DIY CO2 system questions

-Mak-

 

You may also need to get a new guage

That's actually a really good point. Make sure it's not just a bad guage before you redo a bunch of stuff

 

That's actually a really good point. Make sure it's not just a bad guage before you redo a bunch of stuff

but he also stated it was impossible to "squeeze" the bottle to get it "primed" so even a bad guage it should still be able to be primed.... Like I said no experience with real or diy co2 just trying to give thoughts on it. I think the best bet is to try a new bottle A.. maybe wrong measurements or expired ingredients?

 

Also, if I have to open up bottle B (baking soda solution) I do not know just which part to open up to service it. And also, I really don’t feel like waking anyone in the neighborhood with any super loud booms! And the guage was fine at first, since it’s brand new, and arrived only hours ago. I think the problem is, that bottle B’s tubing is actually SUBMERGED within the liquid, when I think the tube is just too long and is NOT supposed to be submerged, and is only supposed to transfer the CO2 gas and not be submerged into the liquid solution. Basically, I wanna somehow safely open bottle B up, to cut the tubing shorter...but without any explosions or anything.

I measured the ingredients very accurately and safely. The ingredients were also brand newly purchased, and only hours old from the supermarket.

 

I think a little more research is required to be sure you have the solutions right..

just giving my thoughts.. sorry I can't be of more help. maybe a little more research will get you rolling along

 

Shoot. I think what happened was, while I was squeezing bottle A to prime it, (send solution to bottle B) since the tubing in bottle B is very much submerged in the liquid, (and likely is NOT supposed to be) it probably siphoned in reverse, and the baking soda liquid solution back siphoned into bottle B, tcreating unwanted oressure, thus making it super super hard to squeeze!!!

 

Of the tubing is submerged in liquid its impossible for co2 to excape the bottle and will probably explode. Ive not used a diy setup like that I just used yeast and sugar so I'm not sure how but you need to let the gas excape. Just what ever you do do it outside and away from people.

 

Shooooot...

Thinkin’ I’d better just leave it alone to do it’s job and not mess with it too much...gonna just wait a few days, and see if it consistently holds steady without anything blowing up...probably the better and wiser option...

It’s actually working quite well for my first DIY experimen! It’s working just fine at least! I DO have a much larger, ideal CO2 setup on my 55, Just was curious as to how this set up could go...

 

Hey!! No need to do anything, puncturing, opening, cutting will unnecessarily damage the kit.
I use this DIY system and I literally have to knee or kick the bottle to prime it. It’s just how it is. Everything that is submerged etc is supposed to be that way. You just need some brute force to get the guage to green. Or don’t, I do it because that’s what the instructions say, but it does work if it’s not green. I think it recommends green for enough pressure to work a diffuser.

 

Geez, thanks Mak! Lol And read this: lol!!!

Hilarious.

Sounds a bit more old fashioned talk or red neck talk than Chinese...lol

 

Hi everyone,
I have a 29 gallon tank that has some dwarf hair grass trying to grow but it's not doing too hot. I tried to help it along with excel but I quickly learned that my crypts will not tolerate it. So I decided on citric acid + baking soda since i can't afford a pressurized system right now. I was looking at this ZRDR kit (Amazon.com : ZRDR Aquarium DIY CO2 Generator System Kit with Pressure Air Flow Adjustment Water Plant Fish AquariumCo2Valve Diffuser (+Bubble Counter+Solenoid Valve) : Pet Supplies) that was recommended in another post on FL.

Do you have any recommendations/suggestions?
What else should I have/keep in mind other than a drop checker?
How likely would you say the bottles are to explode if set up correctly? <-- any checks or safety tips?

Thanks!

 

i dont know anything about this as i went from rip off fluval co2 to a pressurised co2 tank , but i might be able to summon someone who can help .... *raises hands...... Fahn

 

Hi everyone,
I have a 29 gallon tank that has some dwarf hair grass trying to grow but it's not doing too hot. I tried to help it along with excel but I quickly learned that my crypts will not tolerate it. So I decided on citric acid + baking soda since i can't afford a pressurized system right now. I was looking at this ZRDR kit (Amazon.com : ZRDR Aquarium DIY CO2 Generator System Kit with Pressure Air Flow Adjustment Water Plant Fish AquariumCo2Valve Diffuser (+Bubble Counter+Solenoid Valve) : Pet Supplies) that was recommended in another post on FL.

Do you have any recommendations/suggestions?
What else should I have/keep in mind other than a drop checker?
How likely would you say the bottles are to explode if set up correctly? <-- any checks or safety tips?

Thanks!

Good Evening Royan,
I currently use the CO2 system by ZRDR and its the 2 liter bottle kit which is sold on Amazon for $99.99. I have been using it solid now for a month in half and it works great. The only issue I have run into is finding the citric acid in stores here in sunny San Diego. So I have decided to just buy it from Amazon; they have a one pound bucket of both the baking soda and citric acid. Now, as far as the system itself it has work outstanding for me. I have the solenoid connected to a timer. So for my tank which is a 75 gallon dirted and heavily planted, I run the system for eight hours a day. The system comes on at 0600 and it shuts down at 1400. I would also recommend you get a drop checker which will give you a real time physical indication when your tank achieves the magical number of 30 ppm of carbon dioxide within your water column. You have a 29 gallon tank so the ceramic diffuser which comes with the system should work just fine. But if it does not I would recommend an inline atomic atomizer from NA NilocG's. They make it in two sizes 12/16mm and 16/22mm. I use the second one because I run it with my Marineland Magniflow canister filter. So a fresh batch of the mixture is lasting me almost three weeks. I have the bubble counter set to 2 bubbles per second (2bps) and I get full absorption within two hours of my system coming online in the morning. So at in average my tank is at the 30 ppm mark by 0800 to 0830. I keep the water temp at 80*F I have four angel fish (3 silver lace and 1 gold lace), 13 neon tetras, 5 peppered Cory's, and 1 female bristle nose pleco. As for plants I have Anubias Nana, Anubias Barteri, Echinodorus Green Ozelot, Echinodorus Melon Swords, Echinodorus Amazonicus, Echinodorus Bleheri, Cambomba Carolina, Dwarf Grass, Jungle val, and water sprite. Everything in the tank is growing lush and healthy.

I do recommend you run two air stones on a timer during the hours of darkness, due to your plants consuming O2 during these hours and producing CO2. Mine come on 15 minutes before my lights turn off and shut down 15 minutes before my CO2 comes on. All this is controlled by timers; which makes it so easy and with no haslee. Here is the system I bought on Amazon its cheaper now. Amazon.com : ZRDR CO2 Generator System Carbon Dioxide 2L with Pressure Gauge Automatic Pressure Relief Valve Bubble Counter for Aquarium Plants，Stable Output Sent Steel Bottle Base : Pet Supplies

Here is the link for the atomic atomizer I was telling you about, also sold on Amazon. Amazon.com : NilocG Aquatics | Intense Atomic Inline Co2 Atomizer Diffuser for Planted Aquariums Tanks (16/22mm(5/8") Tubing) : Pet Supplies

Here is a picture of my tank.

 

Royan,
This is the ZRDR system I bought on Amazon and the one I was referring to in my post above. Amazon.com : ZRDR CO2 Generator System Carbon Dioxide 2L with Pressure Gauge Automatic Pressure Relief Valve Bubble Counter for Aquarium Plants，Stable Output Sent Steel Bottle Base : Pet Supplies

 

Good Evening Royan,
I currently use the CO2 system by ZRDR and its the 2 liter bottle kit which is sold on Amazon for $99.99. I have been using it solid now for a month in half and it works great. The only issue I have run into is finding the citric acid in stores here in sunny San Diego. So I have decided to just buy it from Amazon; they have a one pound bucket of both the baking soda and citric acid. Now, as far as the system itself it has work outstanding for me. I have the solenoid connected to a timer. So for my tank which is a 75 gallon dirted and heavily planted, I run the system for eight hours a day. The system comes on at 0600 and it shuts down at 1400. I would also recommend you get a drop checker which will give you a real time physical indication when your tank achieves the magical number of 30 ppm of carbon dioxide within your water column. You have a 29 gallon tank so the ceramic diffuser which comes with the system should work just fine. But if it does not I would recommend an inline atomic atomizer from NA NilocG's. They make it in two sizes 12/16mm and 16/22mm. I use the second one because I run it with my Marineland Magniflow canister filter. So a fresh batch of the mixture is lasting me almost three weeks. I have the bubble counter set to 2 bubbles per second (2bps) and I get full absorption within two hours of my system coming online in the morning. So at in average my tank is at the 30 ppm mark by 0800 to 0830. I keep the water temp at 80*F I have four angel fish (3 silver lace and 1 gold lace), 13 neon tetras, 5 peppered Cory's, and 1 female bristle nose pleco. As for plants I have Anubias Nana, Anubias Barteri, Echinodorus Green Ozelot, Echinodorus Melon Swords, Echinodorus Amazonicus, Echinodorus Bleheri, Cambomba Carolina, Dwarf Grass, Jungle val, and water sprite. Everything in the tank is growing lush and healthy.

I do recommend you run two air stones on a timer during the hours of darkness, due to your plants consuming O2 during these hours and producing CO2. Mine come on 15 minutes before my lights turn off and shut down 15 minutes before my CO2 comes on. All this is controlled by timers; which makes it so easy and with no haslee. Here is the system I bought on Amazon its cheaper now. Amazon.com : ZRDR CO2 Generator System Carbon Dioxide 2L with Pressure Gauge Automatic Pressure Relief Valve Bubble Counter for Aquarium Plants，Stable Output Sent Steel Bottle Base : Pet Supplies

Here is the link for the atomic atomizer I was telling you about, also sold on Amazon. Amazon.com : NilocG Aquatics | Intense Atomic Inline Co2 Atomizer Diffuser for Planted Aquariums Tanks (16/22mm(5/8") Tubing) : Pet Supplies

Here is a picture of my tank.

View attachment 735919

Thanks for the advice! Your plants look great! What are you dosing with?

I ordered the system you suggested along with the ingredients. I will be sure to take your advice on the air stone --I actually bought a new air pump and 4 smart plugs this past Monday. I was worried about the solenoid since there had been people saying theirs burnt out or were getting very hot. The system would probably run while I'm at work so hopefully it doesn't fail. Have you had to replace yours at all?

 

Thanks for the advice! Your plants look great! What are you dosing with?

I ordered the system you suggested along with the ingredients. I will be sure to take your advice on the air stone --I actually bought a new air pump and 4 smart plugs this past Monday. I was worried about the solenoid since there had been people saying theirs burnt out or were getting very hot. The system would probably run while I'm at work so hopefully it doesn't fail. Have you had to replace yours at all?

The solenoid does get a little warm but not to the point where it will burn you. I use NilocG’s Thrive all in one liquid fertilizer. And I follow the Estimative Method of Fertilization. So for me it works out to be 2mL for every 13 gallons of water. My tank is a 75 gallon so it comes out to 11.5mL of the Thrive fertilizer. I fertilize everyday and on the seventh day I do a 50% water change and start the cycle all over. The idea behind this method is to make sure the plants never go hungry for nutrients; and the balance is maintained by the proper Carbon Dioxide level and light duration in the tank. I fertilize with Carbon Dioxide for eight hours a day and my lights are on for ten hours. My plants have exploded in growth and lushness. Very happy with the results.

 

I have a 55 gallon tank with a heavy plant load, so I decided to go with a pressurized system with a 5# CO2 bottle. However, I did a lot of research before making my decision.

The problem with the sugar-yeast system is that it is difficult to regulate the production rate. You cannot use a solenoid to shut off the CO2 at night because you can develop excessive pressure in the plastic bottle.

The two-bottle citric acid (or vinegar) system and baking soda is more reliable. The reaction is self-regulating. If the pressure gets to high in the baking soda bottle, the backpressure will prevent the flow of acid and limit the reaction. Thus, you can use a solenoid to shut off flow at night. If expense is more important that aesthetics this is a suitable method.

The ZRDR single bottle reactor is a more elegant solution compared to the two-bottle system. It has a solenoid and pressure reducing valve built in. When you dump the acid and soad into the container, the reaction will begin immediately and pressure will build in the bottle. The stainless steel tank is designed to withstand the pressure. The pressure reducing valve will drop the pressure to a suitable level for injection into your tank. I presume this is a single stage regulator, so it may be subject to the "end of tank" dump with the supply of CO2 is exhausted. However, I have not used this system, so I cannot confirm.

If I wanted to use CO2 in a 20-29 gallon tank, I would seriously consider the ZRDR single bottle reactor.

 

I have a 55 gallon tank with a heavy plant load, so I decided to go with a pressurized system with a 5# CO2 bottle. However, I did a lot of research before making my decision.

The problem with the sugar-yeast system is that it is difficult to regulate the production rate. You cannot use a solenoid to shut off the CO2 at night because you can develop excessive pressure in the plastic bottle.

The two-bottle citric acid (or vinegar) system and baking soda is more reliable. The reaction is self-regulating. If the pressure gets to high in the baking soda bottle, the backpressure will prevent the flow of acid and limit the reaction. Thus, you can use a solenoid to shut off flow at night. If expense is more important that aesthetics this is a suitable method.

The ZRDR single bottle reactor is a more elegant solution compared to the two-bottle system. It has a solenoid and pressure reducing valve built in. When you dump the acid and soda into the container, the reaction will begin immediately and pressure will build in the bottle. The stainless steel tank is designed to withstand the pressure. The pressure reducing valve will drop the pressure to a suitable level for injection into your tank. I presume this is a single stage regulator, so it may be subject to the "end of tank" dump with the supply of CO2 is exhausted. However, I have not used this system, so I cannot confirm.

If I wanted to use CO2 in a 20-29 gallon tank, I would seriously consider the ZRDR single bottle reactor.

Good Afternoon Ray,
The system I which I recommended to Royan is a double stage regulator and thus, you don't have that issue with the pressure regulating valve or working pressure control valve on the regulator assembly. ZRDR does make a single stage regulator but the one I bought and currently use is a double stage regulator. It works like a charm. Maybe in the future I will by a 20lbs bottle which on my tank it should last me a very long time. But for now I am happy with the Citric Acid and Baking Soda version. The system is easy to operate and maintain and its relatively inexpensive.
Here is a picture of my system underneath my stand. As you can see the regulator is equipped with two gauges.

 

Good Afternoon Ray,
The system I which I recommended to Royan is a double stage regulator and thus, you don't have that issue with the pressure regulating valve or working pressure control valve on the regulator assembly. ZRDR does make a single stage regulator but the one I bought and currently use is a double stage regulator. It works like a charm. Maybe in the future I will by a 20lbs bottle which on my tank it should last me a very long time. But for now I am happy with the Citric Acid and Baking Soda version. The system is easy to operate and maintain and its relatively inexpensive.
Here is a picture of my system underneath my stand. As you can see the regulator is equipped with two gauges.

Your system does come with two gauges: one for the tank pressure, one for the delivery pressure. that is good.

I cannot tell from looking at a picture of a regulator whether it is a single-stage or two-stage pressure regulator. I suspect it is a single-stage, dual-gauge system. I cannot find anything in the online documentation that states that it is a dual-stage regulator, only that it has dual gauges. Many people believe that a regulator with two gauges also has two stages of regulation, but that may not be the case. If you have documentation that states that it is a dual-stage regulator, then I stand corrected.

At the opposite extreme, FZONE sells a mini-regulator for use with disposable cartridges that has three stages of pressure regulation, but only a single gauge. Thus, the number of gauges has nothing to do with the number of regulation stages. Because disposable cartridges are so small, the "end of tank" dump can be a serious issue. The triple stage regulator eliminates that issue. Thus, there is no need to monitor the tank pressure.

 

Your system does come with two gauges: one for the tank pressure, one for the delivery pressure. that is good.

I cannot tell from looking at a picture of a regulator whether it is a single-stage or two-stage pressure regulator. I suspect it is a single-stage, dual-gauge system. I cannot find anything in the online documentation that states that it is a dual-stage regulator, only that it has dual gauges. Many people believe that a regulator with two gauges also has two stages of regulation, but that may not be the case. If you have documentation that states that it is a dual-stage regulator, then I stand corrected.

At the opposite extreme, FZONE sells a mini-regulator for use with disposable cartridges that has three stages of pressure regulation, but only a single gauge. Thus, the number of gauges has nothing to do with the number of regulation stages. Because disposable cartridges are so small, the "end of tank" dump can be a serious issue. The triple stage regulator eliminates that issue. Thus, there is no need to monitor the tank pressure.

Would these disposable tanks be paintball tanks?

 

Would these disposable tanks be paintball tanks?

Disposable tanks are the ones like those sold by Fluval. You purchase the tanks prefilled, use them up and then toss the steel cannister in the recycle bin. They work for small tanks (let's say 10-15 gallons an under), but the since you are purchasing a new steel cannister with every refill, the cost is quite high. The largest disposable tanks hold 95 grams of CO2 (about 3.4 ounces), so they will run out quickly in a larger aquarium.

Paintball tanks are not disposable. They can be refilled as long as you can find a place equipped to refill them. The problem is that CO2 canisters for paintball use are phasing out. People have found that compressed air tanks are lighter and provide a more consistent supply of "energy" for the paintball guns. With CO2, if you shoot several times in rapid succession, the CO2 tank temperature drops and the pressure drops, so shots do not stay on target. Paintball tanks usually hold 20 oz of CO2, so they will last 6 times longer than a 95 gram tank. Assuming you can find a place to refill them, they will work well for a tank under 50 gallons.

An alternative to the paintball tank is the SodaStream bottles. Due to the popularity of SodaStream, you can exchange the cannisters at lost of places, making it more convenient than getting a paintball tank refilled. The SodaStream bottles use a proprietary fitting, so they do not fit the regulators, but you can purchase an adapter that will allow you to use a SodaStream bottle with one of the mini CO2 regulators. Thus, if you do not have a convenient place to refill paintball tanks, this would be an alternative.

With my 55 gallon tank, I decided to go with a 5 pound CO2 cylinder. They hold four times as much CO2 as a paintball tank. Thus, I should be able to go several months between refills. You never have to worry about getting these tanks refilled as CO2 is used by restaurants, brewers, and welders. Although the cost of a standard canister system is more expensive at the outset, the cost of refills will be far cheaper than refilling smaller tanks. Thus, over a couple of years, you should recover your initial investment in reduced operating costs. It is a "pay me now or pay me later" situation.

 

Disposable tanks are the ones like those sold by Fluval. You purchase the tanks prefilled, use them up and then toss the steel cannister in the recycle bin. They work for small tanks (let's say 10-15 gallons an under), but the since you are purchasing a new steel cannister with every refill, the cost is quite high. The largest disposable tanks hold 95 grams of CO2 (about 3.4 ounces), so they will run out quickly in a larger aquarium.

Paintball tanks are not disposable. They can be refilled as long as you can find a place equipped to refill them. The problem is that CO2 canisters for paintball use are phasing out. People have found that compressed air tanks are lighter and provide a more consistent supply of "energy" for the paintball guns. With CO2, if you shoot several times in rapid succession, the CO2 tank temperature drops and the pressure drops, so shots do not stay on target. Paintball tanks usually hold 20 oz of CO2, so they will last 6 times longer than a 95 gram tank. Assuming you can find a place to refill them, they will work well for a tank under 50 gallons.

An alternative to the paintball tank is the SodaStream bottles. Due to the popularity of SodaStream, you can exchange the cannisters at lost of places, making it more convenient than getting a paintball tank refilled. The SodaStream bottles use a proprietary fitting, so they do not fit the regulators, but you can purchase an adapter that will allow you to use a SodaStream bottle with one of the mini CO2 regulators. Thus, if you do not have a convenient place to refill paintball tanks, this would be an alternative.

With my 55 gallon tank, I decided to go with a 5 pound CO2 cylinder. They hold four times as much CO2 as a paintball tank. Thus, I should be able to go several months between refills. You never have to worry about getting these tanks refilled as CO2 is used by restaurants, brewers, and welders. Although the cost of a standard canister system is more expensive at the outset, the cost of refills will be far cheaper than refilling smaller tanks. Thus, over a couple of years, you should recover your initial investment in reduced operating costs. It is a "pay me now or pay me later" situation.

Incredible breakdown. Thanks for putting the time in to explaining the pros and cons of each!

 

Incredible breakdown. Thanks for putting the time in to explaining the pros and cons of each!

I did a lot of research before spending my money. I am glad to be able to share what I learned. I hope it helps you in making your decision on how to proceed.

 

Good Evening Royan,
I currently use the CO2 system by ZRDR and its the 2 liter bottle kit which is sold on Amazon for $99.99. I have been using it solid now for a month in half and it works great. The only issue I have run into is finding the citric acid in stores here in sunny San Diego. So I have decided to just buy it from Amazon; they have a one pound bucket of both the baking soda and citric acid. Now, as far as the system itself it has work outstanding for me. I have the solenoid connected to a timer. So for my tank which is a 75 gallon dirted and heavily planted, I run the system for eight hours a day. The system comes on at 0600 and it shuts down at 1400. I would also recommend you get a drop checker which will give you a real time physical indication when your tank achieves the magical number of 30 ppm of carbon dioxide within your water column. You have a 29 gallon tank so the ceramic diffuser which comes with the system should work just fine. But if it does not I would recommend an inline atomic atomizer from NA NilocG's. They make it in two sizes 12/16mm and 16/22mm. I use the second one because I run it with my Marineland Magniflow canister filter. So a fresh batch of the mixture is lasting me almost three weeks. I have the bubble counter set to 2 bubbles per second (2bps) and I get full absorption within two hours of my system coming online in the morning. So at in average my tank is at the 30 ppm mark by 0800 to 0830. I keep the water temp at 80*F I have four angel fish (3 silver lace and 1 gold lace), 13 neon tetras, 5 peppered Cory's, and 1 female bristle nose pleco. As for plants I have Anubias Nana, Anubias Barteri, Echinodorus Green Ozelot, Echinodorus Melon Swords, Echinodorus Amazonicus, Echinodorus Bleheri, Cambomba Carolina, Dwarf Grass, Jungle val, and water sprite. Everything in the tank is growing lush and healthy.

I do recommend you run two air stones on a timer during the hours of darkness, due to your plants consuming O2 during these hours and producing CO2. Mine come on 15 minutes before my lights turn off and shut down 15 minutes before my CO2 comes on. All this is controlled by timers; which makes it so easy and with no haslee. Here is the system I bought on Amazon its cheaper now. Amazon.com : ZRDR CO2 Generator System Carbon Dioxide 2L with Pressure Gauge Automatic Pressure Relief Valve Bubble Counter for Aquarium Plants，Stable Output Sent Steel Bottle Base : Pet Supplies

Here is the link for the atomic atomizer I was telling you about, also sold on Amazon. Amazon.com : NilocG Aquatics | Intense Atomic Inline Co2 Atomizer Diffuser for Planted Aquariums Tanks (16/22mm(5/8") Tubing) : Pet Supplies

Here is a picture of my tank.

View attachment 735919

Hey can I check how does your triple filter look like with the DIY kit? I have bought mine recently and it seems to be missing or shorter than the picture shown

 

Why don't people like them? Are they sustainable long term? Would it be feasible to make a big enough one for a 55g? Any good tutorials?

Chanyi

 

For a simple DIY CO2 solution (yeast, sugar, water), a few challenges come to mind: (1) The production rate of CO2 isn't always consistent; (2) It can be difficult to estimate how much more CO2 can be made before additional additives (yeast, sugar, water) are required; (3) Once the reaction is started, there is no way to temporarily halt it (say, at night) and "save" it for later use. You always need a release for the CO2 that is constantly being produced and stored in the bottle. If you don't have a release, a mess is inevitable. Turning off a commercial CO2 injector that uses a cartridge, cylinder or cannister is straightforward; (4) Fine tuning the flow of CO2 can be challenging using just an air diffuser; and, (5) quality of construction (e.g., drilling holes in bottle caps and properly sealing to prevent leaks).

Take a look at the video below, which is a much more sophisticated DIY CO2 setup that uses Citric Acid, baking soda & water.

 

Inconsistent CO2 is often worse off than not running CO2 at all.

DIY CO2 has really taken a downward turn as of recent in popularity. Probably because we have figured out how to achieve some very nice, low tech tanks.

 

Inconsistent CO2 is often worse off than not running CO2 at all.

DIY CO2 has really taken a downward turn as of recent in popularity. Probably because we have figured out how to achieve some very nice, low tech tanks.

There are many examples of "successful" aquariums that have been achieved without CO2 injection. The exchange of knowledge via forums such as this one has certainly helped in that regard. I think DIY CO2 could be a good learning experience for someone in a small experimental planted tank setting. Take some cuttings / runners from the primary tank, add a few new aquatic plant types, perhaps use a different substrate...

That being said, while most hobbies have a small group that is hard-core DIY, I think more hobbyists (not just aquarists) today prefer an off-the-shelf solution rather than developing their own. Instant gratification/time constraints, aesthetics and the online availability of effective & affordable commercial solutions are working against mass adoption of DIY solutions.

 

They're just too hard to produce consistent levels of CO2, which is pretty important. Inconsistent CO2 is worse than no CO2 imo.

 

They're just too hard to produce consistent levels of CO2, which is pretty important. Inconsistent CO2 is worse than no CO2 imo.

What happens with inconsistent Co2?

 

Why don't people like them? Are they sustainable long term? Would it be feasible to make a big enough one for a 55g? Any good tutorials?

Chanyi

NO! A BIG NONO! Pardon me. Diy co2 might seem like a good idea at first but trust me , it only exists to torture beginner fish keepers. They are cheaper. By a lot. I agree. But , it isnt that good. It comes with a lot of risks of exploding , etc. Overall , its just not that good. Invest in a co2 tank. Its a one time investment. Besides , it looks cooler! And its also safer

 

Well, to prevent explosion, some tutorials say have a whole with a loosely fitted plug, so if pressure is too high it just pops off and no explosion.

 

What happens with inconsistent Co2?

Algae and inconstant plant growth.

 

Well, to prevent explosion, some tutorials say have a whole with a loosely fitted plug, so if pressure is too high it just pops off and no explosion.

You could try but i recon you dont. It can smell bad and personally , i wouldnt feel safe with a diy co2 set up in my aquarium . Also , it might be inconsistent and is thus dangerous. One moment it barely has any co2 injected and the next moment , when you realise too much is going in , its too late.

 

Algae and inconstant plant growth.

So will the algae grow more than just regular Co2? And the inconsistent plant growth, can that like hurt the plant?

 

A

So will the algae grow more than just regular Co2? And the inconsistent plant growth, can that like hurt the plant?

As long as you dont have any red plants , you dont really need co2. Co2 is like steroids. It will fasten the growth but def not needed for healthy growth.

 

A

As long as you dont have any red plants , you dont really need co2. Co2 is like steroids. It will fasten the growth but def not needed for healthy growth.

I've heard that most carpeting plants really need it to actually carpet, and I love the look of a carpeted tank.


Also, I don't mean to be super argumentative. I just really would love Co2 & my mind always needs a reason, or I'll just keep coming back to it.

 

So will the algae grow more than just regular Co2? And the inconsistent plant growth, can that like hurt the plant?

Algae adapts to changes faster than plants. If CO2 is inconsistent, plants struggle, because they are constantly trying to recalibrate themselves to the changing levels of CO2. Algae, on the other hand, have no problem with this. Furthermore, while healthy plants fight algae, stressed plants feed it; they release carbohydrates and other things the algae use as food.

So yes, algae grows more with inconsistent CO2 than with stable CO2. And, I think this is because inconsistent CO2 favors algae over plants.

 

I've heard that most carpeting plants really need it to actually carpet, and I love the look of a carpeted tank.


Also, I don't mean to be super argumentative. I just really would love Co2 & my mind always needs a reason, or I'll just keep coming back to it.

It's good you're carefully evaluating your options. The last thing you want is a poorly constructed DIY CO2 solution that leaks or is prone to clogging. Deploying a DIY CO2 solution means you might have to trouble-shoot at some point without an 8xx number to call to chat with a helpdesk. That being said, don't be dissuaded from trying out a DIY CO2 solution merely because there is a possibility your efforts will not produce the desired results in the long run. Perhaps you can start a new experimental "plants only" (initially) 10G tank with plants & clippings from your current tank. Try a "plant friendly" substrate. This will allow you to determine if DIY CO2 is acceptable without risking damage to your primary tank. That's the approach I took years ago when I experimented with DIY CO2.

If you are thinking about a DIY CO2 solution, consider a setup like the one shown in the linked video in my earlier post. Basically, it's an inexpensive, simplified commercial offering (including needle valve, bubble counter, diffuser, etc.) with a key differentiator -- the source of CO2. That DIY CO2 solution uses CO2 produced during a reaction of Citric Acid, baking soda & water rather than CO2 from a cartridge, cylinder, or cannister. While I haven't tried this newer DIY CO2 setup, it appears to address several of the problems of the simple DIY CO2 (yeast, sugar, water & 2L soda bottles without the fancy hardware).

I mentioned the inability to stop production of CO2 with a simple DIY solution (yeast, sugar & water) once the process has begun. This amounts to a waste of CO2 and is probably my biggest complaint (aside from inconsistent production) about the very inexpensive setup I had put together. You probably already know this -- when aquarium lights are off, plants consume oxygen and produce CO2 (via respiration), further increasing CO2 levels in the tank. That's (in part) why turning off CO2 injection when the lights are off is a common practice for those with well-planted tanks. It's also a cost savings move, as plants are not using CO2 when the lights are off. If the production of CO2 can't be or isn't stopped, an increase in surface agitation of the water (via air stones, greater filtration rate, etc.) can be undertaken while the lights are off in order to get rid of some CO2. This will also increase oxygen saturation -- good for the fish -- to help counteract the consumption of oxygen by the plants as part of the respiration process.

Finally, don't forget if you increase levels of CO2 in the water, you'll want to make sure lighting and fertilizer dosing are also appropriate under the circumstances for the types of plants in the aquarium.

EDIT: My response below was automatically merged into this post.

So will the algae grow more than just regular Co2? And the inconsistent plant growth, can that like hurt the plant?

How about "it depends". Algae can grow (and thrive) in a low tech planted tank, too, under the "wrong" conditions. Overfeed for a while and watch what happens.

Aquatic plants need the right spectrum, intensity & duration of light, as well as sufficient nutrients -- primarily CO2 -- and fertilizer dosing (varies by plant) to thrive in an aquatic environment. There are a other considerations for some plants (i.e., type of substrate, water temperature, pH). If you're going to be injecting CO2 (DIY or commercial kit), IMO you're better off starting with a lush planted environment rather than a sparsely planted tank. Also, make sure you have a mix of plants, including some that are relatively fast(er) growing. The idea is faster growth aquatic plants will be better able to compete with algae for available nutrients (assuming appropriate lighting & fertilizer dosing). They allow slow(er) growth plants time to grow in a (hopefully relatively) algae-free environment. You can always remove/cut some of the faster growing plants if space is needed, .

One other thing I forgot to mention -- it is considerably more difficult to have someone take care of a DIY CO2 solution when you're on vacation or otherwise unable to handle things yourself. Feed the fish and turn on/off lighting? Probably no big deal. Do you really want (trust) someone who is unfamiliar with your DIY CO2 setup to measure, mix, fill soda bottles, reconnect lines and then prime/start the reaction?

BTW, I'm not disagreeing with others who have expressed concerns about simple DIY CO2 (yeast, sugar, water); heck, I've mentioned them, too. However, everyone has different capabilities, budgets & available resources, expectations & tolerances, aquarium size, stocking levels/types of plants & fish etc., so YMMV.

 

I've heard that most carpeting plants really need it to actually carpet, and I love the look of a carpeted tank.


Also, I don't mean to be super argumentative. I just really would love Co2 & my mind always needs a reason, or I'll just keep coming back to it.

Sorry for the late reply. Mini hair grass is a great carpet plant and it doesnt need co2. Its easy care