Ghetto Co2

So I’m just getting into running Co2. Started looking around at all the stuff I would need to make this happen. All kinds of different options. But what it boils down to is are you getting CO2 in your water or not right? The cost was an immediate turn off. Quickly realized that I wasn’t going to be able to add CO2 to the five tanks I wanted to without some planning and saving. Immediately I figured multiple diffusers and CO2 tanks was right out just for the sheer cost. Has to be a way to make a system that I don’t need to hook a cylinder to directly right? I started looking at craft beer stores and eventually ended up at Maine Oxy, local welding gas supply company. Talked to the guys there a bit which were very helpful. Ended up leaving with a flow regulator, to step down from the 1800 psI safely to 5, and a CO2 tank. Now I’m not going to claim that it was cheap cause it wasn’t. But I simply inverted Gatorade bottles in the corners of my tanks and slid a magnet inside to hold them in place and I filled my bottles via air pump tubing. Now I figured it’d take maybe two weeks or so to diffuse into the water. Figured it would be on the low end of CO2 dosing. Now I only have one tank that runs an air pump. All the rest have part of the spray bar adding surface agitation to increase the air exchange and keep plenty of O2 in the water for all my finned dudes. What I failed to realize is just how effective that really is. I put two 16oz bottles in the corners and filled them and they didn’t even last a full 24 hours to my delight. Means plenty of CO2 went to my plants which is my goal. So this could be an easy and cheap way to dose many tanks off of one tank of CO2 figured I’d pass this along and see what people think. It’s way more effective than I would have ever guessed. Now I know the surface agitation also releases the CO2 but my plants to look much healthier and seem to grow faster. I do have to change the spray bars I think that’s more exchange than I really need. Going to start blitzing those 5 pound tanks.
Anyone doing anything like this? Or maybe see a way to tweak or fine tune the system?

 

u doing great job there..I'm here just add a bit experience about to reduce space agitation and will keep co2 desolve greatly..I silicon about 4 inch glass at the surface of the water at the front glass..this glass cover up 4 inch your front water surface and trap your extra co2 bubble from release to the open air..basically co2 bubble from diffuser will trap there and desolve later..u get less water agitation and high co2 here..now u can slow down the incoming valve because u feel its more than before..

 

A bit of caution: co2 changes the pH of tanks. Large swings in pH can be deadly to fish. You may want to invest in a drop checker so you can tell where your co2 levels are at, and make sure there aren’t large swings.

 

A bit of caution: co2 changes the pH of tanks. Large swings in pH can be deadly to fish. You may want to invest in a drop checker so you can tell where your co2 levels are at, and make sure there aren’t large swings.

Oh man I was completely unaware of that. Thank you very much. Is there a number it tends to try get to or be at?

 

I’m honestly not sure. One of the things that deterred me from using co2 was the risk of it running out and hurting my critters. I didn’t want to have to worry about constantly having it. I’m sure you can get that info from someone else out there.