DIY CO2 Question once again, LOL

[Lonewolfblue]

I can't get my DIY CO2 to go, lol. I've tried everything, 1G jugs, now 2L bottles, etc. I used approx 2 cups sugar, 2 TSP molasses, and 1/8 TSP EC-1118 Wine Yeast I got off Ebay from a Ebay Winery store. I decided to try it, as it's got one of the higher alcohol tolerances. But the most I got out of any of my tries was about 3 days.

As for the temps, I've tried really warm, luke warm, tank temp (approx 80-81), and cool. I made several attempts but do not know why I can't get it to work. I've tried with and without baking soda as well. And I just started trying with the molasses added, still nothing. It takes a day to start, and then it's real slow, then fizzles out after 2-3 days. I just don't understand. I know it's not a leak, as I have everything good now. When it fizzles out, and I put a cap on the bottle, it doesn't even build pressure unless I give it a good shake, then stops after a couple minutes. I've also tried regular baking yeast from Safeway. What could I be doing wrong? Each time it stops, I let it sit a good week to make sure, and after a week, doesn't even fizz when shaken.

Edit:
Just so you know my water parameters from the tap. Both kh and gh are 60.

 

[CaptnIgnit]

hum, well my recipe is

2 liter bottle
1/4 tsp yeast (bakers yeast)
2 cups sugar
1 T molasses
2 tsp dried milk

I make sure to disolve everything in luke warm water before I add the yeast.

So far it's been going strong for a week. But this is my first run through with the stuff. I think it was Red Star bakers yeast that I'm using.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

That is the original yeast I used when I first started trying. Then I went to another from Safeway, and now Wine yeast. I don't know if it's just something in the water, like chlorine? Chloramine? Anything else that would affect yeast?

 

[CaptnIgnit]

I don't even treat for chloramine/chlorine when I put the yeast in so I doubt that would be it.

Might be worth a shot to throw some prime in there, or take water from your tank to make the mixture.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

If this time doesn't work, I just might try water directly from my 75G. Sounds like an interesting thought.

 

[mr funktastic]

on my hagen co2 bottle it specifically says do not use aquarium water. i dont know why not but thats what it says. there must be something specific in yuor water casue in to fizzle out. this is my reciepe in a 2 litres bottle...
2 cups of sugar
1/2 tbs of normal bakers yeast(fleichmanns)
fill with water.

i get 2 cups of boiling water and pour in the 2 cups of sugar. then stir a little. this completly dissolves the sugar in like 2 seconds. then i add 2 cups of cold water to balance the temp. pour it into the bottle but leave about 1 cup in the measuring cup. i add my yeast to that remaining water and mix the crap out of it. this helps jump start the yeast since there is ugar in that water. i mix it for a few min then add it to my bottle. then i fill the rest up to the neck of the bottle. it is going with 20 min and will go for about 2 weeks pretty strong. i use alot of yeast casue i wnt alot of co2. i dont mind changing out the mixture more frequently since i am getting better levels. try the tank water and if that doesnt work..... go pressurised lol.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

If I were to go pressurized, then I'd need a manifold for the 10G tanks. Question is, is 25 feet away too far to run a CO2 line? The 10G tanks are about 25 feet apart. I could place the CO2 bottle next to one of the 10G tanks, but the other is a ways away. Would it work, or would I need a different type of line to go the distance, like a metal airline or something?

 

[mr funktastic]

i think the main problem would be pressure. the co2 will take the easiest path. therefor u would be getting very different amounts in each tank. unless both lines are the same length and submerged the same distance. i may be wrong though...

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Yes, but you can use airline valves, and if too much is going one direction, you can close it off some til both are the same. That's just one way. The other way is using a manifold. Then each line is it's own entity.

 

[Purrbox]

A couple more possibilities.

Bad yeast. This is a bit less likely since you've tried multiple sources with the same poor results.

Air temp too cool. Cooler temps slow down the CO2 reaction and decrease the amount of CO2 being produced. Placing your generator bottles in a bucket of water with a heater is a way to solve this problem.

If you do go with pressurized, how about putting the CO2 bottle half way between the tanks so that you don't have quite as long a distance for the CO2 to traverse to either tank?

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Actually, the bottles are in a bucket of water with a heater in it. The biggest heater that will fit is a 50W, and I have a digital thermometer in there too. Keeps it at 89 degrees, and the heater is turned up all the way. Currently getting 1 bubble every 3-4 seconds. And no bubbles in the tank.

As for pressurized, I could get a 10lb and use a manifold to split it between the 29G and 10G at one place, and the 5lb on the 10G at the other end. The problem is that half way between is where my gas fireplace is, lol.

 

[Purrbox]

Ouch. Yeah, it might be a better option to have one tank, regulator, and manifold for each set of tanks. Perhaps not as cost effective, but it will give you more flexibility with the placement of your tanks.

 

[Burks]

Weird you can't get your DIY CO2 to work. Only one time I've failed and that's because the yeast was really old. Have you tried just putting the yeast in a small cup with a little sugar to "kick start" it? I do that to every bottle I make.

I have a jello CO2 set up right now that's been running for two weeks and still going strong. About 2-3 bubbles every five seconds.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I know, it's really weird, lol... and I've tried about 10 times now, doing something different each time. Maybe I need a bigger heater to warm it up a little more. When I got home last night it was only 85 degreees.

But also looking into the Manifold option for my 2 pressurized bottles.

 

[Burks]

Heck I don't even heat mine. It just sits at room temp that ranges from 72-78 degrees.

Pressurized is the way to go unless you have multiple tanks. Then it gets a bit tricky. I'm going that direction by the end of the year for my larger tank that will be set up by then.

 

[Alshain]

Not to Hijack your thread LWB, but my DIY seems to be producing a little too much CO2. I'm reading PH of 6.8 and KH of 6°. I don't know if I should be concerned or attribute it to the fact that I have only 4 plants in there with 2 new CO2 bottles that I filled yesterday. With a CO2 level of 29 ppm, it does seem kinda close to the "good" line.

EDIT: Also I just realized I got the Fleichels (sp?) highly active yeast instead of the normal stuff.

 

[CaptnIgnit]

thats right where you want it Alshain. Infact a little more would even be better as that amount will start to lower towards the end of the mixture's life.

People have their CO2 in the range of 50ppm without any problems. The general concensus is that you want your CO2 at 30ppm to rule it out as a problem. Also note, CO2 only really becomes lethal to fish in the 100ppm range.

 

[Alshain]

Well thats good, Chuck's calculator said it was in the high range so I wasn't sure. I'm still fishless cycling so I won't have any fish in there for a little while.

 

[fish_4_all]

I leave mine at room temperature which right now isn't even 75 and they are pumping out like mad, amost the best i have had for a while as far as consitency. I think you might be running them too warm and bruning them out too fast.

A couple things I would try. First, lower the temp to about 75. Second, try less yeast to start with. Third, setup a control bottle setup with tap water at the exact same conditions as the one you make with tap water. If the tap water peeters out early then you could have your culprit! Try the same with the control with temperature and all tap water, one aty room temp and one with a heater.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Actually I solved my problems.... lol.

I bought 2 3-way manifolds with bubble counters for my pressurized system. So each tank will have it's own line, and will have room for 2 more planted tanks if I wanted, lol.

I also got 2 Reactor 1000's, one for my 29G and one for my 75G. Will be hooked up to my XP2 and XP3. And I'll have a line going from the vent on the Reactor 1000 to the aerator input on one of my MaxiJet 600's. It's going to be the ultimate setup, lol.