DIY CHEAP drop checker

[Jnam]

Ok i was trying to figure out how to check my CO2 levels without buying one of the AGA glass checkers. ANd this is what i came up with the total cost is free.

What you need is two lids off of your wife's pump action hairspray bottles the more plyable the lids are the better. and the cap from a bic pen (bic is important beause of the taper and material its made of.

Process:

take one of the lids and drill a hole in the top that is slightlysmaller than the width of your pen lid.

Trim the large portion of the pen lid off using a razor blad.

Push pen lid through hole in first lid.

put in your 4dKh solution and PH solution into the other non drilled lid. Keeping it upside down pressure fit the other drilled lid into the bottom of the undrilled lid. Turn over and BAM you got your self a drop checker here are the pics.

I am going to test it for a week and get back to everyone just shoot me a question if you need help

 

[Jnam]

Ok so the initial test results are in. THe drilled hole needs to be quite smaller than the pen and after insertion should be heated slightly with a lighter. seals it right off.

Only insert it once and do not pull it back out even a small amount because you will get a leak.

Here is teh pic of it in the tank.

My 4 dKh solution must not be perfect i am getting a reading of 40PPM on the 10 gallon and i am only running 1 bubble every 5 seconds.
so i will be remaking the solution

Before i put it in the tank i tested it over the top of a 2 litre bottle of pop that still had pop in it. gave it a little shake to make sure the solution would equalize with the air and change colors. It did

as far as attatching it inside the tank i just used a suction cup rubber banded to it for now. I will use Aquarium silicone to make a permanant attatchment for the final product.

here are the pics.

 

[Jnam]

Solution could be darker. Any tips anyone??? SUggestions?

 

[fort384]

What if u used an opaque pen cap instead of translucent? It might make the solution easier to read against the darker background. Of course u can just buy an ADA look alike on eBay for 8 bucks with bromothymol blue included so...

Must admit though, pretty nifty!

 

[Purrbox]

If you add an extra drop or two of the indicator solution it will make it darker and easier to read. Also if you have an efficient method of difusing CO2 into your aquarium, your current injection rate could easily be sufficient to reach 40ppm.

 

[Jnam]

I know i can get a cheap knock off but why wait two weeks to 1 month for it to come from hong kong. When I allready have quality plastic that came from honk kong instead? LOL I have added a few more drops as purrbox suggested, my diffusion method is some what non effecient it just gets chopped up by the intake impellar and then makes its way into the water that way. The lid is opaque but maybe not enough. I did figure out i like the lid from the bics even more. If you look at the top of the lid it has a little grate thingy and gues what it keeps the snails out!!

 

[thincat]

Okay, I'm very new to CO2 injection and would like to know how that bubble counter works. Do you have to run CO2 below the counter or really I'm loss.

 

[fort384]

Thincat,

It is not a bubble counter, it is a drop checker. It is used to measure the amount of CO2 you have in the water by using a pH indicating solution mixed with a known carbonic hardness solution. Since CO2 changes the pH, the indicator solution (bromothymol blue) changes color as CO2 is dissolved in and out of the water. It is an approximation, but currently one of the better ways to get a continuous indication of CO2 levels in your tank.