# Do I have all I need for DIY CO2?



## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

stopped by petland today (normally accross town but close to where im currently working) so I went to grab stuff for some DIY CO2. 

Want to make sure I got it right off the top of my head or if I am lacking something?
-tube
-airstones
- y connectors
- one way stop valve

bottle from home, superglue


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## DR1V3N (Apr 22, 2010)

Sounds about right as long as you've factored in sugar and yeast or jello if you're going down that route .

You may want to check to make sure your airline tubing is CO2 resistant. If it's silicone you're set.


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

When you buy the yeast buy champagne yeast. It works the best and lasts the longest. I also found a pinch of baking soda helped the mixed.


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## Petah (Dec 19, 2010)

Another bottle to use as a bubble counter


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

Petah said:


> Another bottle to use as a bubble counter


How does that work?


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## Petah (Dec 19, 2010)

It will be easier if i take a picture when i get home and post it here.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

You'll definitely want a bubble counter, it will also prevent the co2 solution from going into your tank if it overflows, which happens time to time.

- Feed bottle one into a 600ml bottle, with the air line going all the way almost to the bottom of the bottle.
- Have airline two going into the same 600 ml bottle, but only have it sticking out of the top, fill with water so it's over air line one.

It's easier to see a pic then read an explanation, but basically airline one will cause bubbles to appear, and airline two will let the co2 out into your tank.

As I said, it's important that you do this not only to see how many bubbles per second you have, but to allow an excess co2 solution to fill into the bubble counter instead of your tank.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Here's a diagram someone drew up:

http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/bigdiyco255.jpg


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

I hope the air stones are for degassing at night, not as a means for the co2 to dissolve in your tank water. They don't do well with the low pressure of DIY, often better to just run the tube facing downwards at the bottom of your intake strainer, or if you can position it right, just next to it so the suction pulls the air bubbles just before they are released.

As for the stop valve, dont use it on the co2, bad idea with co2. If you are worried about the tank at night, degass rather than turn off. the other option is redirecting the co2 via a 2 way valve to a bottle of water , just so you don't lose the all pressure in the line


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

Well I guess I will not use the stones.... As for the valve, I wanted it so my tank doesn't siphon out??? I understood that's how it goes. And the diagram posted doesn't really make too much sense. Something about the reactor is where I get lost. What do you mean by degass? I figured people just cracked the bottle top to prevent pressure build up in the bottle to essentially 'turn it off' at night. Apparently I don't know what I'm doing so some guidance is appreciated


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

you mean check valves then, thats fine, i thought you mean one of those fittings with the knobs to turn off the flow.

as for degassing, its very rare to make a batch too strong for the fish at night, but its something you need to be prepared for if you are experimenting with jello batches. Simple way to do it is use the air stones and an air pump, put it on a timer that starts and hour after lights off and stops an hour or two before.

You do not want to open the bottle, as it sometimes takes a few hours for pressure to build up in the bottle and airline to start supplying the tank again


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

Degassing means to help remove the CO2 build up from the aquarium at night. By increasing surface movement at night, There is more surface movement to help with atmospheric gas exchange. One way people do this is to run an aquarium air pump on a timer as neven explained. 

The gas separator in the photo is to prevent yeast from traveling up the hose and into the aquarium. This can also act as a bubble counter if the tube reaches the water on the bottom. 


I am testing a small 500 ml DIY jello CO2 for my emersed setup. kind of slow actually. 1 bubble every 15 sec. There is not enough surface area for the yeast to feed on.

1/4 cup of sugar
1/2 pack or knox gelatine 
1 cup of water for the gelatine mixed
1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp active dry yeast.
150 ml water to mixed with the dry yeast as the activator.


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

ok so i got the flexible blue airline hose. I have some T connections (might need a couple more maybe?) So if I set up my mixture in a 2L bottle, what would be the BEST mixture of sugar/yeast/baking soda/water for my 55g tank? 

So if I use a 2L bottle, airline running out of it and into a smaller bottle, and an airline running out of it, what is in the 2nd bottle? I am not sure HOW this works as a bubble counter unless there's something in it..... Ok so airline runs out of it (but no line deep into the bottle, just at the cap), and this then I can feed into my tank to the intake of my filter. I do not wish to buy a noisy air pump for my tank so I'll keep surface agitation moderate at all times. 
Do I have it right?


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

EDGE said:


> Degassing means to help remove the CO2 build up from the aquarium at night. By increasing surface movement at night, There is more surface movement to help with atmospheric gas exchange. One way people do this is to run an aquarium air pump on a timer as neven explained.
> 
> The gas separator in the photo is to prevent yeast from traveling up the hose and into the aquarium. This can also act as a bubble counter if the tube reaches the water on the bottom.
> 
> ...


if its too slow try what some others do, get a baking sheet and set the jello in it, then cut them into squares. you can always get a wider mouth juice bottle to make it easier to fill. Next stage after that would be to convert into champagne yeast to see the difference in batch length


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

katienaha said:


> ok so i got the flexible blue airline hose. I have some T connections (might need a couple more maybe?) So if I set up my mixture in a 2L bottle, what would be the BEST mixture of sugar/yeast/baking soda/water for my 55g tank?
> 
> So if I use a 2L bottle, airline running out of it and into a smaller bottle, and an airline running out of it, what is in the 2nd bottle? I am not sure HOW this works as a bubble counter unless there's something in it..... Ok so airline runs out of it (but no line deep into the bottle, just at the cap), and this then I can feed into my tank to the intake of my filter. I do not wish to buy a noisy air pump for my tank so I'll keep surface agitation moderate at all times.
> Do I have it right?


http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/70487-post3.html

some info there. i would multiply it by bottles rather than play with the mix too much, because the sacrifice would be batch length.

I'd say start with 3 2L bottle mixes, see how it goes. YOu will need a drop checker, they are a must imo for diy. shoot for a light green almost yellow solution in the checker

as for offset, i'd recommend change 1 per week, whether its good or bad

Bubble counter has two tubes entering it. The line from the co2 generator goes to the bottom of the bottle. the line to the tank goes to the air gap. You see the actual bubbles rising in the bubble, you'll be able to count them to see if your co2 batches are working fine.

Oh and welcome to the world of diy co2, imo its much more interesting than the set it and forget it co2 cylinders.


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## Petah (Dec 19, 2010)

The check valve is so water doesn't go back into the reactor (the main bottle with the solution). If you turned it around, Co2 wouldn't be able to pass... and it would leave a huge mess. I'll PM you with my MSN if you have any questions.


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

ok time to wake this up as I am trying to put this together and I really think I am missing something.. I have looked at Petah's pictures that he pm'd me, and ive looked at the diagram linked above, and so far I have this as my jump-off point:

2L bottle with yeast mixture.
airline coming out of cap of 2L bottle (not touching solution). 
airline goes to smaller bottle half filled with water, this tube touches water. 
2nd airline coming out of air space in smaller bottle, and out into the water of the tank. I am confused at this stage... I know I have to diffuse the CO2 that should be coming out of this tube at some point, but if I put the bottles too low I get siphoning and if I attempt to put the tube in the intake of my filter I get siphoning... ack. Save me from physics, the physics are out to get me...


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

If you put a check valve in there it will only let the co2 out and nothing in the other direction (ie. water).


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

ah yes I did put in the check valve just now.. ! a

I think I will purchase a bubble ladder for the diffusion.. otherwise... I have it right?


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Sounds like you have it made.


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

I have made many mixtures and I can't seem to get much pressurizing. 
1L bottle
1cup sugar
1/8 tsp of champagne yeast
1/8 tsp of baking soda

Melt the sugar in hot water, allow for it to cool, fill the rest of the 1L bottle up to the part where it starts to curve toward the cap, add my yeast and baking soda and stir.

No leaks in the bottle. Insight please


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

bigger bottle? more dilution for the sugars i think...


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## jlam86 (Dec 7, 2010)

I also have a two liter bottle going ad well. Super slow! I doubled the whole recipe.


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

With typical yeast water you'll have too much fluctuation with just a one bottle set up what you can do is this:

Bottle----check valve >>>-T connector-<<<check valve----Bottle

This way you alternate which bottle you refill, and this will roughly = the same output but less peaks and valleys.

As for diffusion methods, before dropping the cash on a ladder diffuser, try a simple wooden air stone made from basswood/linden/limewood (all the same). They use them for protein skimmers because of the fine bubbles they create. They are fine for DIY unlike typical air stones and have a similar performance level of those ADA ceramic disk nano diffusers


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## katienaha (May 9, 2010)

im not sure what you mean by a wooden airstone neven... post a picture i dont think ive ever heard of one before..


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

Wooden air diffuser:

2 Wooden air diffuser wood airstone air stone sm USA on eBay.ca (item 390166103542 end time 29-Apr-11 18:34:33 EDT)


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## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

I would be very careful with the e-Bay stuff. They have to be lime wood for the very fine bubble. We use them for protein skimmer, I used to supply J&L with 4" tones.

Try the following to be safe:

Wooden Airstones with Adapter (3 Inch)


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