Co2 Set-up Help Needed

Tigermoth

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Can anyone give me a few pointers on making a DIY CO2 unit for a 4' x 18" x 15" planted tank?

A few things like:

Bottle size, type of pipe, best diffuser for the size of tank, quantities of yeast to sugar, quantity of bicarb (if any).

The pH of the tap water is: Min 7.47, Max 7.66, mean 7.56.

TIA
 
I have a 29 gal and what I use is 2 - 2 litre bottles hooked up together using a "T" connector to split it going to the diffuser. I use a ceramic glass diffuser, but I've used Hagen ladders also. The ladder tends to get mucky and the bubbles don't flow as well after a while. I had to clean mine every week. With the ceramic glass diffuser, I just soak it in some water and bleach and it comes out very clean.
I use 2 cups of sugar and about 1 teaspoon of yeast filled with luke warm water to where the bottle starts curving at the top. I don't use any bicarb. I change the mixture in one of the bottles every week to keep it stable. I'm not too sure if DIY is the way to go for your size tank. I think with larger tanks, pressurized is the way to go. Hope this helps.
 
Thanks for that, leafs.

I've read a few articles on using fizzy drinks bottles, seems simple enough. My main concern is getting a good seal around the bottles where the pipes enter and exit. Any tips welcomed.

Would this be a good diffuser to use alongside 2 x 2L bottles?
http://www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php?...roducts_id=1236

Or is there a better and cheaper way?

TIA
 
Thanks for the links, Underwurlde.

I noticed for the Rhinox 5000 it says "Not suitable for DIY yeast bottle" . Rhinox 2000 seems ok though.

I assume your lesser than sign for <20 US Gallons is only for the Rhinox 1000. Not sure exactly how many US Gallons my tank is, but it's more than 20. I'll get the Rhinox 2000 unless I get advised otherwise.
 
I'm using the Spio III and it looks similar to the one you were looking at. I'm sure it will work well. I'm just using plain old airline hose and I drilled a hole just big enough to squeeze it through, then I silliconed it on the inside and outside of the bottle cap. Silicon doesn't adhere too well to the plastic bottle caps, but I just re-do every once and a while.
 
One of the articles I read mentioned using metal airline nipples to fasten the airline pipe securely to the bottles. I can't find the webpage, but it was a US site I think.
Anyone know where I can buy these nipples, or plastic ones, here in the UK?
 
Try Maplins. They used to make bits n' bobs for model airplane stuff (not that I was ever into that, just for the record).

If not I'll send you one. PM me.

Andy

PS
Get the plastic elbows, joiners and 'T' junctions from 'Pets @ Home'. & no, I am not promoting them....
 
One of the articles I read mentioned using metal airline nipples to fasten the airline pipe securely to the bottles. I can't find the webpage, but it was a US site I think.
Anyone know where I can buy these nipples, or plastic ones, here in the UK?
I was gonna ask the exact same question coz i cant find them anywhere on the net.
 
I'm jumping on the thread here, rather than starting a new one, becuse youmay e able to answer my question.

My tanks are filtered using air rather than power filters, and I am wondering if anyone has found a way of combining Co2 generators with the outlet from the air pump, thus forcing the Co2 through the filters airstones into the water.

My thoughts are to tee into the outlet pipe from the pump and use a check valve to stop the air from getting into the generator, but I'm wondering if the generator will create enough pressure to force the gas into the airline. The other method I can think of is to put the pump into a box which is being fed air and co2 directly. The only thing here, is that I can't be sure that the co2 would get to the pump or just escape through the air intake!
Can this work, and if so, does ayone have any suggestions as to how?
 
Defo hijack mate! Start a new thread in the DIY section...
BTW did you know that if you're injecting CO2 it is considered a bad idea to also inject air?
This is because the surface agititation caused by the air bubbles disperses any CO2 in the water....

Andy
 
Defo hijack mate! Start a new thread in the DIY section...
BTW did you know that if you're injecting CO2 it is considered a bad idea to also inject air?
This is because the surface agititation caused by the air bubbles disperses any CO2 in the water....

Andy

Thanks for the pointer. I didn't know it was a bad idea to use both either. I'll start a new thread in DIY.
 
Hmm. And double hmm.

Actually I tried to find the actual part number for these items from the Maplin website & could not find the bloody thing.
In fact they are now not supplied.
So, I got some of said nipples off the shop floor here at work today & got our (internal) part number for them.
I then traced the number back through the system. Turns out that since I designed these things into a product about 6 years ago, we now get them from somewhere else:

I phoned the company to ask if they can supply piece-meal to the general public - she is going to get someone to get back to me on Monday. BTW their sodding website is currently 'under maintenance'.

Nothing is ever bloody simple is it? :blink:

Sorry about possibly wasting your time on that dead end. PM me if you want me to pinch some from stores & send you some.

Andy
 
have you managed to find any 'nipples' online?
ooo....err :)

Had a mess around in the kitchen this morning with some old bits of airline and a few bottle tops. I must say the smaller hole method totally rocks!
The airline is 6mm so I tried a 5mm drill bit, which was nice and easy to pull through and a fairly tight fit. Then tried a 4mm drill bit, which made it difficult to pull through even after a dip in boiling water. When it cools down it's an amazingly tight fit. Am now sold on this method !00%!
Thanks for the offers of the nipples, Underwurlde, but I don't need em now.

Called in at Tescos today and bought four x 2L bottles of fizzy water for 17p each and a length of airline at 9p a foot. Now got two bottles and a safety bottle/bubble counter working brilliantly. Wanted a few smaller bottles just for the lids, but stupidly the smaller bottles are more expensive so bought a fourth 2L for a spare lid.

I chucked an old airstone on the end for now, while I wait for the diffuser to turn up, but all the bubbles just go straight up and out. So I've positioned the airstone under the external filter's intake. Now every 30 seconds or so I get a huge gush of bubbles out of the spray bar. Hope I'm not overdoing it.

Thanks for the help.
 

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