The Yeast Co2 Method

[SuperColey1]

BEAR WITH me pics and alterations to initial posts will be done today I hope. I've had an on/off flu type virus for 3 weeks now and some days I'm just unable to do anything. Maybe 35 is indeed getting old. lol

Recipe - I've gone from 2 bottles with 1 teaspoon yeast to 3 bottles with 3/4 yeast.

I've also ordered a couple of extra bits I was wanting to get before the test but was waiting for shrimp and plants sales to buy them. lol

AC

 

[alex.wardle]

what an interesting read AC i have chose to follow your method to the letter apart from the diffuser (i am using a ceramic one inside the tank.)
How is your system going so far.
Mine is going great so far, day 2 and am getting around 70-80ppm. I will be adding my 2nd bottles mixture at day 3 same as you. Do you think you will need to add the 3rd bottle.

70-80ppm? I'm sure you mean bpm. Even so thats quite a lot from one bottle. Maybe yours is a little warmer.

I have actually had a probelm and have altered my recipe last night. I'll detail this later and amend the recipe in the first few pages for those who can't read past the first page. lol

AC

day one 50-60bpm
day two 70-80bpm
day three 70-80bpm

I am guessing that it is to do with the heat as my house is always quite warm. This may mean that i need to add a 3rd bottle tho because i no that heat speeds up the reaction but will also shorten then length. I am going to run one full week with 2 bottles and see how i get on. May need the addition of a 3rd bottle.

 

[SuperColey1]

Keep moving the DC around the tank and as long as it stays green (closer tho the yellow side) then you're fine.

bpm is just a gauge really so doesn't tell us anything other than we can see it is slowing or rising

AC

 

[stevereade]

Ok, I'm gonna stick with two bottles as mines a nano tank and I cant hide it all. I have found the most awesome way for diffusion tho.
After finding that the Nutrafin tube that came with the ladder diffuser was actually getting slightly pinched, which was giving bursts of large bubbles every 4 seconds or so, I bought an airstone. When fitting it I took the tube off the ladder and loads of CO2 shot out, so now I have the airstone on the end of the tube at the bottom of my tank. The Nutrafin ladder is mounted higher up (around 3 inches from the surface) and its giving out a constant flow of tiny bubbles which hit the bottom of the ladder, work their way up and by the time they reach the surface they have been almost completely absorbed. Now the tube isn't being pinched the flow with one bottle is giving 30-40BPM in the bubble counter but I'm really pleased with the constant flow from the airstone as well. I'll put up a couple of pic's later on.

 

[alex.wardle]

Well atm i have the dc at the other side of the tank to my diffuser and it is showing green/yellow so i am guessing its alright. will move it around the tank later on. just hooked up the 2nd bottle with mix in.
Plants are already looking alot greener with some new shoots on my Jarva Fern, I have alot of Cabomba right by my diffuser and that has took of like mad about 3inches of growth in places and the Vallis on the other side of the tank is about the same.
I am deff happy with the progress so far lets just hope it lasts.
I am running 2 air stones at night after lights of is this the right thing to do, shuts of around an hour before lights on.
Chears for all the help AC
Many Thanks
Alex

 

[SuperColey1]

Shouldn't need to run airstones at night if all is going OK. Thats one of my targets.

I want this to emulate a 24/7 pressurised setup where it is almost yellow (not dangerous yello) at lights on and then peters out through the day a little. My DC isn;t changing colour however so maybe this 4 year old 4dKH is gawn off.

Just ordered some more to see

I've spent more on this project (at least £20) than I've spent on the whole tank apart from the replacement filter in the whole of the last year. lol

AC

 

[Ryefish]

I tried an air stone on my DIY CO2 kit for a while, and it is rubbish for diffusing the air bubbles. They just rise to the top in quite large bubbles, even when placed underneath the filter outlet

 

[alex.wardle]

ow well better safe then sorry. I already had the air stones in the tank would hate to wake up in the morning to tank full of gassed fishes.

 

[stevereade]

Well here it is running, you can't really see the bubbles as by the time they get to the top of the ladder they're gone. When I took this there were like 2 bubbles on every rung of the ladder so the airstone is doing an amazing job, constant flow of bubbles. Got one bottle running in the pic as the first mix went wrong quick and ran out really fast so now only one is working, I'll be refilling the other tomorrow.

Looking bushy.

 

[mbsqw1d]

lookin very healthy stevereade! hope it stays like that for you!!

supercoley1 ive been following this thread from the start.. your timing is perfect lol as i decide whether to have a proper go at diy co2 or look at the walstad.. i know it all depends on "in the long run" but iv never been good at looking ahead.. i reckon i could cope with changin bottles every week.. problem is if i go away for a week or something. hmmm..

oh.. sorry, slightly unrelated but, would you think "security lights" ie the ones with a linear halogen bulb about 300 watts could be suitable for planted tank? spotted one for a fiver.. if its raised high enough to get the coverage?

this has pretty much answered my question. sorry again for the highjack! http/aquaria.net/articles/lighting/FAQ/incandescent/

thanks

 

[stevereade]

I fit those for a living, well when I'm working that is lol, I wouldn't use one as they can give of serious heat too and your lecky bill will go through the roof!

 

[SuperColey1]

I like the way you 'scored' through the squestion rather than removed it. lol I guess you are wanting confirmation. :stupid:


300W wow. you were right about looking forward and all that. lol

Think about it. If you leave the tank alone for a few days the fish wil be OK without food, the electricity 'should' be OK in this modern age of technology however we are always surprised. Would you trust a pressurised CO2 setup and walk away for a 'long weekend' ? Would you for a couple of weeks?

Maybe you would but I wouldn't I turn CO2 off, set the lights at a lower wattage or higher height or shorter period and then take the suitacse to the taxi. Noone will be dosing ferts either. 2 weeks where the only action will be my Dad popping round a couple of times a week and dropping in a little bit of pre prepared food.

Same deal with the yeast setup. Just disconnect it, go on holiday, come back to an unruly tank and then set it al up again.

Not gonna have time to upload the pictures tonight. I have about 200 in all for journals and all sorts but the wife has become a telly addict this week since we both stopped smoking and I had to wrestle her for the TV. Ian will tell you I did very well to win I'll try in the daytime tomorrow to get it all sorted.

AC

 

[ian]

Hahaha that's ace, but bad Andy! Well done on the smoking fronts as well keep it up mate!

 

[alex.wardle]

Well its friday now and i have 2 bottle running side by side.
I recon my 1st bottle has gone over the peek and my 2nd bottle is gathering steam (well co2) just did a bubble check and its chucking out 120bps i think i am going to have to re work the mixture. The DP is turning more yellow now then green.

Heres some pics of the set up.
The mixture


The crappy diffuser(getting my ceramic on this weekend. The dam thing cant handle the rate of co2


The lush new growth

 

[stevereade]

Looking good Alex, trust me AC even 300W flood lamps will take the p*** with electricity, I have electric on a key meter and my 500W flood lamp kills the credit lol.