How Do You Make Your Co2 Mixtures?

[EliteFishy]

How do you guys make your CO2 mixtures. I found like 50 different ways online and I just wanna know how you guys make them and how long they last.

 

[shrimply]

How do you guys make your CO2 mixtures. I found like 50 different ways online and I just wanna know how you guys make them and how long they last.

I am using:
2 cups of sugar
1/4 tsp of bakers yeast
1 pinch of bicarbonate of soda
and warm water

The different quanties do different things. For instance increasing the yeast would create more CO2 but the solution would not last as long. As I am still at the experiment stage I am unable to tell you how long it would last. But I reckon a week maybe 2 at most.

 

[EliteFishy]

The the amount of watter you add matter? And does biocarbonate of soda help?

 

[shrimply]

The the amount of watter you add matter? And does biocarbonate of soda help?

According to the print off I have got "baking soda helps maintain pH and provides a greater tolerance to the buildup of alcohol in the culture medium"

I don't think the volume of water matters that much I used to fill it up to the label on the plastic bottle but now I am using the demejohn (spelling awful) I think I use about 1 and 3/4 liters.

 

[leafs]

I basically use the same mix as shrimply, but I use 1 teaspoon of yeast. I read somewhere that there shouldn't be too much space at the top of the bottle when you fill it with water. I fill it to just over the bend at the top of the bottle. You also don't want to fill it too high or some might siphon out.

 

[fish_keeper2]

baking soda yeast and sugar would be the plain old regular stuff found in the baking isle at the super market right? also could i get the amounts including the bottle size for a 10 gal and a 29 gal.

 

[EliteFishy]

how much baking soda should I add?

 

[nicklfire]

1 pinch of bicarbonate of soda

 

[leafs]

baking soda yeast and sugar would be the plain old regular stuff found in the baking isle at the super market right? also could i get the amounts including the bottle size for a 10 gal and a 29 gal.

I get everything from the supermarket. Regular baking soda, sugar and Fleishmanns active dry yeast. I'm not sure about a 10 gal, but in my 29 gallon I use 1 teaspoon yeast, 1 teaspoon baking soda and 2 cups sugar in a 2 litre bottle.

 

[shrimply]

Tesco value for everything and you only spend a max of 50p a week. Although I wish the yeast would last longer you use 1/4 of a tsp and then the packet has to be thrown out.

I am using 2x the recipe for my 30 gallon because of my rubbish diffuser.

 

[jmuccillo]

I kept my dry bakers yeast in the freezer and just used a 1/4 teaspoon each time when making the mixture. The same packet of yeast lasted me over a year.

 

[karlp]

I've just started the DIY stuff too, but my first go at it is:

2 litre bottle

1.25 mugs of sugar
0.5 teaspoon of sparkling wine yeast (Gervin Yeast No. 3)
0.25 teaspoon of yeast nutrient (Shirlett yeast nutrient)
Fill bottle to 3 inches from top with luke warm tap water.

I've had between 44 and 60 bubbles a minute for the first 2 to 3 days.. will report back when I know how long it lasts. I read that sparkling wine yeast copes better with the increase of alchol, so should last longer and you can re-use some of the residue to start the next batch...

I found a great online site for all yeast / yeast nutrient and brewing supplies...

http/www.art-of-brewing.co.uk/acatalog/intro.html

Found some cool stuff on DIY CO2 with Jelly here, but sounds quite a lot of hassle...

http/www.plantedtank.net/forum/showthrea...hlight=alchohol

Cheers

 

[EliteFishy]

I add 2 Cups of sugar and I only 2 cups of water or eles my container will overflow. Do guys think that 2 cups of water is enough?

 

[karlp]

How big is your container ?

A greater volume of water helps to prevent the alchol being produced killing the yeast prematurely, by diluting the alchol. This is particularly significant with bread yeast that has a low tollerance for alchol.

But from what I've read, the yeast needs some oxygen initially as the culture gets established before it goes into the anerobic phase and produces alchol and CO2, so if you're not setting up the culture before putting the ingredients into the bottle, then some air in the bottle is a good idea.

You can get over the overflow problem by adding a separate 'catch tank' or diy bubble counter. Although if you use a sparkling wine yeast, it doesn't make the mixture froth, so overflow shouldn't be a problem.

Cheers

Karl.

 

[EliteFishy]

He container is about 1 Litter. Does the Wine yeast work better than bread yeast. Also, if I add some baking soda into my mixture, will that help with the breat yeast low tollerance to alchol?