My Diy Co2 Problem

[hawil]

Materials used:
1liter plastic bottle
active yeast
white sugar

My CO2 mixture:
heated 1 cup of water in the microwave in high for 1min and poured in the 1liter bottle
Diluted the yeast (1teaspoon full) and shake
added 1 cup(200ml) full of white sugar and filled the bottle just by the neck and shake.

CO2 setup:
made a hole at the cap, I inserted a check valve but I forgot the name though it is colored green. The IN nozzle is inserted to the cap the the other nozzle to the airline hose. The diffuser is a "ceramic diffuser" without the ceramic so I replaced it with a pantyhose.

Now my problem is there is no bubbles coming out of the diffuser.
Is it my mixture? or something else?

As of right now the 1liter bottle has bubbles on the surface of the mixture, is this normal? And there are some white sugar at the bottom that has not been dissolve.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

You need the water at its warmest room temp, hotter water means you'll kill the active part of the yeast and wont get the chemical reaction, best temp is around 20C I found and after an hour you'll have a nice flow of CO2. Have to say also, you might want to lower the amount of yeast as the more you add the quicker the sugar is used up. A good way to get a stable flow of CO2 is to set up 2 bottles and link them together. Use 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of yeast in the first, and after 3 days do the same in the other bottle, change each bottle on the same day every week and as one starts to slow the other will be peaking which will give a more stable amount of CO2 being injected. Also if you would like a good diffuser for yeast I suggest the Hagen ladder as its very effective, if you can hide it tho as its big and ugly. If your interested let me know as I believe I have a spare one.

 

[hawil]

You need the water at its warmest room temp, hotter water means you'll kill the active part of the yeast and wont get the chemical reaction, best temp is around 20C I found and after an hour you'll have a nice flow of CO2. Have to say also, you might want to lower the amount of yeast as the more you add the quicker the sugar is used up. A good way to get a stable flow of CO2 is to set up 2 bottles and link them together. Use 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of yeast in the first, and after 3 days do the same in the other bottle, change each bottle on the same day every week and as one starts to slow the other will be peaking which will give a more stable amount of CO2 being injected. Also if you would like a good diffuser for yeast I suggest the Hagen ladder as its very effective, if you can hide it tho as its big and ugly. If your interested let me know as I believe I have a spare one.

I see! Okay. I'll lower the heat and I'll lower the yeast to half teaspoon. I'll redo my mixture tomorrow. I'll take note of this one.
When you say link, literally connect both or it is just the same as 2 separate systems?

As much as I would love to acquire that kind of diffuser, I think it is impossible. I'm located in Asia.

Thanks for the reply. Already noted them.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Oh dear that's a bit far for me to post lol, with regards to the bottles, use 2 x 2L bottles and link them together with CO2 tubing, don't use airline as CO2 corrodes it, use a T-piece to link them and then feed into the tank,best way is to have 2 taps, one on each bottle so when changing the mix on one you don't loose pressure. But if you can't do that then change the mix at least 4 hours before lights on or make a kink in the line and put a rubber band round it to keep the pressure while you change the other mix....... or, lol buy a couple of non return valves like pictured.

Pic


Yeast Mix by ps3steveo, on Flickr

 

[hawil]

Oh dear that's a bit far for me to post lol, with regards to the bottles, use 2 x 2L bottles and link them together with CO2 tubing, don't use airline as CO2 corrodes it, use a T-piece to link them and then feed into the tank,best way is to have 2 taps, one on each bottle so when changing the mix on one you don't loose pressure. But if you can't do that then change the mix at least 4 hours before lights on or make a kink in the line and put a rubber band round it to keep the pressure while you change the other mix....... or, lol buy a couple of non return valves like pictured.

Pic


Yeast Mix by ps3steveo, on Flickr

Yes, too bad really. I wanted one of those. The equipments/accessories are only limited.

Ah! I see what you mean about the 2 bottles. What are those colored blue bottles?

Is this a non return valve? The first nozzle is labeled IN then the other is OUT

By the way, I see your bottles has no undissolved sugar at the bottom and mine has a lot. Will it affect the mixture?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

No it will slowly use it up still, you'd need a non return valve on each one you set up to keep pressure when changing a mixture. The coloured bluebottles are bubble counters, I'd norm use 1 between the T-piece and the diffuser so you can see your BPS count. You can make one from a small pop bottle tho very easily.

 

[hawil]

No it will slowly use it up still, you'd need a non return valve on each one you set up to keep pressure when changing a mixture. The coloured bluebottles are bubble counters, I'd norm use 1 between the T-piece and the diffuser so you can see your BPS count. You can make one from a small pop bottle tho very easily.

I'll try to ask in my LFS. They are only 3 available in my town

Okay, before anything else I have to perfect my yeast mixture before setting up 2 bottles to lessen issues.
Oh, if I will not use a bubble counter, all I have to do is connect the 2 bottles directly to the T-piece right?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Yeah but having a bubble counter is a good idea as you can see fluctuations in CO2 which causes black brush algae.

 

[hawil]

Yeah but having a bubble counter is a good idea as you can see fluctuations in CO2 which causes black brush algae.

I see. I'll look for that in my LFS. Any counter will do?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Yeah but you can make one from a pop bottle easily if you have some spare tubing, a drill and a hot glue gun or some mastic sealant.

 

[hawil]

Yeah but you can make one from a pop bottle easily if you have some spare tubing, a drill and a hot glue gun or some mastic sealant.

Okay. I'll note that. To lessen expenses.
As of this, I'll just adjust my yeast mixture from your suggestions and get back here for the result.

 

[hawil]

Got the mixture correct. But the generated bubbles is too slow. How can I make this faster?

 

[DrRob]

Warm it slightly, or just try shaking the bottle. Once yeast gets going it can get quite quick.

 

[hawil]

Warm it slightly, or just try shaking the bottle. Once yeast gets going it can get quite quick.

Already tried that but still the same.
The bottle was already setup yesterday and I thought it was still building up gas but until now it is still the same.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Are you setting up 2 x bottles or just the one? You might get away with 1tsp of sugar but like I said each bottle will last about 3 days max to try and stagger the mixes so the CO2 supply never runs out.