# Does DIY CO2 work for small tanks



## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

Well as a beginner to CO2, I want to try DIY CO2 on my 5g so I went out shopping today to a local store with the most selections of any aquarium stuffs. But when I talk about wishing to buy diffuser, check valve etc., the staff there told me that pop drink bottle system will not have enough CO2 pressure to get the diffuser being able to atomize the gas. He implied it is a waste of effort to try DIY CO2. So my question is, has any one have any success with DIY CO2? I saw all these youtube videos out there that seem to suggest it is a viable option for people with small tanks. My experience at the shop is quite confusing to this newbie of planted tank.


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## Momobobo (Sep 28, 2010)

I've used it on a four gallon and it worked great. My dwarf hair grass grew like mad, as well as all my other plants. He is right to say that the standard diffuser wont work. But a ceramic (and wood I think) air diffuser is a good substitute.


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## PaulCheung (Apr 18, 2011)

I went throught the path from DIY to paint ball bottle and finally settled with 10lb CO2 tank. I think it is hard to make a DIY CO2 as a long term setup since you need to keep refuelling the yeast and sugar solution in a few weeks and no knowing exactly when you should refuel the bottle. It is so easy to put off the work. The inconsistency in the CO2 supplyin DIY will make it hard to successful grow those hight light plants that requires CO2.


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## fxbillie (Dec 12, 2010)

Someone recommends me to try the 'ladder' type of diffuser or even the type with a spinning shaft. Hope these can diffuse CO2 better. I understand the pressurized route is the right way to go in the long run particularly for larger tanks. As a newbie with small tank, I am just thinking to try the DIY route to gain some experience. Learning through pain, LOL. But I may change my mind and going big right away after seeing Ray's awesome tank in person, haha. Thanks for all the advice, guys.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

I think you are taking the right path. I learn by doing and that's part of the fun. I made a DIY co2 system a few years ago. I ended up using an Elite Mini filter to diffuse the co2. A guy on you tube had a video using the Elite Mini and it seemed to work well so I went that route. You hook up the air line to the elite air line intake. It will help suck the co2 out of the bottle. It doesn't make the tiniest bubbles but it did the trick and was cheap. I tried a ceramic diffuser and it didn't work. Not enough pressure.


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## Goldstone (Oct 6, 2013)

A DIY setup is more than enough for 5 gallon setup. You need to be careful not to put to much yeast at once or you will be making way too much C02 and can kill your fish. You can try half a packet of bakers yeast/ 1 tps of baking soda and 2 cups of sugar. If you use Brewers yeast, the mix will last much longer but it will take up to 24 hours before you see any bubbles. If you use the whole packet of yeast you will end up with 3-4 bubbles per sec which is way too much Co2 so be careful. This is the kind of diffuser I use with my DIY Co2 and it works great.

Ceramic Spiro III Aquarium Glass CO2 Diffuser for Plant Skimmer Moss Tank | eBay


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## Tazzy_toon (Jul 25, 2011)

i use diy co2 for my 20 and 10g tanks, i put a bubble counter on my 20g so that i can make sure i get a consistent 1 bubble per second or I change the solution, I want to change to 2 bottles but i don't have the room. It's simple and easy. I use 1cup sugar, 1/2 tsp bakers yeast and 1/2 tsp of brewers yeast. I change it every 2 weeks and a pinch of baking soda. I was shaking it in the bottle, but then i was getting fuzzy stuff on my air stone, so a guy from Rogers Aquatics told me after mixing the water and sugar, to put the yeast right on top and just swirl it a little, then put a pinch of baking soda in. He suggested more square airstone as a diffuser and the bubbles are more consistent and tiny. It's just been about trial and error for me, now i've found something that works, although i want to try a bubble ladder, but too cheap to buy one. lol I haven't noticed a huge difference in my plants because my lights are horrible, but I have noticed the bba slowly disappearing.


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## shady280 (Oct 17, 2011)

On a small tank do you need to turn the co2 off at lights out at all or just let it run thru the dark period? With the excess mess with anything. I think that's what's stopping me from doing co2. I'm never around when the lights go on and off


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

There is no way to "turn off" DIY CO2 since it's being generated by yeast in the dark constantly. The only way to do that is with a solenoid on a pressurized system. You have to run the CO2 24/7 which many view as inefficient. It works well if you want some carbon augmentation, but you never have the control of pressurized. IMO, and in my tanks, I either do Excel (Metricide) or pressurized or not augmentation. I've tried DIY and the amount of work involved is not worth it for the questionably marginal cost savings/improvement over Excel. Only thing is that you can't use Excel with certain plants like Vallisneria, which I don't grow anymore anyway.


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## Tazzy_toon (Jul 25, 2011)

What some people do ( i just started myself ) is they turn on an air stone at night to offset the diy co2.
I know i can use excel, but i often forget to use it. So this works better for me.


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## blurry (May 10, 2010)

I used a DIY co2 on a 10 gallon before, it works but I quickly switched to pressurized after a month in on using it. Its very hard to find a good way to diffuse the co2. What I did was use an ceramic diffuser under a power head so it would diffuse better and get pushed through out the tank. When in a planted tank a timer is your best friend. When your light is off set up a air pump like Tazzy said. Just put on a timer for both and all will be well. More info at http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/planted-tank-specific-13/basic-guide-carbon-dioxide-81/
I also recommend you dose excel or metricide daily with your DIY co2 also.

For diffuser I used the nano ones like this : CO2 Glass Diffuser with Suction Cup for Plant Aquarium Tank | eBay


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