co2

[fishfanatic26]

I have 3 591 milliliter bottles 2 have yeast mixture one does not. My question is what am I doing wrong? The both get bubbles and foam but it never puts out bubbles. My tank is 30 gallons.

 

[Fishfur]

Not enough information to answer the question. What kind of tubing do you have set up and how do you have the bottles rigged up ? A pic would be very helpful.

If the problem is simply that the yeast/sugar/water is not producing any gas, the yeast may have been too old, [dead], or if the bottle has been running for a couple of weeks, the yeast will be killed by the alcohol formed as a result of the fermentation.

 

[fishfanatic26]

I use regular airline tubing. It has been running for 2 days and this is the third time I have used this recipe.

 

[fishfanatic26]

 

[Fishfur]

So you're just not getting any bubbles, right ? In that case, I think your problem is the yeast itself. It does not last forever. It's best stored in the freezer, and in air tight packaging. Check the expiry date on the package of yeast too. If it's poorly stored, it may not last as long as the date says, though if it's stored properly it can last a lot longer than the date says.

To be sure, add a teaspoon of sugar to a jar of lukewarm water. About 105 F is good. Stir in a tsp of the yeast. Wait for about ten minutes. You should see bubbling on the surface of the water/yeast/sugar mix. If you don't see bubbles, or see only a few, the yeast is old and dead. Buy new yeast.

 

[Fresh2o]

Did you perform a leak test? You can test this but holding the bottles under water and squeezing. The tube that enters the tank should be temporarily sealed or pinched off to allow pressure to build up during testing.
Some folks use silicon at the caps to ensure a seal. When I used DIY CO2 I did not use a sealant. I drilled a 3/8" hole in the cap and used needle nose pliers to pull it through the hole. Cutting the end of the tubing at a 45 degree angle helps.
The use of check valves helps prevent back flow.
You could fill the third bottle with water and have it serve as a bubble counter and prevent yeast from getting into the tank.


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[Fishfur]

I should have thought of that myself. Good point Fresh2o.

 

[Fresh2o]

I should have thought of that myself. Good point Fresh2o.

Very often I think of things to post AFTER I hit the Reply button.
One thing to try with multiple bottles is a check valve on each bottle AND a T connector. This will combine the output of both bottles into a single tube entering the bubble counter. Fewer holes in the cap means fewer opportunities to leak.


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[Fishfur]

There is also a little gadget you can get that makes a very, very tight seal. It's actually used for gas tank tubing in models, but it works just like a bulkhead on a tank, with a screw on sealing ring on both sides of the hole. Hobby stores that carry gas powered air planes or cars will have them. They come in a couple of sizes that will fit standard air line tubing. In fact, the gas lines they use for the models are identical to the silicon air line tubing we use for tanks. If you get one of these tiny bulkheads, you will not have any problems with leakage. Here, they cost me about $5. for a pack with two in it.