DIY CO2

[Martin Moran]

Hi there,

I've been kind of lurking here for a couple of weeks, but I now have a
question.

With some help from the greatest LFS that I've ever known, I put
together a DIY CO2 unit today. It's the most basic one, a 2 litre pop
bottle, a checkvalve, some airline tubing, a rubber stopper, and an
airstone.

I've had the solution ready for about 1.5 hours, and hooked up to the
tank for about 1.25 hours. I'm already seeing fizzing through the
wooden airstone, so it seems to be working REALLY well!

My only remaining question is - what should I be looking for in
changes for water chemistry?

My current water is:

pH 7.8
No2 0.1
No3 0.0
kH 100
GH 200


Thanks!



--
Martin Moran ommoran at telusplanet dot net
Beaumont, Alberta remove "no.spam" on replies

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/ommoran/publickey.txt

"When you're caffeinated, all is right with the world"

PGP Public Key Fingerprint: CEF6 48D8 73FC 2A36 3287 FC20 CAEC 75D1 9C58 B861

[Bob Alston]

YOur pH should start to go down. YOu need to know the water hardness and
measure the pH and make sure the co2 level (computed from the two values)
does not get too high. Use Chuck Gadd's wonderful calculator:
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

Lots more info on co2 injection, mostly about pressurized co2 systems but a
few items on DIY co2.
http://members.cox.net/tulsaalstons/AquaticPlants.htm#High%20Pressure%20CO2


--
Bob Alston

bobalston9 AT aol DOT com
"Martin Moran" > wrote in message
...
> Hi there,
>
> I've been kind of lurking here for a couple of weeks, but I now have a
> question.
>
> With some help from the greatest LFS that I've ever known, I put
> together a DIY CO2 unit today. It's the most basic one, a 2 litre pop
> bottle, a checkvalve, some airline tubing, a rubber stopper, and an
> airstone.
>
> I've had the solution ready for about 1.5 hours, and hooked up to the
> tank for about 1.25 hours. I'm already seeing fizzing through the
> wooden airstone, so it seems to be working REALLY well!
>
> My only remaining question is - what should I be looking for in
> changes for water chemistry?
>
> My current water is:
>
> pH 7.8
> No2 0.1
> No3 0.0
> kH 100
> GH 200
>
>
> Thanks!
>
>
>
> --
> Martin Moran ommoran at telusplanet dot net
> Beaumont, Alberta remove "no.spam" on replies
>
> http://www.telusplanet.net/public/ommoran/publickey.txt
>
> "When you're caffeinated, all is right with the world"
>
> PGP Public Key Fingerprint: CEF6 48D8 73FC 2A36 3287 FC20 CAEC 75D1 9C58
> B861


---
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[Martin Moran]

On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 11:29:30 -0600, "Bob Alston"
> wrote:

>YOur pH should start to go down. YOu need to know the water hardness and
>measure the pH and make sure the co2 level (computed from the two values)
>does not get too high. Use Chuck Gadd's wonderful calculator:

Thanks for the quick and useful reply. I appreciate the help.

I've also upgraded my lighting (amazing what new bulbs will do....)
and it is really starting to look quite nice.

I've also noticed an increase in clarity.



--
Martin Moran omNO.SPAMmoran at telusplanet dot net
Beaumont, Alberta remove "no.spam" on replies

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/ommoran/publickey.txt

"When you're caffeinated, all is right with the world"

PGP Public Key Fingerprint: CEF6 48D8 73FC 2A36 3287 FC20 CAEC 75D1 9C58 B861

[Happy'Cam'per]

FWIW, the diy co2 WILL clogg up that wooden airstone, its much better to
just pump it directly into your filter intake. Heads up!
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**

"Martin Moran" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 11:29:30 -0600, "Bob Alston"
> > wrote:
>
> >YOur pH should start to go down. YOu need to know the water hardness and
> >measure the pH and make sure the co2 level (computed from the two values)
> >does not get too high. Use Chuck Gadd's wonderful calculator:
>
> Thanks for the quick and useful reply. I appreciate the help.
>
> I've also upgraded my lighting (amazing what new bulbs will do....)
> and it is really starting to look quite nice.
>
> I've also noticed an increase in clarity.
>
>
>
> --
> Martin Moran omNO.SPAMmoran at telusplanet dot net
> Beaumont, Alberta remove "no.spam" on replies
>
> http://www.telusplanet.net/public/ommoran/publickey.txt
>
> "When you're caffeinated, all is right with the world"
>
> PGP Public Key Fingerprint: CEF6 48D8 73FC 2A36 3287 FC20 CAEC 75D1 9C58
B861

[Matt C.]

How will the CO2 clog up the wooden airstone?

--
Matt C.
http://home.comcast.net/~briarbushbrewery/
"Happy'Cam'per" > wrote in message
...
>
> FWIW, the diy co2 WILL clogg up that wooden airstone, its much better to
> just pump it directly into your filter intake. Heads up!
> --
> **So long, and thanks for all the fish!**
>
> "Martin Moran" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Sun, 31 Oct 2004 11:29:30 -0600, "Bob Alston"
>> > wrote:
>>
>> >YOur pH should start to go down. YOu need to know the water hardness
>> >and
>> >measure the pH and make sure the co2 level (computed from the two
>> >values)
>> >does not get too high. Use Chuck Gadd's wonderful calculator:
>>
>> Thanks for the quick and useful reply. I appreciate the help.
>>
>> I've also upgraded my lighting (amazing what new bulbs will do....)
>> and it is really starting to look quite nice.
>>
>> I've also noticed an increase in clarity.
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Martin Moran omNO.SPAMmoran at telusplanet dot net
>> Beaumont, Alberta remove "no.spam" on replies
>>
>> http://www.telusplanet.net/public/ommoran/publickey.txt
>>
>> "When you're caffeinated, all is right with the world"
>>
>> PGP Public Key Fingerprint: CEF6 48D8 73FC 2A36 3287 FC20 CAEC 75D1
>> 9C58
> B861
>
>

[The Drunken Lord]

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 16:57:56 -0500, "Matt C."
> wrote:

>How will the CO2 clog up the wooden airstone?

The C02 bubbles clog it up.

[Happy'Cam'per]

DIY CO2 is dodgy to say the least, ask me, I use it exclusively :-)
There always seems to be a fine film that runs down the tube and it
inevitably will clogg up airstones. Diy Co2 juice on the ceiling is just no
fun I tell you. Better to let the bubbles escape the tube uninhibited into
your filter intake.
--
**So long, and thanks for all the fish!**

[www.Fish-Forums.com]

The moisture from the yeast and sugar will escape sometimes into the
stone or wooden diffussor and can clog it.
Usually a vinagar bath will fix this.

Marc
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______
Want to win a FREE new co2 system or a lighting system check out our
forum for our newest contest coming up

http://www.fish-forums.com

Http://www.aquatic-store.com


On Wed, 03 Nov 2004 00:52:20 -0500, The Drunken Lord
> wrote:

>On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 16:57:56 -0500, "Matt C."
> wrote:
>
>>How will the CO2 clog up the wooden airstone?
>
>The C02 bubbles clog it up.

[Matt C.]

I could understand that.
But, If you use a bubble counter, it would be impossible to have anything
but pure CO2 enter the stone. Eventually deposits from the tank can form,
but it is unlikely as it should (theoretically) be forcing the aquarium
water away from the stone at all times. The wooden stones will generally
produce a superfine bubble, much better than ceramic or "stone" airstones.
The only airstone i have found that rivals a wooden stone (for the size of
bubbles) is the RENA airstone
(http://www.bestpetsupply.com/brands/Aquarium-Pharm/1617.asp).

--
Matt C.
http://home.comcast.net/~amgock


"www.Fish-Forums.com" > wrote in message
...
> The moisture from the yeast and sugar will escape sometimes into the
> stone or wooden diffussor and can clog it.
> Usually a vinagar bath will fix this.
>
> Marc
> __________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ _______
> Want to win a FREE new co2 system or a lighting system check out our
> forum for our newest contest coming up
>
> http://www.fish-forums.com
>
> Http://www.aquatic-store.com
>
>
> On Wed, 03 Nov 2004 00:52:20 -0500, The Drunken Lord
> > wrote:
>
>>On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 16:57:56 -0500, "Matt C."
> wrote:
>>
>>>How will the CO2 clog up the wooden airstone?
>>
>>The C02 bubbles clog it up.
>

[Martin Moran]

On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 12:26:55 +0200, "Happy'Cam'per" > wrote:

>FWIW, the diy co2 WILL clogg up that wooden airstone, its much better to
>just pump it directly into your filter intake. Heads up!

Were that I had a filter intake, else I would.

The airstone was about a dollar. Right now, for the results that I am
getting (which are pretty cool, frankly) the wooden airstone will do
until I can arrange something else.

Thanks, though. I will be experimenting with more stuff soon.




--
Martin Moran omNO.SPAMmoran at telusplanet dot net
Beaumont, Alberta remove "no.spam" on replies

http://www.telusplanet.net/public/ommoran/publickey.txt

"When you're caffeinated, all is right with the world"

PGP Public Key Fingerprint: CEF6 48D8 73FC 2A36 3287 FC20 CAEC 75D1 9C58 B861

[Dave]

"Martin Moran" > wrote in message
...
> On Tue, 2 Nov 2004 12:26:55 +0200, "Happy'Cam'per" > wrote:
>
> >FWIW, the diy co2 WILL clogg up that wooden airstone, its much better to
> >just pump it directly into your filter intake. Heads up!
>
> Were that I had a filter intake, else I would.
>
> The airstone was about a dollar. Right now, for the results that I am
> getting (which are pretty cool, frankly) the wooden airstone will do
> until I can arrange something else.
>
> Thanks, though. I will be experimenting with more stuff soon.

After a couple of years of experimenting with various DIY CO2 diffusion
setups, I eventually settled with using the diffuser which comes with the
Hagen "Plant-Gro CO2 Natural System." You can buy the diffuser separately
from the whole system. Mine works great in my 29gal, heavily planted tank.
I didn't see your original post so I don't know how large your tank is, but
you should be able to use two or more diffusers as required.