READ THIS - NUTRAFIN CO2 USERS

[smithrc]

Surely though the bicard in the reactor on stabilises the processes in there, not what happens in the aquarium. If too much yeast is added... do I end up with mixture in my tank? Is it possible to buy a valve that will let the gas through but not the liquid just in case?

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add another bottle into the tube line - with an input and output in the cap - then any liquid will go into the bottle and the gass will still pass un hindered.

We dont user bi-carb either. KH 8º

I'm actually just off to have a re arrange of my tnks (I'm off ill)

 

[Bloo]

Just add more yeast to your mixture if you arent getting enough bubbles, if you get to many bubbles and your co2 gets to high just add less yeast to the next mixture.

I havent ever used the bicarbonate of soda in my mixtures, seems to work ok so far, my Kh is 1.7 a bit on the low side.

I decided not to use it after i read this, IMO a great article on DIY co2, im sure some of you have seen it allready, gives excellent tips on making DIY reactors also.

Diy co2

Just thinking......maybe i should start useing the bicarb

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out of interest Zig, how do you measure your kH ? mine only reads 1,2,3 etc. - what do you use to get a reading of 1.7 ?

Oh and that's a really good article - I read the whole thing over several commute journeys

 

[zig]

Well the Kh kit that i have is a Nutrafin kit, you add droplets to 5ml of water and you count how many droplets you have used and then you multiply by 10, so in my case it was 3 droplets=30ppm and then you multiply this by 0.056 and this gives you the dH degrees which in my case was 1.68 (i just rounded it up for reading charts)

Another more accurate way you can do it is to use 10ml of water and double up on the droplets, so for example if you used 3 droplets in 5ml of water before the test changed colour, your test may change with 5 droplets in the 10ml of water instead of 6 so it would give you a more accurate reading.

But in my case it didnt in the 10ml so im stuck with a very low Kh in my water, so i have to be very careful with my co2, in case i get a Ph crash, but fingers crossed it hasnt happened yet, my Ph drops to 6.2 when i use the co2 to get 30ppm, so the Ph is very low also, i could use bicarbonate of soda to up my Kh and Ph, but so far everything is going well and the fish dont seem to mind the low Ph, so i might just leave well enough alone.

 

[zig]

Just add more yeast to your mixture if you arent getting enough bubbles, if you get to many bubbles and your co2 gets to high just add less yeast to the next mixture.

I havent ever used the bicarbonate of soda in my mixtures, seems to work ok so far, my Kh is 1.7 a bit on the low side.

I decided not to use it after i read this, IMO a great article on DIY co2, im sure some of you have seen it allready, gives excellent tips on making DIY reactors also.

Diy co2

Just thinking......maybe i should start useing the bicarb

[snapback]852608[/snapback]​

out of interest Zig, how do you measure your kH ? mine only reads 1,2,3 etc. - what do you use to get a reading of 1.7 ?

Oh and that's a really good article - I read the whole thing over several commute journeys

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Sorry Bloozoo i should be quoting you if i reply, so you can keep track of things, bad habit i have thinking people will automatically be mind readers and know that i have replied the reply is the post above.

 

[Bloo]

Well the Kh kit that i have is a Nutrafin kit, you add droplets to 5ml of water and you count how many droplets you have used and then you multiply by 10, so in my case it was 3 droplets=30ppm and then you multiply this by 0.056 and this gives you the dH degrees which in my case was 1.68 (i just rounded it up for reading charts)

Another more accurate way you can do it is to use 10ml of water and double up on the droplets, so for example if you used 3 droplets in 5ml of water before the test changed colour, your test may change with 5 droplets in the 10ml of water instead of 6 so it would give you a more accurate reading.

But in my case it didnt in the 10ml so im stuck with a very low Kh in my water, so i have to be very careful with my co2, in case i get a Ph crash, but fingers crossed it hasnt happened yet, my Ph drops to 6.2 when i use the co2 to get 30ppm, so the Ph is very low also, i could use bicarbonate of soda to up my Kh and Ph, but so far everything is going well and the fish dont seem to mind the low Ph, so i might just leave well enough alone.

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Ahh ok - so different to my API test then, where every drop I add, counts for 1dH. So 11 drop = 11 kH but yours is probably more precise then.

 

[@ombomb]

Only have strips for mine at the moment...

I know, I know...

Just tested mine again and it looks as though pH is down to 7.4 with a KH of 11 / 12, so CO2 is 13 - 14.5.

Definitely going to try the homebrew mix this weekend. (and buy a proper KH test kit!)

 

[danski]

seeing as ive had problems with my co2 lately and after reading this post i decided to give it a try. WOW WEE ive never seen so many bubbles in my life. it only took a matter of minutes seems like to start. i have a 29 gal so this fit me to a tee. only thing is after this mornings mishap im afraid of too much co2 now. this should be alright right? 2 nutrafin ladders with 1/2 tsp of yeast in each cannister. im lookin for some comfort that my fish will be okay tommorow **cross my fingers**. thanks

 

[phlawed]

do i need to put a shut off valve or a valve to slower co2 at night with this system? if shut off, will it build too much pressure? or just lower it? hope that makes sence.

 

[jimbooo]

do i need to put a shut off valve or a valve to slower co2 at night with this system? if shut off, will it build too much pressure? or just lower it? hope that makes sence.

nope just leave it 24/7, you wont over dose with nutrafin units, thats only really relevant with pressurised co2 kits.
if the fish are gasping at the surface which i doubt you can run an airstone at night to drive off the excess co2 but i've never found it necessary. my rekord 60 (12USG) has 2 nutrafins on it 24/7 and even with 2 the fish are fine seeing as 2 units are supposed to do 40G not 12G i wouldn't worry.

 

[arif_93]

hi i made my own diy co2
how many bubbles oer minute will i need in a 40 litre planted cube???
and how will i control the lvl of co2 in the water
thanks

 

[lowee]

Have you read the pinned threads on CO2 and the DIY system? They should give you an answer about the co2 levels and no one can really give you an answer to the bubbles per minute question, different people use different levels, with differing results.

 

[nry]

hi i made my own diy co2
how many bubbles oer minute will i need in a 40 litre planted cube???
and how will i control the lvl of co2 in the water
thanks

Ignore the bubbles-per-minute with yeast-based CO2. The easiest method of monitoring CO2 levels is by using a drop-checker, some 4dKH water, and the right type of pH test liquid. The drop-checker sits in the tank all the time, and when the liquid in the checker is green CO2 is approx 30ppm. Yellow indicates too much CO2 and blue indicates too little CO2.

The easiest way to alter how much CO2 is in the water with a yeast-based kit is to move the diffuser around to find the position where the CO2 drop checker is green. Different areas/heights within the tank will have different water flow and hence allow more/less CO2 to enter the water.

Unless you run two bottles with yeast/sugar/water and swap each alternating bottle on e.g. Wed/Sun it is difficult to keep a single-bottle setup providing stable CO2.

 

[aaronc]

Hi Arif

Well done on getting the kit set up. Did it go ok?

I agree with NRY. I would make a second bottle and link it to the rest of the system, so you can change the mixtures seperately and keep a more stable co2 level

Aaron

 

[arif_93]

hi lol guys incased u havent noticed most of my topics say im not allowed to spend another penny i bareley got to buy a diffuser for my diy co2
i seen the rpices of drop checkers.
where can i get a 4ddkh water from???

 

[nry]

4DKH water from:

www.aquaessentials.co.uk

If you are not going to be able to monitor or provide stable CO2 then you may be best off to wait and try the low-tech, low lighting option. It can work very well and is cheaper and easier to look after, less trimming of plants etc.

Jumping in at the deep end with high light, CO2 etc is not always a good idea, especially if you are new to planted tanks.