DIY CO2?

fguinan

There are countless diy co2 guides on the net, is there an accepted best method? Or methods to avoid?

After splashing out on a new aquarium the budget for co2 rules out even second hand pressurised systems

Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks

CruelCoin

Allo,

If you're looking to diy it, the best thing you can do is buy a clear beer barrel, some tubing and a "bubble run"/diffuser.

Throw in some yeast and suger and away you go.

Trouble is you'll start with little action, then loads of co2 (possibly harmfull levels) then back to nothing again.

So, it can take a lot of fiddling before you find the correct levels etc.

Or take a look a something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Nutrafin-Natural-System-Activator-Stabilizer/dp/B00026058Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1377590395&sr=8-1&keywords=co2+aquarium
Comes with yeast, fermenter, tubing, bubble run, yeast regulator, etc.
Give a much more stable flow of co2, but doesn't last that long (maybe a week or two) or put out much (not enough for anything larger than 50lt).


I have heard of some people buying old second hand scuba tanks/fire extinguishers, filling with co2 and doing it that way.

TooManyDogs

I built a DIY CO2 system using a 2 litre milk bottle for the yeast mix, a 500ml bottle to let that mix bubble through and then from there into the tank and I have to say it's worked fantastically well. I unscrew the system at night, that's the disadvantage, but I couldn't afford the price of a proper system. My plants exploded and the fish/shrimp seem to be doing ok.

Marcin_diy

In Poland the most popular rule for diy Co2 is Rule 1410

1 -Litre of water
400 gram of sugar
10 - gram of yests

mix everything in 2l bottle from coke, or sprite , drill hole in the cap 1mm smaller then dimaeter of the co2 plastic pipe, seal.
get small 500ml bottle from coke, sprite, drill 2 holes in the cap each 1mm less than diameter of the plastic co2 pipe, fill 300ml of water, put the pipe from the large bottle to the bottom of small one and seal. then take second pipe , to the hole, seal and other end connect to the diffusor.

* - yests - fresh are much better than dried ones, you can get them in every Polish shop in Ireland.

* milk bottle is not good - it is not meant to be used with pressurized systems, and if for some reason your co2 pipe block, your milk bottle with yests, sugar and water can explode.