the most efficient method around just as long as it's not horribly wrong. I'm mainly planting hairgrass and possibly Riccia. Here's my thread on the tank: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39299. Also, I'm running those slim flouro lights, going to upgrade soon.

That attachment is perfect for diy co2 tube attachment.

then I switched to Flourish Excel and shazam!

use them both. :bounce:

Yeah, I was thinking aboutrying Flourish Excel, but I like to try new things.

That attachment is perfect for diy co2 tube attachment.

Yeah, but how and what do I do? Rig the tube straight onto that? Direct the flow into a CO2 bell?

Pull the little cap off the air intake nub and add the co2 tube.

Pull the little cap off the air intake nub and add the co2 tube.

But will that be enough?

Enough?

Maybe.

You only have 27L.

Honestly there is not that much space to grow plants in to start with.

I wouldn't think co2 in that small a water column would not be much different from just using Fl. Excel.

Excel would be a lot less hassle imo

Something nobody seems to have mentioned yet - with the yeast mix up high above the tank water level, you will need to make sure it doesn't overflow into the tank. You might be better to bring the bottle down to a similar height to the tank water, to reduce this risk.

Also, the yeast mix will do best if it's kept at a steady, warmish temperature (about 20 degrees). If you can have the bottle up against the tank glass it will benefit from some of the warmth from your heated water. You could also put it near your lights - that will make it warmer during the day which is when the plants will want the CO2 anyway, so works out quite well (as long as the mix doesn't get too hot).

Something nobody seems to have mentioned yet - with the yeast mix up high above the tank water level, you will need to make sure it doesn't overflow into the tank. You might be better to bring the bottle down to a similar height to the tank water, to reduce this risk.

Also, the yeast mix will do best if it's kept at a steady, warmish temperature (about 20 degrees). If you can have the bottle up against the tank glass it will benefit from some of the warmth from your heated water. You could also put it near your lights - that will make it warmer during the day which is when the plants will want the CO2 anyway, so works out quite well (as long as the mix doesn't get too hot).

Good idea Whetu but I'm planning on jamming a breeding tank right next to it soon. Just moving some fish around but the tank will fit perfectly beside it.

I found that running the tubing through an interceptor ( a second smaller bottle with a long "in" tube down to the bottom of the bottle and an "out" tube which is short) stopped the gloop from coming through.

HTH Owen

I found that running the tubing through an interceptor ( a second smaller bottle with a long "in" tube down to the bottom of the bottle and an "out" tube which is short) stopped the gloop from coming through.

HTH Owen

You made a CO2 bong

Update on the DIY CO2:

I was wondering why it wasn't producing any CO2 at the start. I shook up and squeezed the bottle and heard a leak coming from the top. Glue it up good. All seems to be runnings smoothly now, Betta loves to hang out under the bell and occassioanly gulps CO2 like he'd gulp air from the surface. Is this normal? Will test PH soon.

Just shook up and replaced bottle. It smells alot like beer but it tastes far too sweet.

Is there anyway to combine beer production and DIY CO2? Seems like a bit of a waste just tipping my mix down the drain

You tasted it :o ,

you can combine the two but you would need to get a recipie for beer ect then use the waste CO2 from the beer and then get it into the water.....

I didn't mean to :oops: It just smelt really good and then I blew through the line to clear a blockage and then I tasted some...

It's quite ironic that the issue with Global Warming is too much CO2 but the problem in most planted tanks is not enough CO2 :-?

Very ironic , whats your mix BTW

I think it's 2 cups white sugar, 1 tsp yeast and the rest of a 1.25L homebrand soda bottle filled up.

You going to try it?

Maybe............

last time i tried I failed miserably somewhere :oops:

EDIT: turns out I have a homebrand 1.25L bottle sitting in my room :lol: :lol: :lol: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: