Parts for homemade CO2 system (in the UK)?

[njparton]

I'm going out tommorrow for the (the rest of the) parts needed for a homemade CO2 system.

I'm currently sterilising 3 x 2L pop bottles with a weak Milton solution and have plenty of air stones and air line sitting around.

My question is: where am I going to be able to get the connectors for the botles tops and air line from? Most of the pictures I've seen of homemade systems in this forum show brass type fixtures?

Last time I looked in my LFS they had nothing remotely like what is needed - are there any brass gas fittings people use as a substitute? Will they be available from say B&Q?

As I understand it, I need to drill a hole in the centre of each of the bottle tops, poke the connector through and seal it with aquarium silicone?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ste2k3]

there is an RO tank connector. its basically a connector that goes through the material and you can pur RO pipe into both sides. we used them for making a drip feed for phytoplancton through a bottle cap.

 

[Fly258]

All I did was heat a small nail and melt a hole thro the pop bottle cap then seal it both sides with some silicone. As long as the hole is slightly smaller than the tube you should not have a problem. Its not as if the whole thing runs at a high pressure. If you use silicone type tubing you can stretch it thro the hole and make a better seal.

 

[njparton]

there is an RO tank connector. its basically a connector that goes through the material and you can pur RO pipe into both sides. we used them for making a drip feed for phytoplancton through a bottle cap.

RO Units connectors, hmm.......

 

[njparton]

All I did was heat a small nail and melt a hole thro the pop bottle cap then seal it both sides with some silicone. As long as the hole is slightly smaller than the tube you should not have a problem. Its not as if the whole thing runs at a high pressure. If you use silicone type tubing you can stretch it thro the hole and make a better seal.

Pressure was precisely what I was worried about.

However, I guess so long as it's a strong seal, the pressure will be released through the airline.

If I can't find any metallic connectors, I'll give the direct approach a whirl

 

[ste2k3]

I don't know how these co2 makers work and don't know what sort of pressure theye need to cope with. if there isn't any real pressure, then I would go with what fly258 said. if not then RO connectors will handle mains waer pressure.

 

[pmoyniha]

Go to a local hardware store and look at the plumbing section. I am sure you will be able to find what you need. Or if there is anywhere close by that sells lab equipment you can get some really cool glassware that is presetup for running gasses through airlines.. That's what I did. It makes it look much more high tech that it really is. I finally got a magnetic stir plate for my system so the solution is in constant motion. My CO2 output has almost tripled.

 

[njparton]

Go to a local hardware store and look at the plumbing section. I am sure you will be able to find what you need. Or if there is anywhere close by that sells lab equipment you can get some really cool glassware that is presetup for running gasses through airlines.. That's what I did. It makes it look much more high tech that it really is. I finally got a magnetic stir plate for my system so the solution is in constant motion. My CO2 output has almost tripled.

Blimey - that all sounds a bit scientific!

How do you know your output has tripled? Just by observation?

I'm not aware of any local lab suppliers, and although I work in the nuclear industry, I'm and office geek not a lab geek....

I'll try B&Q tommorrow, otherwise just try without any metallic connectors...

 

[ste2k3]

try timstar lab supplys. they do loads of stuff and they deliver it at low cost.

http/www.timstar.co.uk/

ask them to send you a catalogue

 

[njparton]

try timstar lab supplys. they do loads of stuff and they deliver it at low cost.

http/www.timstar.co.uk/

ask them to send you a catalogue

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind should B&Q or the other solution not work.

 

[njparton]

Well, couldn't find anything at all suitable...

So I just took a 2L bottle, drilled a suitable sized hole in the top (a tight fit but not so that it constricts air flow) sealed it with silicone: and it works!

I'm using a small airstone (the type that usually comes with an uplift) and at first nothing, but after an hour or so it's fizzing away nicely in the tank, with a good 5mm of foam on the surface of the water in the bottle.

Should I be aiming for a high degree of fizz or just a few small bubbles/second from the airstone?

I thought about hooking it up to the inlet of my powerhead (ala venturi) - would this be better?

At the moment the bubbles rise to the surface and that's it - I'm thinking the venturi/powerhead solution might be better although it would reduce the air pressure inside the bottle (don't think this would matter?).

 

[Cstratton7]

I recently started injecting C02 into my tank also. I have been using the same technique as you have. pmoyniha has a good point about a constant movement....when the gas is released it leaves a residue of dry yeast and sugar. If you stir the bottle up the airstone pretty much pukes out a bunch of bubbles....if you had a constant motion you would have more output for a longer time. I have stuck my airstone underneath the current of my powerfilter so that more of the c02 is dissolved into the water. if the bubbles float to the top then not much of the c02 is making it to the plants. If you have a powerhead or a filter current to stick them under that would be a great idea.

 

[pmoyniha]

As far as the output increasing x3, mostly observation, but I did try to measure it volumetrically which ended with a wet shirt sleave and a 50ml beaker in the bottom of the tank.

 

[njparton]

OK, attaching it to my powerhead outlet it is then. I guess the only drawback is I can't visually check if CO2 is being produced and when it's time for a change....

On a seperate note - does anyone have a novel idea to keep a pop bottle warm during the day and overnight?

My central heating is off during these periods so I guess room temp drops to 15C (or less this time of year).

I came home from work tonight and no bubbles at all. Put the heating on for an hour and we're back in business.

How should I keep the bottle warm I wonder....? I'm guessing at around a constant 30C would be good?

 

[Fly258]

My co2 has been running for about 3 weeks now and is still producing plenty at room temp (but I am using 2 x 3 litre bottles). I have got the outlet of the co2 tube pushed into the inlet tube of my external filter and no co2 bubbles come out of the outlet, so I am assuming that all the co2 is being dissolved in the water as it travels thro the filter and its pipework. As the inlet tube of the filter is clear, I can monitor the amount of bubbles being produced.
I cant see much point in increasing the output of the co2 unless you increase the amount of co2 being absorbed by the water. I realize that by increasing the output it will increase the amount being absorbed by the water, but only slightly. Less output and more efficient absorbsion seems the way to go IMHO.