My DIY Co2 system

[PENEJANE]

I just thought I would show you the Co2 system that I am using. I have noticed a difference with in just a week!!! Yet I thought I was going to stuff it up and end up with real bad algae.

the mixture I use is 2 cups sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of yeast (surebake is what I used) and fulled the bottle up to where the bottle starts comming in (about 1 1/2 lts or water).

Be interesting to see what other peoples set ups are

[livebearer_breeder]

Mines very much different, as with just an airstone not much Co2 is dispersed into the water, so there for its not very efficient. I either run the Co2 through the input of my external canister filter, the idea behind that is the impeller in the external canister and the movement of water causes the bubbles to disolve into the water, another idea is to have a cup or long tube plugged at one end, with a hole drilled at the bottom at which the air stone is put in place, and the Co2 rises into the tube and sits there and slowly disolves into the water, with a tap on your tubing you can control how much Co2 is added.

Shae

[PENEJANE]

I know that ther isn't a big amount of Co2 getting into the water but there has been enough to make a difference. Before hand the airstone was sitting under the breeding trap where it was sitting as one large bubble and disolving away. I have only just recently taken the breeding trap out so yes I will have to look at doing it a different way, as you say adding it to the input on my filter which is something that my husband and I will look into

But just wanting to show people how easy it is to set one up and its all done from home so the expence is low

[spooky]

Hey! That's my CO2 setup! I could swear it was still in on my tank last night.

About the diffuser: I used to have the airstone underneath the bottom section of one of those soft-drink bottles (hidden under some java moss). More recently it has just been under some rocks. The CO2 uptake into the water isn't great but the plants are still growing like anything and that hard Dunedin water prevents pH fluctuations so it is pretty much optimal.

[HandS]

I either run the Co2 through the input of my external canister filter, the idea behind that is the impeller in the external canister and the movement of water causes the bubbles to disolve into the water,

Does this have any affect on the media???

[jude]

Can anyone post a diagram of a simple diffuser - I don't want to make holes in my filter hoses so I am interested in the bells style of diffuser. However, I've read both Shae's and Spooky's descriptions and am having trouble picturing it.

Cheers

Jude

[Ira]

No need to put any holes, Jude. Just run the airhose to the intake strainer of the canister and rubber band/cable tie it in place, it should suck any CO2 bubbles up.

[livebearer_breeder]

A much easyier way is to angle cut a peice of air hoseing, and place it inside the intake, that way you have 0% loss of Co2.

Shae

[jude]

Cool, thanks Ira and Shae

Gas inside the filter isn't going to be a problem?

Don't want it burping every so often - my nerves would never stand it :lol: :lol:

Cheers

Jude

[Ira]

You're only going to be putting a bubble every few seconds through it. It won't have a problem.

[livebearer_breeder]

The impeller will dispurse it sufficiently.

Shae

[PETEYPLECO]

On these bottle type DIY Co2's do you have to have some kind of tap to regulate the amount going into the tank or is the feed just based on building pressure to release?

When do you know its time to look at a Co2 system?

[evilknieval69]

hi penejane

just 1 thing how did you seal the air pipe and the lid so no co2 is escaping?? :bounce:

[livebearer_breeder]

Use a 5mm drill bit when drilling the top, then angle cut the 6mm air tubing, fit it through and your done.

Shae

[evilknieval69]

ok i just made 1 dis afternoon and i have just drilled the hole stuck the pipe in and then put wood glue all round it. it is in the garage setting now so it should be sealed but it is just my first 'prototype' with the co2 so better to cum :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[livebearer_breeder]

a sealant doesnt help, as the silicon air tubing is flexable and eventually the sealant brakes or cracks and subsequently can leak. Thats why i just make the hole smaller than the tubing, perfect fit and seal everytime.

Shae

[Luke*]

Just a note here, be careful running your CO2 straight into the filter intake because the CO2 turns into carbonic acid when mixed with water which has abrasive qualities. That's why most city localities chemicals added to the water to raise the pH 7+ so it doesn't wear down the pipes. For one bottle of DIY CO2 i doubt it would be a problem but just beware.

[Dark]

By far the most effective method for diffusing CO2 is the bell method - trapping CO2 underwater and letting it dissolve at a natural rate. Tank water has its own buffers (including hardness) against pH changing rapidly and CO2 in a bell will dissolve at different rates depending on that capacity.

There is also some evidence that it could be the safest method...

CO2 is heavier than air. When it bubbles up out of the water it just sits there on the surface under the rest of the air.

Although we are probably talking quantities of CO2 that are not likely to cause a problem; most of the oxygen you get in a tank is absorbed through the waters surface. The CO2 could potentially form a layer to prevent this happening normally.

One also may find that fish which breath air will be taking breaths with a higher CO2 content than normal.

Again, when talking small scale CO2 I don't think it would be a problem but if you are using diffusion methods that are not 100% effective at consuming and dissolving the CO2 that is where your CO2 goes.

However, as with air, CO2 will also be absorbed when it is sitting on the surface of the water.

And a point or two against the cannister filter intake injection method: firstly you are putting raw CO2 past organisms (bacteria) that probably won't like the initially high pH of the dissolving CO2 (pH4 or so) or be able to breathe should the CO2 get trapped around them, and secondly, if the gas should somehow get trapped around the impella and develop an 'air' pocket, your cannister filter will burn out and die. (I had the

'burn out and die' happen... the first i knew about it was a burning smell )

[suphew]

And a point or two against the cannister filter intake injection method: firstly you are putting raw CO2 past organisms (bacteria) that probably won't like the initially high pH of the dissolving CO2 (pH4 or so) or be able to breathe should the CO2 get trapped around them, and secondly, if the gas should somehow get trapped around the impella and develop an 'air' pocket, your cannister filter will burn out and die. (I had the

'burn out and die' happen... the first i knew about it was a burning smell )

I aways injected my CO2 into the start of the return hose, after the filter and motor. You don't need to use the motor to mix in the CO2 the trip up the return tube does the job nicely. However if you are doing yeast CO2 I wouldn't reccommend doing the filter thing, IMO theres too much risk of either water flowing back up the CO2 tube and causing problems or the injector acting like a venturi and sucking yeast mixture.