NutraFin Co2 System

[Ceej]

Has anyone had experience with this?
Is it a case of "you get what you pay for?"
How does it or how would you think it compares to DIY Co2 with plastic bottles?

I know I'd have to buy replacement packets, but it seems like this system is essentially what I'd "make" if I did DIY Co2.

What are your thought? Is there a better system under $75? I figured this would be less messy to do.


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[MartyMA]

I have this system in my 20L. It is fine for the non-diy type (that would be me). I did replace the ladder diffuser with a glass one from Amazon. It works much better. The container is very sturdy and the tubing sits tight on the top of the lid. Also, never did use the packets but instead made my own recipe:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp champagne yeast
16 oz water

This lasts about a week, maybe a little longer. Again, some folks love the DIY route for a lot of things. If you are so inclined, you should probably skip this unless you can grab it at a bargain price. I just needed something small that would not be messy.

 

[Ceej]

I have this system in my 20L. It is fine for the non-diy type (that would be me). I did replace the ladder diffuser with a glass one from Amazon. It works much better. The container is very sturdy and the tubing sits tight on the top of the lid. Also, never did use the packets but instead made my own recipe:

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp champagne yeast
16 oz water

This lasts about a week, maybe a little longer. Again, some folks love the DIY route for a lot of things. If you are so inclined, you should probably skip this unless you can grab it at a bargain price. I just needed something small that would not be messy.

The ladder seemed weird. I think a glass diffuser would be easier and more "straight forward." The bubbles going back and forth thru the ladder seems kind of... redundant i guess. As far as the packets, why wouldnt you want to use them? It says they last a month compared to the week your mixture lasts. Does your mixture produce more Co2 for better results? Lastly, why brown sugar? Haha. I don't think I've seen any mixtures with brown sugar.

 

[Ceej]

If you are so inclined, you should probably skip this unless you can grab it at a bargain price. I just needed something small that would not be messy.

I can pick this up for about $32.00 Not sure if you found it cheaper any where else. I'll look on Amazon.com and see if someone has it on there.

 

[MartyMA]

There are a lot of receipes out there for diy mixtures. One does suggest brown sugar. It is supposed to last a bit longer than white sugar. Haven't experimented using both. I found the plastic diffuser created bubbles that never really seemed to 'diffuse' before popping at the water surface. The glass diffuser creates micro-bubbles and my filter blows them around the tank. Actually, I do get quite a bit longer than a week's worth of CO2 but highly doubt that the delivered container could ever sustain a month's worth of output. I had read comments on Amazon from users of the system who said they sometimes got little or no results from the packets. Maybe some others have had better luck.

 

[Ceej]

Hmm, maybe I'll give brown sugar a go! I'll also look on amazon for everything and compare prices. I just wanted to see if anyone had bought this. I expected no responces, but I'm glad you did!