Gunk In The Pipe

[JellOh]

I just set up a small DIY CO2 system yesterday, and when I was looking at it today the airline is full of gunk. It looks like animal fat, just in yellow. Is it supposed to be like that? What have I done wrong? How can I fix it?

 

[Aquamaniac]

What type of of diy co2 are you using?
That can happen with diy systems. Beware not to let the gunk flow to the water column.
I never had the problem with my diy system back in the day but if I remember a non-return valve could be used to prevent this.
Anyway I have not used diy co2 in 7 years so wait to see if someone that actually uses the system can help you.
Just don't let that gunk mix into the water.

 

[DrRob]

I'm guessing a yeast based system. If so, do you have a trap between the system and the tank. It would be an extra bottle half filled with water and the output from the DIY system entering under the water and the output from the air in the bottle. Stops gunk from getting from the DIY system to the tank.

 

[Aquamaniac]

Thats it.
I knew about that one. But its been so many years I didn't remember it.

 

[JellOh]

I just have a bottle with a check valve attached to the air sone in the tank. I'll add a trap right away

 

[MoneyMitch]

in theory you shouldn't need a check valve, if you do in fact have a air tight diy setup there is nowhere for the water to siphon out to. think of it this way - if the co2 bottle is air tight and lets say the water does try to siphon back there is no room for the water since the container is air tight and has nowhere for the air to escape.
 
the check valve is killing your output pressure I would ditch it and stick with the water filled crap catcher. have one line going in under the water and one going to the tank that isn't touching the water. this will filter out a lot of the other by prodcuts from yeast and less containments in the tank.