DIY c02 not producing as much c02 as it was...

[exactionfigure]

I started pumping in my c02 on Monday, it's two 2 liter bottles and I was getting a little over 1 bubble a sec, I used 2 cups of sugar, 1/2 tsp of yeast and it has been constant since then, until today.

Today it going really slow, I’m not sure how slow exactly but it's weird, it's a burst of c02 every few minutes instead of constant bubbles, it speeds up when I shake it up but then it just goes back down.

I checked everything and took it all apart and put it all back together and there are not problems that I can see, what do you think I should do?

I’m going to add a heater tomorrow but other then that I’m not sure what to do or why it changed.

-Matt

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Probably due to cooling down. I have a heater in mine, and for some reason I can't get it to go more than 1 bubble every 3 seconds, or more. It stinks, lol. I don't like DIY, or it doesn't like me, lol. Now I'm looking at just getting manifolds for my pressurized bottles and just run lines that way to the 10G tanks as well as the tanks they are currently on.

 

[exactionfigure]

I really can't afford a pressurized system at all so I have no choice but DIY

 

[rich311k]

What is the temperature in the room? maybe a warm water bath would help.

 

[fish_4_all]

Better yet, what are your CO2 levels? If they are still steady, then don't worry too much about it. Change out one bottle this coming Monday and you should be one your way.

Check the end of the tube or whatever is at the end of the tubing. Mine gets a whiteish film in it after about 3-4 days and starts to release big bubbles every 10-15 seconds instead of tons of little ones all the time. If I clean the 'T' I use to put it into the intake of AC HOB the bbules get small again for about 3-4 days.

 

[exactionfigure]

I can't check my c02 levels right now because I don't have any means of testing my KH.
None of the LFS in my area carry a kit so I’m going to have to order online.

I can say however that the c02 solved my high ph problem (if you remember my earlier posts my PH had shot up to 8 because of using cheap bottled water) between water changes with new RO water and the addition of c02 my ph is now 6.5. I’m just hoping it doesn't drop any more!

Also, when I change the bottle out this Monday do I just change one?
When do I change the other one?

I added a heating pad and I put it on the timer so maybe that will curb my c02 production at night (besides that I’m all out of outlets on the non-timer part of my power strip)

I'll know tomorrow when the heating pad warms up if it affects my c02 at all.

-Matt

 

[Purrbox]

You could also be seeing a drop in production since both bottles were started at the same time and the reaction producing CO2 would start decreasing at the same time. Since you've already got two bottles running, you can help counteract this by staggering when the mix is changed in each bottle. If your mix lasts a total of two weeks, then you would change one bottle each week.