Just started using CO2 ????

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MiamiE

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Jul 19, 2005
Messages
47
Location
Miami, FL
Well today I bought a nice little contraption for CO2 made by Plant Care Solution. Its called the CO2 Fizzle Factory. Anyways I was wondering why is it the CO2 tablet cannot be just dropped straight into the tank? I dont understand what this contraption does. :?: Thanks guys and gals!
 
The contraption does little to nothing good and can harm your tank chemistry. Return it and get your money back.
 
u can make a DIY co2 system for practically free. get a 2 litre bottle and drill a hole in the lid the size of airline tubing. stick the airline tubing into the hole so it pokes throuhg about 1/2 inch then silicone it in. mix in that bottle 2 cups of sugar and 1/4 - 1/2 tbs of yeast and the screw the cap on tight. run your air line into your filter intake or get a very fine mist air stone and put it on the end. what this will do is the yeast and sugar react creating co2 which them travels through the line into the aquarium and either into your filter so the bubbles get sucked up and then your filter spreads the co2 into the aquarium or into the fine mist air stone which send out tiny little co2 bubbles to be absorbed into the water. or u can buy a diffuser. very easy and practically free method.
 
What size tank do you have? The Hagen System will work OK on small tanks but you would need multiples for larger tanks. Like MrFunktastic suggest DIY is a much less expensive alternative, plus it is fairly easily scalable to meet the needs of various sized tanks. The Hagen System is actually just DIY CO2 in a pretty package. Once you get to about 55 gallons then DIY CO2 becomes impractical, and you are better off looking at pressurized CO2.
 
lol i just reread my post and it sounded kinda confusing. i forgot to mention that u have to mix the sugar and yeast with water. fill the bottle with all those ingredients up to the beginning of the neck. i suggest 2 for a 20 gal tank. assuming that is what u have. kinda multiply or siving for the amout of gallons u actuially have (so 1 2litre bottle for a 10 gal) i would not suggest buying the hagen system since it is about the same price as the fizz facotry and u can make it for free. the only benifit to the hagen system is the reactor. which isnt really all that effective anyway lol. the red sea system would be much better if u dont want to make it yourself.
 
I have a heavily planted 10 gallon tank. Now after I used that CO2 junk it has made my tank water cloudy although it could be due to the new fish and my 3 neons are at the top gasping for air. What could the problem be. Even the small pleco is coming to the top for air!
 
Are you talking about the fizz factory junk? Heres an example. I made a DIY Co2 system for my 55 gal tank using three-2L bottles and a homemade reactor with a powerhead. Very easy to make. My Co2 level has jumped from 3 or 4 PPM to 18 PPM. A 10 gal tank should be a lot easier. I do not get cloudy water or any problems.
 
Do a large PWC NOW. It's possible you have caused a large amount of CO2 to quickly enter the water. It's also possible your KH shot way up (don't know if they are using a carbonate source). Either way gasping for air is never a good sign and I would recommend quickly doing a large PWC to alleviate the issue. For 10 gallon tank DIY CO2 is the way to go, and Excel is also an excellent choice if you don't have specific plants (anacharis, crypts, etc.). In my 20gallon I use both DIY CO2 AND Excel to keep my levels acceptable.
 
I agree, get that stuff out of your tank and do a large water change immediately. This is exactly why I would never recommend using those fizz tab products. Return it if you can, throw it in the trash if you can't.

Actually Crypts are fine with Flourish Excel, it's Anacharis and Vals that can have problems with it.

I would definately recommed going with either Flourish Excel or DIY CO2 (pretty package or made at home). If you don't have either Anacharis or Vals, aren't on a tight budget, and like the convience of dosing a liquid each day then Excel is probably the product for you. If you want the pretty package your best bet would be to go with the Red Sea Turbo CO2 which would give you better CO2 levels that the Hagen system. If you want to save some money and don't mind DIY projects, then I would recommend building your own. It's really fairly easy. These instructions are nice and detailed. I would recommend going with two 1 Liter bottles for your CO2 generation. This should give you good CO2 levels and the increased stability from alternating when you switch the mix.
 
My mistake. I've never had the plants that react to Excel treatment, and so can always remember the anacharis but the other one I'm always forgetting.
 
I found the Red Sea system online. How does this look to you all? The DIY I am trying to avoid. I dont have the time to set it up or to keep it running. Also space is limited so 2L bottles is out of the question!
 
the red sea system is a DIY. it is justa container with a screw off lid and hose attachment(same as if u drilled a hold and silicones it) and then a little powered reactor. the reactor is just kinda a powerhead that spins the gas around till it dissolves in the water. DIY will take less time than u ordering it and waiting. u can just use 1 single 2 litre bottle for the system if u would like. the additonal bottles are to get higher levels. just order a reactor offline. a bell reactor or a powered one and dont wast the money on the red sea system. the container that is included in it isnt very large and there for doesnt produce as much co2.
 
If you don't want to be constantly changing out Yeast mixtures, then Flourish Excel is your best bet.
 
I have actually been looking into the Flourish Excel and in my tank I think I read one cap every two days.
 
Its a small 10 gallon. One male betta and 3 neon tetras. 6 plants and soon will have some LILAEOPSIS BRASILIENSIS.
 
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