# DIY CO2 Yeast Explosion



## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

Well, maybe not an explosion but I was watching my Nutrafin Ladder diffuse like a madman after recharging the yeast, sugar and water. I guess I was not that exact or maybe too generous with either the sugar, or the yeast, or the water. 

I look over at my tank when I see this weird cloud in my tank. Yuck!

Well the fish are still swimming and I don't see any dying. I pour some of the mixture out and recap. 

Anyone else ever have this happen? 

So we have to do this every 2 weeks huh? 

I am so glad the fishies look happy and healthy tonight. That's what counts at 2:05 in the morning.


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## onemyndseye (May 12, 2006)

Jimbo,

That stuff most probably wont hurt your fish.... although it *may* cause a bacterial bloom in you tank that could be smelly or cloud the tank.... couple water changes will take care of it ... Worse case scenerio is that the bacterial bloom with cause an oxygen sortage.... but youll have a heads up to this (fish gasping....etc etc) .... drop in an airstone and do a water change... Nothing really to worry about 

You should change your mix as it starts slowing down.....that way you keep the CO2 level pretty even.

What I like to do is just "do a waterchange" .. I keep sugar water mixed up and ready.... and just when the mix STARTS to slow or alittle before I pour 50% or so out and replace it with clean sugar water.

Refer to this thread:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/do-it-yourself/27411-tips-on-using-diy-co2.html

Makes things alot easier and faster 

Take Care,
-Justin
One Mynds Eye


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> So we have to do this every 2 weeks huh?


When I reached the point that I had 3 bottles to change on 2 different tanks is when I decided I was going pressurized.  Once you decide you can afford it and get it, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.


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## aquariageek (May 27, 2006)

Jimbo205 said:


> Well, maybe not an explosion but I was watching my Nutrafin Ladder diffuse like a madman after recharging the yeast, sugar and water. I guess I was not that exact or maybe too generous with either the sugar, or the yeast, or the water.


Jimbo are you using a gas seperator?


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

I have made one, but I was going to use that on the DIY on the larger tank. So much for getting sloppy with measuring ingredients!


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## Burks (May 25, 2006)

I had some yeast "snot" get in my tank before. Thought it was algae but turned out it wasn't. Didn't bother my tank at all, you'll be fine.


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## pitabread (Jul 14, 2006)

Bert H said:


> When I reached the point that I had 3 bottles to change on 2 different tanks is when I decided I was going pressurized.  Once you decide you can afford it and get it, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner.


That's the truth. I finally got a pressurized setup after screwing around with DIY setups for a year. During that time I was changing mixtures every few weeks, and had to replace the bottles twice because the seal on the caps wore out.

But now I don't have to worry anymore. A steady flow of CO2 and I don't have to refill until about a year from now.


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## treepimp (Apr 13, 2006)

That happened to me once. I usually add sugar, water, yeast and baking soda. I think the baking soda is supposed to regulate how fast the yeast consumes the sugar. All I know is that the one time I forgot to add it the thing shot white spew into my tank, and completely clouded it up. Did a quick water change to clear up the water. No harm done.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

> I finally got a pressurized setup after screwing around with DIY setups for a year.


 What is that thread that shows how cheap pressurized could be obtained for?


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## SkinniMini (Mar 26, 2006)

Jimbo, you gave me a chuckle with the 2am thing...that sounds like something that would happen to me 
I usually go kind of conservative so far, I don't trust my formulas & don't want to waste so much sugar.
I can see what they are saying about pressurized, though, cuz DIY can be such a pain in the butt.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

DIY CO2 builds character, strengthens resolve, and weeds out those "unfit" for the hoppy.  Once you get over that, pressurized CO2 is _sooooooooo_ nice that you'll swear that DIY CO2 only exists to torture the planted tank world. I realize that I'm incredibly biased, but if you plan to keep a tank going for more than a year or so, pressurized CO2 makes tons of economic sense, especially if your time is worth anything at all.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

> What is that thread that shows how cheap pressurized could be obtained for?


 So once 12 months have gone by, and my wife gets used to something new being added to my hobby every once in a while, the answer would be.......?


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## Rmax (Jul 24, 2006)

Jimbo205 said:


> Well, maybe not an explosion but I was watching my Nutrafin Ladder diffuse like a madman after recharging the yeast, sugar and water. QUOTE]
> 
> I am having a related problem...I have 4 tanks on DIY CO2..One of them has a sintered glass diffuser, so I don't have this issue, but on the other tanks,sometimes, one of the tanks will go from fairly steady, regular flow to about 20 seconds of nothing, and then 3-5 seconds of "machine-gun" style bubbles. I can't seem to figure out what's causing it...it doesn't appear to be due to new yeast solution, old yeast solution, new check valves, old check valves...when I test the water, there's usually a good amount of CO2 in there (I don't have a CO2 test kit, but when I test pH, it usually comes out between 7.0 and 7.2; out of the tap it tests at 8.0.) Apparently, the on/off diffusion method works ok. Is there anything wrong with this?
> (When I'm rich, I'll make the switch to pressurized CO2...but for now, 25 lb bags of sugar at the local warehouse store will have to do.)


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## Refet Ali YALCIN (Apr 5, 2006)

Once my bottle turned over. When I got up, my cardinal tetras are on the surface and trying to breath. My 16 red nose and 5 cherry shrimp were died and no one left from this species  I haven't lost any Takashi Amano Shrimps or Cardinal Tetra. I think red nose and crystal shrimp is more sensitive to oxygen level then the others. As the mixture in the bottle don't contain significant protein all of the sugar and alchol become water and co2 so; no wastes like ammonia and nitrat stay at aquarium. But while aerobic bacteries doing this they use so so many oxygen. I increase the aeration and every thing returns to normal in 1 day.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

I am sorry to hear about the deaths in your tank. That can be very upsetting.


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## Dv4 (Nov 15, 2006)

Hi everyone, 

I just use a 10L (thats right, TEN LITER) bottle and i do not need to change the mixture that fast. It'll last about 1.5-2 months if u add a little gelatine to it. 

cheers


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

Dv4, where did you find that 10 Liter bottle? 

Can you post a photo? That sounds great.

hoto:


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## mkeevil (Oct 22, 2006)

Wow 10 Liter bottle... I was thinking of using a gallon milk jug... this way if something gets clogged and pressure builds up, the little top on the milk jug would just pop off.


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

I think you need most of the pressure.


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## Kelley (Aug 27, 2006)

Right now, I am using 2x 1 gal apple cider jugs. The brand of cider is Louisberg. These bottles are great! Very rigid with good caps. And the cider was tasty , too


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## gibmaker (Jan 3, 2007)

Rmax said:


> Jimbo205 said:
> 
> 
> > Well, maybe not an explosion but I was watching my Nutrafin Ladder diffuse like a madman after recharging the yeast, sugar and water. QUOTE]
> ...


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