Is this as daunting as I make it out to be?

So I think I have the conditions of my 50 gallon planted stabilized With that I'm starting to look into some things I couldn't quite figure out while I was planning all the details while setting up and cycling. I've already posted on getting advice about fertilizer and so now I'm wondering about C02.

I think I get the basic idea. C02 is made/bought and hooked up to a hose going into the tank where it slowly bubbles into the water to be consumed by the plants. Great but be careful not to asphyxiate the fish &/or inverts since, like us, they can't use C02.

I've heard there's effectively 3 variations on C02 injectors: Manual where I'd have to be in direct control over the C02 and guesstimate how much I'm adding, a 'dumb' autonomous system that is essentially the manual on a timer, and then a 'smart' auto system that keeps C02 at a given level.

My concerns here come down to:
How big are these systems usually?
Just how easy would it be to accidentally kill my fish & inverts?
If I go for a system that doesn't measure as part of it how pricy are the measuring tools?
What would a decent price-point for each type be?
How intuitive are these systems normally, or how much knowledge specifically about them is needed for proper use?

 

To me (and I'm not a plant person just a mechanic) go with a big bottle like a kegerator takes (refill at beer stores) an electronic pressure valve (on a timer) with a good diffuser with a drop checker (I think that's what its called) everything but the bottle will help keep initial costs down. The big bottle will keep down costs over time. Another option is the paintball bottles if you have a place (like dicks sporting goods) that will refill it. Run as fast as you can away the non reusable bottles.

 

It's not rocket sciece
CO2 cylinder - we use a 2kg fire extinguisher which is cheap to swap when empty (10quid or about 12 dollars) and lasts 5 months in a 30USg.
This is at very high pressure so attached is a regulator to step the pressure down - at least 'two stage' so one dial for input tank pressure and another for output pressure. Make sure you can adjust the output pressure dependant on your delivery method - see later.
Spend money on the regulator! (not sure of US options - EU fittings ate different).
An aquarium regulator should have an integral solenoid valve you can attach to a timer, a needle valve to regulate the quantity and a fluid filled bubble counter (we use mineral oil but it can be water) to show the quantity in 'bubbles per second' or 'bps' being delivered. It may have a non return valve to stop water siphoning back and damaging the regulator.
You need CO2 proof polyurethane tubing - airline tubing will go brittle, crack and leak. At the aquarium end a glass or stainless steel U-bend to hang on the aquarium. We then have another CO2 proof non-return valve before injecting into our in-tank reactor.
Delivery method depends on you personal preference and set up.
There are ceramic Diffusers - like an air stone but much finer. These need quite a high pressure to work properly and regular cleaning.
There are inline reactors - water from your pump goes in one end as does CO2 where it mixes, and the CO2 charged water leaves the other end. Some make their own (see CO2 section).
Also in-line diffusers that sit between pump and outlet.
We use an in tank 'ladder' reactor - bubbles enter the bottom and run up a spiral bubble track, dissolving by the time they reach the top.
The drop checker has a reactive fluid and a trapped bubble of air - CO2 off gasses into the bubble and then dissolves in the fluid changing its colour- takes about 2 hours to stabilise.
There's a relationship between KH/PH/CO2 in the water. Look for charts online - not totally accurate as you may have other acidic elements in your tank but you can get a rough idea of the PH you are aiming for.
Start at 1bps - leave for 2 hours - check PH and drop checker. Increase by 1bps every 2 hours until PH has dropped by between 1and your target. Keep an eye on drop checker - if it starts to turn yellow dial back CO2 slightly. Don't worry about the sharp drop in PH - fine with CO2. We run at about 4bps but that will be different for every tank.
And of course keep an eye on your fish! You can't really go wrong if you take your time.
AI'm to have your drop checker green by the time your lights are full on. You may need to start CO2 between an hour and five hours in advance.
Turn off an hour before your lights.
Have fun - it's not rocket science
Your plants breathe all the time like us - O2 in, CO2 out. When lights are on, they also photosynthesise - using light to convert CO2 and H20 to sugar to grow. This uses about six times the CO2 they breath out.
CO2 also readily 'off gasses' from the water surface - don't run an airstone at the same time as CO2 - only at night.
A regulator set up will look a bit like this:

 

So I think I have the conditions of my 50 gallon planted stabilized With that I'm starting to look into some things I couldn't quite figure out while I was planning all the details while setting up and cycling. I've already posted on getting advice about fertilizer and so now I'm wondering about C02.

I think I get the basic idea. C02 is made/bought and hooked up to a hose going into the tank where it slowly bubbles into the water to be consumed by the plants. Great but be careful not to asphyxiate the fish &/or inverts since, like us, they can't use C02.

I've heard there's effectively 3 variations on C02 injectors: Manual where I'd have to be in direct control over the C02 and guesstimate how much I'm adding, a 'dumb' autonomous system that is essentially the manual on a timer, and then a 'smart' auto system that keeps C02 at a given level.

My concerns here come down to:
How big are these systems usually?
Just how easy would it be to accidentally kill my fish & inverts?
If I go for a system that doesn't measure as part of it how pricy are the measuring tools?
What would a decent price-point for each type be?
How intuitive are these systems normally, or how much knowledge specifically about them is needed for proper use?

Based on your last thread for the plants you have you will not need co2, it wouldn’t hurt to have it but it’s absolutely not needed for those plants to thrive.

 

Based on your last thread for the plants you have you will not need co2, it wouldn’t hurt to have it but it’s absolutely not needed for those plants to thrive.

Thanks. I'm looking into this because I want the plants to do well and provide hides and cover for the shrimp in case my guppies try to harass them. I'm hoping to get a nice thick carpet of Sagittaria, and for my moss to grow a bit more so I've got two areas of good cover for them.

 

It's not rocket sciece
CO2 cylinder - we use a 2kg fire extinguisher which is cheap to swap when empty (10quid or about 12 dollars) and lasts 5 months in a 30USg.
This is at very high pressure so attached is a regulator to step the pressure down - at least 'two stage' so one dial for input tank pressure and another for output pressure. Make sure you can adjust the output pressure dependant on your delivery method - see later.
Spend money on the regulator! (not sure of US options - EU fittings ate different).
An aquarium regulator should have an integral solenoid valve you can attach to a timer, a needle valve to regulate the quantity and a fluid filled bubble counter (we use mineral oil but it can be water) to show the quantity in 'bubbles per second' or 'bps' being delivered. It may have a non return valve to stop water siphoning back and damaging the regulator.
You need CO2 proof polyurethane tubing - airline tubing will go brittle, crack and leak. At the aquarium end a glass or stainless steel U-bend to hang on the aquarium. We then have another CO2 proof non-return valve before injecting into our in-tank reactor.
Delivery method depends on you personal preference and set up.
There are ceramic Diffusers - like an air stone but much finer. These need quite a high pressure to work properly and regular cleaning.
There are inline reactors - water from your pump goes in one end as does CO2 where it mixes, and the CO2 charged water leaves the other end. Some make their own (see CO2 section).
Also in-line diffusers that sit between pump and outlet.
We use an in tank 'ladder' reactor - bubbles enter the bottom and run up a spiral bubble track, dissolving by the time they reach the top.
The drop checker has a reactive fluid and a trapped bubble of air - CO2 off gasses into the bubble and then dissolves in the fluid changing its colour- takes about 2 hours to stabilise.
There's a relationship between KH/PH/CO2 in the water. Look for charts online - not totally accurate as you may have other acidic elements in your tank but you can get a rough idea of the PH you are aiming for.
Start at 1bps - leave for 2 hours - check PH and drop checker. Increase by 1bps every 2 hours until PH has dropped by between 1and your target. Keep an eye on drop checker - if it starts to turn yellow dial back CO2 slightly. Don't worry about the sharp drop in PH - fine with CO2. We run at about 4bps but that will be different for every tank.
And of course keep an eye on your fish! You can't really go wrong if you take your time.
AI'm to have your drop checker green by the time your lights are full on. You may need to start CO2 between an hour and five hours in advance.
Turn off an hour before your lights.
Have fun - it's not rocket science
Your plants breathe all the time like us - O2 in, CO2 out. When lights are on, they also photosynthesise - using light to convert CO2 and H20 to sugar to grow. This uses about six times the CO2 they breath out.
CO2 also readily 'off gasses' from the water surface - don't run an airstone at the same time as CO2 - only at night.
A regulator set up will look a bit like this:
View attachment 664733

Thanks for the info. Kind of sounds like rocket science but I'll take your word for it that it isn't.
I didn't know C02 would affect my pH. Shouldn't be too much trouble my pH is slightly high for the Sagittaria anyway though this does make me more concerned about the guppies. The first few times I did water changes I had pH swings (issue with substrate buffering).
Not sure how I'd be timing when to do this as my light system dims on/off very slowly as it tries to replicate the sun and moon. I guess I'd begin around 1AM as the 'moon' is setting and five hours should put it nearing 'dawn' for my fish.
Screwing with a fire extinguisher strikes me as not a particularly great idea... at least on my never done any DIY lonesome but I think I could rope a handy relative or two into making sure I don't depressurize the thing accidentily... and probably cause some damage with it.

 

An extinguisher is just a CO2 cylinder with a trigger rather than a tap. Our light system is the same - we actually turn our CO2 on at sunrise as the aquarium is in a room with a window so gets a little light during the day - the lights come on at 2pm and reach full brightness by 3pm. At 7pm they start to dI'm and reach about 60% at 8pm - the tank is by the telly so this is for aesthetic purposes. Our CO2 switches off at midnight. Our lights start to dI'm again at 1am and off at 3am (we're late birds!).
It took us a while to work out what suits us - about a month of trial and error - now it's set up we only really need to touch it to start the CO2 a little earlier as the days get longer and to change the cylinder every 5 months. Don't worry about PH swings caused by CO2 - it will swing up and down each day - it's fine if because of using CO2.
Two last things - have some soapy water and a brush to hand when you first turn it on. Brush this around the joints where the regulator meets the cylinder and where the tubing fits to the regulator - if there are any leaks it will bubble up - you can then just wipe it clean.
Also whatever Cylinder you get make sure it is supported so it can't fall over. We store ours behind the telly with a loop of wire screwed to the back of the TV stand that the cylinder sits in. CO2 is at very high pressure - never turn it on without the regulator and don't let it fall over.
Its a whole lot easier than I make it sound!! Just not good at explaining stuff I guess . Here's a video that may also help.... George Farmer uses the same setup and regulator that I use:

 

It's not rocket sciece
CO2 cylinder - we use a 2kg fire extinguisher which is cheap to swap when empty (10quid or about 12 dollars) and lasts 5 months in a 30USg.
This is at very high pressure so attached is a regulator to step the pressure down - at least 'two stage' so one dial for input tank pressure and another for output pressure. Make sure you can adjust the output pressure dependant on your delivery method - see later.
Spend money on the regulator! (not sure of US options - EU fittings ate different).
An aquarium regulator should have an integral solenoid valve you can attach to a timer, a needle valve to regulate the quantity and a fluid filled bubble counter (we use mineral oil but it can be water) to show the quantity in 'bubbles per second' or 'bps' being delivered. It may have a non return valve to stop water siphoning back and damaging the regulator.
You need CO2 proof polyurethane tubing - airline tubing will go brittle, crack and leak. At the aquarium end a glass or stainless steel U-bend to hang on the aquarium. We then have another CO2 proof non-return valve before injecting into our in-tank reactor.
Delivery method depends on you personal preference and set up.
There are ceramic Diffusers - like an air stone but much finer. These need quite a high pressure to work properly and regular cleaning.
There are inline reactors - water from your pump goes in one end as does CO2 where it mixes, and the CO2 charged water leaves the other end. Some make their own (see CO2 section).
Also in-line diffusers that sit between pump and outlet.
We use an in tank 'ladder' reactor - bubbles enter the bottom and run up a spiral bubble track, dissolving by the time they reach the top.
The drop checker has a reactive fluid and a trapped bubble of air - CO2 off gasses into the bubble and then dissolves in the fluid changing its colour- takes about 2 hours to stabilise.
There's a relationship between KH/PH/CO2 in the water. Look for charts online - not totally accurate as you may have other acidic elements in your tank but you can get a rough idea of the PH you are aiming for.
Start at 1bps - leave for 2 hours - check PH and drop checker. Increase by 1bps every 2 hours until PH has dropped by between 1and your target. Keep an eye on drop checker - if it starts to turn yellow dial back CO2 slightly. Don't worry about the sharp drop in PH - fine with CO2. We run at about 4bps but that will be different for every tank.
And of course keep an eye on your fish! You can't really go wrong if you take your time.
AI'm to have your drop checker green by the time your lights are full on. You may need to start CO2 between an hour and five hours in advance.
Turn off an hour before your lights.
Have fun - it's not rocket science
Your plants breathe all the time like us - O2 in, CO2 out. When lights are on, they also photosynthesise - using light to convert CO2 and H20 to sugar to grow. This uses about six times the CO2 they breath out.
CO2 also readily 'off gasses' from the water surface - don't run an airstone at the same time as CO2 - only at night.
A regulator set up will look a bit like this:
View attachment 664733

You're right, he really is good at explaining things. I think I understand how it's suppose to work.
I am curios how you modified a fire extinguisher to work with the system though.

By the end he said he had the diffuser in a sump. I'm just using a simple HOB. I suppose I could put the diffuser by the filter output for best dispersion.

 

In the UK a fire extinguisher has the horn fitted to a standard EU size thread - same as any other gas cylinder. You just unscrew the horn and screw on the regulator. US had different fittings so check first. There's a trigger rather than a tap - as in George's video where he also uses one you squeeze the handles together and hold together with a plastic tie-wrap. Don't do the latter before fitting the regulator - CO2 is at 800psi+ in any cylinder and will take your hand off if the horn or regulator aren't ffitted!
You are right too - fit the diffuser near to your filter outflow to disperse CO2 effectively.

 

Ah - maybe I need to revise my advice! A basic 4.4lb CO2 extinguisher in the UK costs as little as 20USd - and only 13USd to refill. I've checked some US sites and I can't find a 5lb extinguisher for less than 180USd! eek!

 

Ah - maybe I need to revise my advice! A basic 4.4lb CO2 extinguisher in the UK costs as little as 20USd - and only 13USd to refill. I've checked some US sites and I can't find a 5lb extinguisher for less than 180USd! eek!

Ah yes, the good old American price gouging. Heh.
I'll figure something out.