DIY CO2

[nitro]

Im looking into DIY CO2 because i dont have a lot of money being a student to get aproper CO2 unit.

You need Yeast, sugar,water as the ingridients right?
Do you attach tubing from the bottle top and then put the other end into the water?

Help....
Confused

 

[DivaSkyChick]

This link has a nice diagram http/www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/co2-faiz.html

This link has instructions: http/www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/co2-narten.html

This one has photos and instructions! http/fish.orbust.net/carbondioxide.html

And this link tells you what happens when you do it wrong... lol

http/www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/yeast-disaster.html

Good luck!

Btw, I don't know what your cost parameters are but Hagen makes a simple one that many people find work just fine, for about $20 us online...
http/shop.store.yahoo.com/pet-guys/-015561176900.html

 

[nitro]

Thanks for the links Dixy i will read up tomorrow morning.

 

[J0hnny]

It's pretty simple to make, here are some pictures of the co2 unit I just made yesterday.

http/www.thatsmytank.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=13

 

[nitro]

Very good info i all the links.

Would i need to buy a CO2 test kit?

 

[Stryker]

I use a co2 test kit by "sera". At first I thought "oh poop what have I bought?" but its damn good!

Its only a rough indicator of CO2 content, however the test is in the form of a small container that holds some chemical and goes in the tank. (sticks to the tank side) thus you have an indicator of CO2 content 24/7. (the chemical turns deeper green with more CO2 present). Its ideal if your doing DIY co2 where there are no needle valves of precision measuring kit involved to regulate CO2.

 

[George Farmer]

The best way to test for co2 IMO is to buy a good pH test kit and KH kit. Then look up on a pH/KH/CO2 table. I have good results with the Nutrafin liquid kits. Their pH low-range (6.0 - 7.6) does 225 test for about £5. GH/KH kit is about £7 I think.

 

[nitro]

Hi gf225

I have 2 pH test kits at the moment.

I will purchase a GH/KH test kit because mine at the mo only goes upto 16KH i think.

So i do not need at CO2 test kit if i have GH/KH and pH test kits because i ca work out the CO2 content from looking at a table right?

 

[George Farmer]

That's right, you won't need a co2 test, you'll get a more accurate result too using seperate pH/KH depending on how accurate your pH and KH measurements are.

You say your KH kit only goes upto 16 degrees, that's really high, are you sure you don't mean a GH of 16. I live in your area and my tap water is pH 7.8, KH 7, GH 15.

The Nutrafin (and most liquid GH/KH kits) kit works by counting the drops it takes to turn the liquid from one colour to another. The drops are multiplied to give a reading in ppm or mg/l, this is then divided by 17.9 to give degrees hardness.

 

[nitro]

are you sure you don't mean a GH of 16

Sorry about the mistake. Yeh it is the GH that only goes upto 16.

 

[George Farmer]

No worries, let us know how you get on with the co2. I've had excellent results with the Nutrafin units using my own recipe of yeast, sugar and bi-carb. I have a Juwel Rio 125 with 2 units and they give me plenty of co2. They may cost more than DIY but at only £15 they're good value and the diffuser supplied is excellent.

 

[Jen]

How often do you need to replace the sugar/water/yeast mixture?

 

[vidiots]

Here is a good site to read about DIY CO2: http/www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html

Its more info than you ever wanted to know, but explained so that even us simpletons can understand it.

 

[George Farmer]

How often do you need to replace the sugar/water/yeast mixture?

about every 10 days to keep the levels high enough

 

[nitro]

Just an update.

I should be starting DIY CO2 this weekend.