DIY vs Pressurized CO2??

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The most notable difference was in the plant on the right... no idea what that guy was, but it was dark when I picked it up from the store.... look how much it grew in those 6 days! Anyone have a clue what kind of plant that is?

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Looks like Milfoil to me. See it all the time in a local lake.

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I found a formula that someone said they experimented to get the most bubbles as constant as possible for 2 straight weeks. Here's the formula I used for each bottles. I also saw someone that found a way to keep the diffuser clean for a longer period of time including the bubble counter. He said he poured activated carbon into his bubble counter bottle and it keeps the co2 running down the hose clean. Havnt tried it though.

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I ran two 2L bottles and in each one there water (3/4 full), 2 cups of sugar, and 1/2 tsp of sugar. Some use baking soda. I didn't.


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I understand the baking soda just gets the co2 started earlier. And I use 2 2L bottles for my 30 gal tank and 3 2L bottles for my 60 gal tank

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Fresh check those sugar measurements...u mean 1/2 tsp yeast??

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Fresh check those sugar measurements...u mean 1/2 tsp yeast??

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Good catch! Yes, 1/2 tsp of yeast, not sugar!
Also, in multi-bottle setups I used check valves for each bottle. That would allow me to remove a bottle to restore the sugar+yeast solution without depressurizing the system. I would change out one bottle per week.


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I think I have time this afternoon to make a system. Not sure of tuere is any yeast in the house though

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You can either get the packets or a small jar of it. Either are pretty inexpensive but the jar should last a while.
Here is a description of my setup:
My DIY CO2 Setup


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My bad wrangler, I didn't notice you asked how much water we used. In the 2 liter bottle you fill it up to about 2 inches from the cap.

Almost everyone will recommend running a hose from the 2 liter to a small bottle called a bubble counter filled with just clean water. Fill that bottle up 3/4 of the way and send the co2 on up into the tank.

As mentioned before, diy co2 doesn't produce as much co2 as a pressurized system does, so you really need to capitalize on diffusing the co2 bubbles as efficiently as possible. The easiest way to do it is if you have a canister filter. Otherwise, you are left to experiment with so many different ways, but are limited on those methods because diy co2 doesn't have enough pressure to push through larger diffusers and such

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I have a HOB refugium on one of my tanks and that was the hardest to figure out how to diffuse the co2 but what I did was run the hose under the intake to the refugium, but also had an airstone on the end of the hose to diffuse the bubbles into medium size. Before they ran into a fine sponge and diffused them even more, eventually running into my refugium under my media balls that will give it an obstacle to make it back to the surface allowing for the most time the co2 could stay in the water. That was the best I could do with that one and it seems to work out well.

Another tip I found out recently is do not run air (oxygen) into the tank while your lights are on. When the lights are off, plants let out co2 and that could lead to an excess of co2, so I run my air only when the lights are off. But when the lights are on the air could push the co2 out of the water, doing the opposite of what you want.

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Another tip I found out recently is do not run air (oxygen) into the tank while your lights are on. When the lights are off, plants let out co2 and that could lead to an excess of co2, so I run my air only when the lights are off. But when the lights are on the air could push the co2 out of the water, doing the opposite of what you want.

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That doesn't make any sense. Plants let out co2 when the lights are out so you run the co2 with the lights out?? Wouldn't that lead to excess co2?



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I have a DIY co2, so there is no shutting it off... what I was saying was to prevent an excess of co2, pump air in when the lights are off. And turn your air off when the lights are on.

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Plants ONLY absorb co2 when the lights are ON, but with diy co2 you can't shut off the co2 into the tank. So that's why you run air at night. Don't want to kill the fish

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I have a DIY co2, so there is no shutting it off... what I was saying was to prevent an excess of co2, pump air in when the lights are off. And turn your air off when the lights are on.

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Gotcha gotcha.

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If i don't have to pick up my sister today I will go out and get most of the stuff for building the system :)

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Awesome! Ask if you have any questions.

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Make sure to seal the holes and anywhere the gas might leak out. Also recommend using brass "T"s instead of the petco plastic.

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And don't forget you need a check valve. Some people recommend them on each 2 liter so they can replace bottles without losing their pressure. I just used one near the entrance to the tank

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