# DIY CO2 with air stone?



## jlui83 (Apr 22, 2006)

Wow, so many different DIY setups for Co2...

This is what Im going to try. Please correct/give adivce if Im wrong.

Tank size 20 gal long.

Take a 2L soda bottle, Mix 2 cups of sugar and warm water to 3/4 of the bottle. then put 1 teaspoon of yeast. Drill hold in cap and pull the airline tubing through. Screw cap on... Other end, use airstone and just put it into the tank....

I think thats about it.. For sure I'll get the hole in the cap and already have the airsone insdie the tank before mixing in the ingredients. Also, the airtube thats inside the 2L bottle does it touch the water? or just the air?

Thanks!


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## evercl92 (Aug 14, 2006)

When I did DIY, I didn't use quite as much yeast.. only 1/4 tsp. CO2 production will last a little longer if you use less to start. Also, adding about 1/2 tsp of baking soda will keep the mixture from acidifiing too quickly. 

I used liquid nail to seal the cap/tubing. It worked pretty well, but found that gluing a plastic straight-valve to the cap, and then hooking the tubing to the valve was much stronger. You can also use a t-piece and melt one leg shut, and glue that into the cap (that worked quite well too). Just be sure to let the sealant dry for 24hrs... I didn't wait and had to redo a couple caps...


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## dnrdarryl (Jul 23, 2006)

Yes, you need to seal the tubing in the cap so the cap with tubing is airtight. I use silicone aquarium cement. The ideas in the previous post sound good also.

The CO2 really makes the plants look happier.


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## qpixo (Sep 9, 2006)

Airstone is fair for nano tanks only. I'm using it to inject co2 in my 5.5 gal. 

For a 20 gal side, using an airstone, the amount of CO2 won't never reach to its best. Actually it's not enough. I've tried once in my 10 gal and it won't never reach more than 20ppm. I suggest you to use a powerhead to inject co2 gaz, trust me you will get really good result of it and it's the best way...


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## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

Can we see photos? hoto:

I would love to see your setups.


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## vic46 (Oct 20, 2006)

*Diy Co2*

Several suggestions:
1. Put a check valve in the CO2 line. You don't want the ever dreaded accidental siphon!
2. Use a champagne yeast. It is much better equipped to tolerate the ethyl alcohol produced by the fermentation process. This will result in a longer production period for each start also. You can get the yeast at any wine making store.
3. Try and get a lime-wood bubbler/diffuser. They produce extremely fine bubbles which greatly increases the diffusion rate of the CO2. Place the bubbler right at the bottom of the tank and under the filter inflow/pick-up. There are lots of DIY diffusers out there. I have included a link to one that I just built. file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Vic/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.IE5/QPSB6XEH/co2_reactor_copy%5B1%5D.jpg

Cheers;


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## jlui83 (Apr 22, 2006)

Ok. I did the mixture yesterday around 2:00pm (friday). I put 2 cups sugar, and about 1/4tsp of yeast. I first mixed and dissolved the sugar in water. And I mixed the yeast in a separate container with warm water and let it sit... then i mixed both liquids in the 2L bottle. sealed the cap with aquarium sealant.. I have a check valve too. NO diffuser just the airline tubing in the tank to see if i get any result.. Its 10:35am Saturday, and I dont see any bubbles coming from the tubing.... whats going on?


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## DJKronik57 (Apr 17, 2006)

It's most likely a leak. Using sealant on the lid is a bad idea. I tired it for about 6 months and had to re-seal the lid each and every time I replaced my mixture because it kept coming undone. Not much sticks to the plastic those lids are made out of, not even sealant. Instead, try getting a new cap and drilling a hole that's smaller than the tubing diameter, then pull it through using pliers or tweezers. The seal is almost 100% foolproof. No gluing, sealing, or leaking. Check out my post for pictures on how to do this in my blog, Aquatic Eden.

Also, make sure you mix the yeast and water mixture well with a fork to stir up bubbles. The point is to aerate the mixture so the yeast gets some oxygen. Make sure you refridgerate your yeast as well. I also had no use for a check valve and doubt it's really necessary unless you like to squeeze your CO2 bottle or overfill it. I've never had any problems with the mixture traveling up the tubing into the tank, and it just makes another leak opportunity. Most plastic check valves aren't designed to be airtight. Again, I go into detail about all of this on my blog, so take a look!


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