Diy co2?!!

[Tacos377]

I'm thinking about doing a DIY system for co2. Would a glass or ceramic diffuser be better? This is for a 10 gallon tank. I already have airline tubing laying around. Are DIY co2 systems loud? It will be in my bedroom. Do I need check valves? Suggestions?

 

[bud29]

Honestly I would just diffuse it through your filter (if you have a HOB filter) some people's DIY co2 systems have not supplied enough pressure for the glass or ceramic diffusers to work. Just stick the tubing into your filter intake, that's what I did and it's working great. DIY co2 systems are not loud at all, and yes you will need check valves. It took a few tries to get my DIY system to work, but now that it's working, the plants are going bonanza

 

[aqua_chem]

It depends on what kind of filter you have, as it will impact how much co2 is diffused and how much escapes. Models similar to AquaClear are better as the bubbles can't escape until after they pass through the media (vertical water flow), whereas something like a Penguin filter with a cartridge (horizontal flow) will work quite poorly.


Also, DIY co2 is completely quite.... Until you hook it up to a filter as described above. The bubbles hitting the impeller can cause quite a racket.

 

[Tacos377]

I have a tetra HOB rated for 20 gallons on my 10 gallon. I was thinking maybe a nano glass or ceramic diffuser.

 

[aqua_chem]

I think that filter is more similar to how a penguin filter is set up, but you would be able to tell better than I can. I would probably get a ceramic diffuser, and make sure it's one that you know will work with DIY co2. This also puts a higher quality burden on your co2 setup as it will need to accumulate higher pressure than with an open ended diffusion method like with a filter.

 

[Tacos377]

I like the look of glass diffusers. Are they worse than ceramics?

Also, whats the best type of yeast for the co2?

 

[nereksnad]

I found this website helpful when i set up my co2 setup.
if you're not up for reading that, then regular yeast is fine. i'm currently using dry yeast because when the bottles last for 2 weeks + i'll throw alot of yeast out of if buy the normal types of yeast.

 

[Tacos377]

Is expired yeast not going to work? It expired in 2011....

 

[Tacos377]

Also to go along with my cheap co2, is there any way I can just freeze normal plant fertilizer into ice cubes and bury it in my substrate? Or dissolve it in tank water? Any suggestions for DIYing fertilizer? (DIYing is a verb in this case)

 

[Mrs.h2012]

Also to go along with my cheap co2, is there any way I can just freeze normal plant fertilizer into ice cubes and bury it in my substrate? Or dissolve it in tank water? Any suggestions for DIYing fertilizer? (DIYing is a verb in this case)

As long as your Plants are root feeders (swords an crypts are a couple)... Actually there is! Another member told me about this on a thread I started. Instead of liquid ferts you can buy Osmocote indoor/outdoor formula, designate one ice tray for this purpose only, put 6 pellets in each cube and fill the tray with TANK WATER. Freeze and use as needed. The member who told me about this said they last anywhere from 1-3 months.

 

[Tacos377]

Haha that's awesome!!! Thank you so much!!!

 

[Scoot35]

I have a 120 gallon aquarium if I run co2 in to my filters how much of a formulation do I need to make would 3 2liters be enough and also how do I put it through my filters, straight through or through the intake tube?? Noob to plants can't afford a pressurized system

 

[Billbug68]

Tacos, I've found the cheap glass diffusers from eBay work with DIY, I'm using one right now. In the past I've also used these from petco, they produce about the same size micro bubbles as the ceramic glass ones, just not as attractive.

http://m.petco.com/product/6126/Lee...px?Ntt=Fine bubble stones&OneResultRedirect=1

Edit: you can place the ones in the link I posted under your filter output as low to the substrate as possible, the current will circulate the bubbles around for added diffusion.

 

[MMantelli]

Also to go along with my cheap co2, is there any way I can just freeze normal plant fertilizer into ice cubes and bury it in my substrate? Or dissolve it in tank water? Any suggestions for DIYing fertilizer? (DIYing is a verb in this case)

Use the osmocote plus unlike the regular osmocote it has micro and macro nitrients in it you will want 10 pellets per ice cube as they are time released you should only need to add 1 cube per 6sq/in of substrate every 3-4 months.