Trouble with CO2 DIY system

[Genki]

Okay, so my new tank is -still- empty, but it's coming together. All that's left is the CO2. Which isn't working.

I made a yeast/sugar/water mixture in a 2L bottle, drilled a hole in the top, stuck my air tubing in it, then sealed it with sillicon. The mixture fizzed a little in the bottle, but there isn't a noticable amount of CO2 being released. Can someone help please?

 

[Nisha]

A couple of questions:

How long have you had it setup?
What is the recipe you are using?
Are you seeing any bubbles at all?

 

[JoKeR]

I recently set mine up about a week ago.

its starting to speed it up little y little u gotta give it time. Als what worked for me was putting it more by the surface.

 

[Genki]

About 1tablesppon of yeast, cup and a half of sugar, and about 6 cups of water. Going for 24 hours, no bubbles at all.

Thanks in advance

 

[BobTheDog]

You aren't seeing any bubbles in the bottle or any bubbles coming out into the tank?

Try shaking the bottle some (be careful not to get any of the solution into your airline out of the bottle). It should fizz if it is going. Also, it took mine a day to really get cranked. I don't really get any bubbles in my bottle unless I shake it, however I do get bubbles in my tank but not at a regular rate. It builds up pressure, then bubbles out of the airstone for a while, then stops.

The biggest issue I had was leaks. I ended up having take a large bucket that would hold my bottles, filling it with water and submerging my bottles. Sure enough, it bubbled like crazy around the hole in the lid. Bottle lids are difficult to seal due to the material from which they are made (polyethelene).

Hope some of this helps.

 

[Nisha]

Maybe it's a little too diluted. You can try adjusting your recipe to this one:

5 cups warm water
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp brewer's yeast

One trick that you might also try is to activate the yeast early. Take a small glass of warm water and add a little sugar and the yeast and mix it up good. Then let it sit while you make up the rest of the stuff. Mix both batches in your bottle and you should see results more quickly.

Edit: Also check for leaks. That seems to be the most common problem. Make sure you seal your tubing to the bottlecap with silicone.

Hope this helps.

 

[Genki]

Thanks guys, sure enough, it was a leak. I gave it a good shake and watched the cap where the tube connects, and noticed some fizzing out. I piled a bunch more sealant onto it, and I'll hook it up again tomorrow.

Thanks a bunch for your help!