Blueram Posted March 1, 2003 Report Share Posted March 1, 2003 Has anybody purchased the new Nutrafin CO2 Natural Plant System. If so what are the results like? Is it cost effective?? I have read all about DIY CO2 systems at the Krib website and was wondering what results people have had with these on the forum? The problem that I have is that the water in Auckland is really soft and the usage of CO2 in soft water can be disastrous given the possible swings in ph. I really can't afford one of those high tech systems with ph sensors and pressurised CO2 canisters. Any comment would be welcome, but if there is anybody in the Auckland area with a DIY CO2 system running that moment that I could take a look at this would be appreciated. Regards Blueram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shilo Posted March 1, 2003 Report Share Posted March 1, 2003 Hi Blueram, Don't buy a system until you have tried it DIY (only a few $ to set up) and seen if you like the effects. I'm running the "soda bottle" yeast system. It is working well with the plants pearling like they have air stones attached. The current mix of 2 cups sugar, 6 water, 1/4 teaspoon baking yeast and a pinch of bicarbonate of soda lasts about 2 1/2 weeks. I'm just about to try brewers yeast and will get some yeast from a local vintner to try shortly. Brewers and wine yeast have a higher alcohol tolerance so should last longer (a month or 2). To make the bottle I drilled a hole in the top, screwed in a small irrigation joiner and used narrow irrigation tube to the CO2 bell. After trial and error I sealed the joiner in the top with a hot glue gun. Silicon sealant only lasted a few days before it was dissolved by the CO2. The main problem with DIY systems is dissolving the CO2 in the water. An air stone will soon clog. You can inject it straight into a canister filter but you have no control on the amount dissolved this way. There are a few DIY CO2 reaction chamber plans on the web or you can use a bell which is simply a clear inverted container in the tank which the CO2 bubbles up into. The surface area dissolves the gas and any excess escapes. I used a sump so did it a bit differently http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/grantglazer/Aquarium/tricklefilter.htm CO2 will decrease the PH but you can easily correct it. I'm using Kitty Litter mixed with the gravel and this increased the PH from 6.5 (tank water) to 7.5. The use of CO2 has brought it down to a perfect 7 which the CO2 bell keeps constant. Your water will only dissolve so much gas from a given surface area. If you want your plants to pearl then CO2 is only part of the equation. The CO2 will increase the plants growth potential but you also have to experiment with the amount of light and fertiliser in the tank. More CO2 + more light + more fertilizer = more growth. If any of these are lacking growth will slow down and you will probably end up with an algae bloom. After a month of experimenting I think I have it sussed with only brown algae being a problem (currently disappearing). Its all about finding a balance. Lastly before you start the CO2, get as many plants into your tank as you can. This will make finding the balance easier without major algae problems since they will use up the nutrients before the algae. I learnt this the hard way Hope this helps Cheers Shilo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueram Posted March 2, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2003 Shilo, Thanks for the informative advice mate. I really appreciate it. AWASOME FILTER LINK!!!! My tanks have pretty good plant growth without CO2, but I am always looking to improve. Next time your over here at Jansens or Hollywood your more than welcome to come and take a look. Regards Blueram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peet Posted April 7, 2003 Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 I know Ive asked this question before but im always interested in new ideas. I have spent a bit of time trying to DIY CO2 with SodaStream. now before anybody runs out and rips there SS apart a WARNING: CO2 is under very high pressure and is very corrosive so be careful. I was running an SS into a hotwater bottle with a sealed lid, it had an inlet from the bottle and an outlet into the cannister filter return. it had one way valves to stop siphoning or the gas escaping and ajustable valves into the return to regulate flow out of the hotwater bottle. I simply inflated the hotwater bottle every morning before uni, placed a rock ontop let it bubble into the tank. The joy of the system was that it costs $9 for a refill, and I only filled it once in 4 months (had to shut the system down due to move of house) Problems were that the pressure in the hotwater bottle changed so much over the day that it was impossible to accurately set the outlet valve. The corrosive CO2 seriously weakend the hotwater bottle but as under a very low pressure was no threat of explosion. I probably had an excess of C02. Im still keen to try another method, found out that there is portable MIG welders out there that use SS bottles as there CO2 store. I think that these must have a regulator and valve, Does anybody know what these cost, the cost of normal reg for CO2. What about other ideas like the water bottle for cheap CO2. ie some kind of bike pump spring pressurerizer???? Peet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joze Posted April 7, 2003 Report Share Posted April 7, 2003 Last time I made one kids kept fiddling with it so I gave up for a while. What I did was drill a hole in the cap of a soft drink bottle .5 mm smaller than the hosing and forced silicon hose through it. Kept an air tight seal without the need for gluing or siliconing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 Hi Joze That's what I did with all my Co2 stuff. No leakage whatsoever. But, very few people believed me. I use silicone hoses. They are the seals by themselves. I would love to know where I can get a connector from a SS bottle to a normal Co2 regulator. It is not a standard thread, otherwise I would cut it myself. I have a throwaway bottle at the moment. But at $30 a bottle, a bit expensive. Although I can get the same size for $12 at a brewery shop. But the SS bottle would come in handy. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joze Posted April 10, 2003 Report Share Posted April 10, 2003 first thing John Do not throw away the ss bottles you exchange them for a refill. If you already are, my thoughts are with you and your wallet. Now....sitting there this morning I realised something. In camping supply shops they sell a multitude of converters and adapters for gas equipment etc. Because of my engineering skills I am more likely to go to animates and by an injector with all the whizz bangs than mess around with it myself. In other words I really suck at making things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted April 11, 2003 Report Share Posted April 11, 2003 Hi Joze I throw away the "throwaway bottles", Co2 bottles for mig welding. NOT my valuable SS bottles. Below is a pic of what I throw away. Very expensive also. Costs $30 at a gas shop and $12 at a brewery supplier. That's the reason I want a converter for my SS bottle to my regulator. $6 a refill here in OZ. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peet Posted April 12, 2003 Report Share Posted April 12, 2003 There is a post on the krib about ss CO2, but the guys from swedem so difficult to make out what he was saying. Ive done some looking around for 2nd hand fire extinguishers. What so different about the ss fitting john that you cant make your own intermediate coupling between the ss and an ordinary regulator, also where do people pich up there needle valves from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted April 12, 2003 Report Share Posted April 12, 2003 Hi peet First, you have to know the pitch of the thread. Now, the needlevalve comes from a Model petrol motor. A$15. It is a OS model. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Felix Posted June 1, 2003 Report Share Posted June 1, 2003 buy a regulator s/h for oxygen etc. buy a CO2gas bottle fitting adaptor from Norgrens or someplace into gas etc and attach it to the regulator. down here i can get sodastream bottles s/h for $10. get a nail or suchlike and put inside the fitting so it will press open the co2 bottle valve when you screw them together. run a airline from the regulator out to the tank. i can get diffusers if you need them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john1 Posted June 2, 2003 Report Share Posted June 2, 2003 Hi Dr Felix How do you attach ANY regulator to a sodastream bottle????? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hgjansen Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 I live on a farm near Napier. My (70 litre) abundantly planted monobloc tank contains soft rainwater, mixed with spring water (conductivity 600 microSiemens). My diy CO2 system seems to work well, most of the plants just about double in size every 3-4 weeks. The plants prevent nitrites (always nil despite the occasional fish casualty) and help stabilize the pH which is constantly 7.1. --Hans-- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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