# Any ideas for "slowing down" a DIY CO2 mixture?



## T-Bone (Nov 23, 2005)

I followed the recipe, but I'm getting a huge burst of bubbles. I dont have a bubble counter but I would estimate at least a 10 per second, maybe more. It's going so fast it's like someone blowing directly into the tank through a straw. I know at this rate my reaction will only last a few days rather then weeks. I would probably say at this rate most CO2 is being wasted right? That and good thing my kh is high, or Id be bathing my fishies in acid. 

Is there a way to slow down the reaction? I can't be the only person to screw things up. Salt to the mixture? I know it works as an inhibitor in bread making, but not really sure. Any ideas?


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## NeonFlux (May 15, 2008)

Hmm, I think you could try the mix again, just use less of sugar.


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## wearsbunnyslippers (Feb 18, 2008)

you can cool it down, try putting your bottle in a cooler with some ice or cold water...

not really a long term solution though... you might have just got a really fresh batch of yeast...


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## NanoTanker (Feb 26, 2011)

I'm working on slowing down my DIY Co2 over several experiments. But at most what i have managed to do is outright stop the reaction

what i have found to work is reducing the amount of sugar i use in the mix. but that's at best a limited solution. And still requires me to change out the mix every week to maintain stable production.

The other idea i have is to use one of the 12v thermal electric coolers i have to store the yeast bottle in and run that off one of a 12v power supply. but again that may slow down the reaction too much.

to be totaly honest I'm about to set up a paint ball Co2 system and that should keep my plants pearling away in my 2.5 gallon just fine and with the amount of control i need to keep a stable amount of Co2 in the tank.


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## vicky (Feb 18, 2010)

It sounds like you have great yeast. I would try adding less yeast, not less sugar. Less sugar just means it will burn out faster. Less yeast will start slower, but either way the yeast will reproduce to eat all of the sugar, in time, or die trying.


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## James0816 (Oct 9, 2008)

Curious as to your recipe if you got that kind of reaction out of it.


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## T-Bone (Nov 23, 2005)

Used the recipe from the DIY article. I've been going over in my head, figuring I must have done 'something' wrong, but I can't figure out what. It must have been extra fresh yeast. Not really sure. Thanks everyone for the suggestions and replies.

Anyways, rather then take the airline out of the reactor every night, (I was worried about having too much of a PH drop) and not wanting to just scrap my mix (I'm very stubborn) [-( I decided just to "try" the salt. So I put half a teaspoon in...... other factors may be involved, but I have noticed less of a drop in PH, even at night. Plus I'm still getting a few too many bubbles, but it isn't "burping" anymore.

If I get a over active recipe again, I'll probably try the salt again. But I'm still going to leave it as a solution, rather then just put it in at the beginning. I'm going to follow the recipe again to the letter, just to see if it was my mistake. Or maybe it is the yeast, I bought a jar rather then packets. Once the jar has been open I know over time it will, lose effectiveness.

_This is pure conjecture_ *but*; It could be a those packets are made in large quatities, and thus sit longer then the jars of yeast..... like I said just conjecturing. I probably just messed it up [smilie=l:


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