Help with DiY CO2

[KatieJ]

I've decided to try out some CO2 for my plants - I can't afford a pressurized system by any means, and didn't want to spend any more money than necessary on one of those Hagen ones. So I decided to try going DiY.

I've got a bit of learning disability, so it takes a bit for me to actually understand and grasp what I'm learning. If I'm getting this research right, a DIY system involves yeast, sugar, tank water, a soda bottle, airline tubing, a check valve, bubble counter (optional?), and a diffuser. I also heard that you should make a gas separator out of another, smaller bottle. How would I go about doing this - just put two holes in the cap, fill it with water and put tubing in it?

Stuff I have right now:
-2 L soda bottle (used to be Diet Coke P: )
-Marina airline tubing (I got some cheap tubing from Marina, but it doesn't say it it's silicone or not. Is this okay?)
-Check valve (not metal)
-Fluval bubble counter
-Fluval diffuser
-Silicone
-(I still need to go buy some yeast and sugar. What kind of yeast do I buy; is there a certain brand I should be looking for?)
-Is there anything else I'm forgetting to buy?

So... let me get this straight. Do I just cut the airline tubing appropriately and stick the check valve between the soda bottle and bubble counter, and the diffuser in the tank (it sticks on to the tank wall)?

For the soda bottle, I don't have access to a drill or drill bits since I'm in a dorm. I do, however, have a slotted and Phillips (not sure what size) screwdriver... would that work by me hammering a hole into the cap, and then putting silicone to make an airtight seal? Or is silicone not very effective at this?

Is there anything else I might be forgetting? D: SO MUCH LEARNING, ARGH.

 

[jetajockey]

How would I go about doing this - just put two holes in the cap, fill it with water and put tubing in it?

That's pretty much it, just put the tube coming from the yeast bottle all the way down under the water in this bottle and you will have a bubble counter as well.

It sounds like you pretty much have everything you need. As far as yeast goes, I've only used the stuff available in the grocery store, like the rapid rise and active dry yeast, and haven't noticed a difference between the two.

To make holes in the caps you can drive a nail through it, heat the nail first and melt your way through, or stick a soldering iron through it.

Just make sure the diameter of the hole is smaller than the tubing so it is a tight fit, use pliers to pull it through.

 

[KatieJ]

Thanks! I'll probably have to go looking hard for pliers and a nail smaller than the tubing in diameter. I'll update my progress once I get everything going.

 

[KatieJ]

So I went to the store today and got some yeast, sugar, and pliers. I also got some extra tubing and a T-valve in case I need it someday. They were on sale, haha.

I think the only thing that's making me hesitant is the horrible idea of it exploding. x_X Granted, I'll have a bubble counter to make sure there's no goop getting in the tubing/tank, but are there any other precautions I need to take, or is it pretty safe? How often do you hear of people's CO2 systems exploding?

 

[abrahamavelar]

it wont explode due that it will leave through the tubing a check valve from the bubble counter to the main tank

 

[abrahamavelar]

i use a 3 liter bottle and it hast spotted yet!!!

 

[jetajockey]

I had 4 2L bottles set up in tandem at one time and never saw or heard of an exploding issue. Plastic bottles are capable of holding a pretty serious amount of pressure, think about what is in them originally.

The amount of co2 being produced is not really that extreme, and if it's something you monitor daily (you should be to keep an eye on production amounts) then you'd likely catch it pretty quickly if it ever got stopped up.

 

[KatieJ]

Cool, thanks. I set up the system today; there's a few pics. I suppose I'm still a little paranoid (guess it's something natural to me) but feel a bit more reassured. The clear thing hanging in my tank is the diffuser, which I bought at the LFS. I'm still not sure how exactly it works, as there weren't a whole lot of instructions on the package (it's a Fluval). Here's hoping I at least see some bubbles soon!

On that note, I'd like to bring up another question I don't think I understand fully yet. Since I have a bubble counter (again, from Fluval), will that serve as the gas separator? It's a pretty small container, which is command-stripped onto one of the shelf walls (as seen in the first photo).

(also... is it safe to have it next to my surge protector? It's the only place it'll really fit unless I get some longer tubing and set it on the floor.)

 

[abrahamavelar]

it looks cool also a quick tip that worked 4 me the more water in the bottle the quicker it gets bubbles in the tank

 

[KatieJ]

Thanks! But I thought it was supposed to be 3/4 of a bottle? D:

 

[abrahamavelar]

ya for the sugar water but then i use water to mix te yeast and i feel it almost to where the soda usually comes to (did i make sence)

 

[greenmeanies]

Filling the yeast/sugar water too high can result in no space for foam to dissipate, and you don't want the foam to travel up the tube.

 

[abrahamavelar]

i really havent had that issue n i also made a diy bubble counter out of a pasta sauce jar and the bottle only comes about 3-4 inches from the top

 

[jetajockey]

Cool, thanks. I set up the system today; there's a few pics. I suppose I'm still a little paranoid (guess it's something natural to me) but feel a bit more reassured. The clear thing hanging in my tank is the diffuser, which I bought at the LFS. I'm still not sure how exactly it works, as there weren't a whole lot of instructions on the package (it's a Fluval). Here's hoping I at least see some bubbles soon!

On that note, I'd like to bring up another question I don't think I understand fully yet. Since I have a bubble counter (again, from Fluval), will that serve as the gas separator? It's a pretty small container, which is command-stripped onto one of the shelf walls (as seen in the first photo).

(also... is it safe to have it next to my surge protector? It's the only place it'll really fit unless I get some longer tubing and set it on the floor.)

I wouldn't worry about the surge protector.

On that bubble counter thing, the part that sticks down into the water, is it connected to the yeast bottle? It doesn't look like it is but it could be the angle.

 

[richpowell1989]

I wouldn't worry about the surge protector.

On that bubble counter thing, the part that sticks down into the water, is it connected to the yeast bottle? It doesn't look like it is but it could be the angle.

Yh the from what I can see the wrong tube is in the water

 

[KatieJ]

Oh, okay! That would make sense actually, whoops. The yeast line goes to the tube sticking down in the bubble counter, while the 'aquarium/diffuser line' goes in the other one?

On another note, I really should get a second check valve for the line between the bubble counter and diffuser. -_- Just ended up with a nice half-cup of water on my lap from it back-siphoning when I changed the tubes.

 

[richpowell1989]

The tube that goes from ur bubble counter to the aquarium shud now be in the water only the tube with the yeast shud be in the water

 

[KatieJ]

^I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused on how you worded your sentence :'D Are you saying the line from the yeast bottle should only be in the water, but the line from the aquarium is in the water too *confused*

http://images.nitrosell.com/product_images/9/2087/A7550 - Fluval Co2 bubble counter.bmp This is the product I have. The little black line that sticks in the water is the one that is connected from my yeast bottle. The other line sticking out (the little black part that's higher than the other black part) is the one that goes to the aquarium.

 

[richpowell1989]

Sorry was ment to say the tube that goes to the aquarium shud not be in the water in the bubble counter

 

[jetajockey]

That's right, the tube coming from the yeast bottle should be submerged, so the co2 bubbles go through the liquid, the other tube going to the diffuser should be out of the water. This makes it to where the only thing that can go into the diffuser is co2 gas Technically you could probably run it without any liquid but the added effect is that you can count the bubbles.