DIY CO2 Injector

[shawmutt]

Ok, maybe I'm just being a little obsessive.

I just added a DIY Co2 injector to my tank using the instructions found on the web site http://www.netpets.org/fish/reference/freshref/co2.html . The only problem is that the site doesn't say how much water should be in the bottle when I'm done. It just says:

Dissolve 1 cup of sugar (any type of sugar will work) in about 500ml - 1 litre of water and pour into the generator. Dissolve 1/2 - 1tsp. of yeast (bakers yeast is available at any supermarket) in a small amount of warm (NOT HOT) water, add to the generator and top up to the required level with cold water.

Does anyone have any thoughts as to what the "required level" is? I filled it only halfway.

Another question: Does this mixture need light? heat? Can I just store it underneath my stand? (don't worry, I already have a check valve installed so it won't siphon my tank out) Any thoughts or experience you can share would be helpful.

 

[shawmutt]

Another question: is there a way I can tell exactly how much Co2 is in the tank? I saw web sites about the pH and hardness and the relation, but it's all discombobulated. Anyone know of a more comprehensive way to tell?

 

[targaboy78]

Hi shawmutt,

You may find this link to Chuck's Planted Aquarium Page helpful,
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

It explains a little about the pH-KH-CO2 relationship and it has a handy little calculator... All you do is fill in the pH and KH and it calculates the CO2 level.

It also has a colored CO2 / KH / pH chart that shows Low/Good/High levels of CO2.

I hope this helps.