DIY mix for the Plant-Gro CO2 System??

[NikkiY]

Hi there,

I am a newbie in this CO2 thing. I have a 32G aquarium with 6 potted plants and a dozen of little fish like platies and tiger barbs. I would like to use CO2 to make my plants healthier such that the whole tank will be prettier. I am a bit lazy and I am not sure if I want to go for a totally DIY system. I would like ot buy one of the Hagen Plant-Gro CO2 system but use my own mixture of reactant. Have anyeone been successfuly in making a mix similar to the one sold by Hagen? I saw a receipe consist of sugar, yeast, water and baking powder. I wonder if I can use this mixture in the Plant-Gro CO2 canister. Comment and suggestions are most welcome.

Thx!

Nikki

 

[littlefishie]

The recipe I use is the same one that most people on the forum use. It's for a 2L pop bottle. 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon yeast.

DIY Co2
That's the website I used to do mine. It tells you the steps for mixing everything.

 

[marcusbacus]

I am going to do a home made mix as well for my Hagen kit as the refills are way too expensive and aren't lasting more than 10 days (there isn't any leaking). It seems that the amount of yeast of their refills is a bit too small compared to other recipes. What's the capacity of the bottle of the Hagen kit? I'm not sure if it handles 1 litre. Also, which is better, more sugar, more yeast or more baking soda, if adding more of any of these make the mix last longer?

 

[Silly me]

I use brewers yeast, last a bit longer, but only 1/3 of a teaspoon yeast and 1/2 a teaspoon of PH up or baking soda, with 2 cups of suger, in a 2l soda bottle


Brewers yeast can cope with a much lower PH, so it last much longer , mine last for 4-6weeks, I have a CO2 test in the tank so I only replace a 2l bottle when needed

I only add 1/3 teaspoon of yeast, you might need more it you use bakers yeast but 1/3 teaspoon brewers yeast give me 60-100 bubbles per minute or 20ppm CO2 for more than 4 weeks..

the baking soda or PH up is only there to make the mix last longer since the PH drops very low and the yeast stops working when the PH drops below PH 4

 

[Yeaulman]

I heard a package of JELL-O will also lengthen the amount of time the mixture will last

 

[DogFish]

I have the Hagen kit, and I do this:
In a 1/2 C measuring cup, almost fill it with warm (not hot) water. Add 1/4 tsp of yeast to it and a pinch of sugar, let it sit while you put the sugar and baking soda into the container.
Into the well rinsed bottle, put 1/2 cup of sugar, with a flat tablespoon of baking soda on top.

Stir the yeast mix to make sure it has broken down.
Pour it into the container and then fill it the rest of the way (to the water mark line) with lukewarm water.
I find this starts with the CO2 bubbles within a very short time, and will last 2 weeks before the bubbles start slowing to less than one every 5 seconds.
It is so easy to do I just rinse it all out and re-do every two weeks.

 

[marcusbacus]

I was a bit upset for the original refills lasting not so much as expected (or advertised). I use the bubble hose in the lowest slot, will moving it to the highest make it last longer (I know it reduces the amount of dissolved CO2 this way) or it will just waste CO2?

I noticed that the bubbles are not following their paths now for the first time (I think it wastes a lot of CO2 this way as it makes bigger bubbles that reaches the water surface too fast), there is some algae (I think) blocking their way but I can't remove the diffuser to clean it up or I'll mess up with the dwarf gourami's nest... I think if there will be gourami babies, they must show up until tomorrow afternoon. If nothing happens, I'll clean the diffuser.

 

[The Mohave Kid]

I don't know anything about this stuff ... but when brewing beer I used pressurized Carbon Dioxide ... sounds a lot easier then making Carbon Dioxide ??

What do you think ??

Good Day ...

 

[nonot8946]

People are trying to do this without having to shell out the money for a pressurized cylinder and regulators. two liter bottles and some small silicon tubing can be had for free and a few bucks, respectively . However, I am currently looking for designs for a diffuser...I am thinking about simply buying a glass jar of baby food (throwing out the food...yuck )and sticking it in upside down...thoughts.

(edit for typo)

 

[NikkiY]

People are trying to do this without having to shell out the money for a pressurized cylinder and regulators. two liter bottles and some small silicon tubing can be had for free and a few bucks, respectively . However, I am currently looking for designs for a diffuser...I am thinking about simply buying a glass jar of baby food (throwing out the food...yuck )and sticking it in upside down...thoughts.

(edit for typo)

Hi nonot8946,

I tried to use some form of inverted dome but i did not get enough water flow to make it effective. I ended up getting the Hagen's bubble counter/diffuser. I found it quite effective and I noticed enormoust growth in the last 2 weeks. My Echinodorus palaefolius all double in size.

Nikki

 

[nonot8946]

Thanks for the info Nikki...what you are referring to is just a large spiral type thing, correct?

I had another idea too....a plastic salt shaker. Throw in a few marbles or stones to weight it down, drill for the CO2 in tube...the tiny holes break up the bubbles.