# [Wet Thumb Forum]-DIY CO2 note...use silicone...



## Kaylee Skylyn (Feb 3, 2003)

Note to self: Don't be lazy and use the hot glue gun to seal around the air tubing on the DIY CO2 bottle....

I made two of them a few weeks ago because I bought a large bunch of plants and wanted them to thrive. I was in a rush and used the hot glue gun to seal around the top where the airline tup goes in. Bad Idea.

The bottles seemed to "run out of steam" very quickly no mater what proportions of ingrediants I used and I couldn't figure out why, untill today. I shook up the bottle to see if I could get it going again for a day or two then noticed a bunch of bubbles coming out around the airline tube and the pop bottle top. Well thats why I'm not getting much into the tank...easyer to come out there. Then I touched the spot....and half the hot glue came on on my finger in a strange chemical slury.....
Grose!

I guess some chemical reaction happened between the sugar, yeast, water mixture reacted with the hot glue stuff that disintegrated it. It was grose...very.

So I cleaned the tops off and used real silicone tonight. I'll try the CO2 again tomorow and see how it goes this time. That's the last time I try and take a short cut like that...blugh...

Just thought I'd warn ya.

~Kaylee~


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## Kaylee Skylyn (Feb 3, 2003)

Note to self: Don't be lazy and use the hot glue gun to seal around the air tubing on the DIY CO2 bottle....

I made two of them a few weeks ago because I bought a large bunch of plants and wanted them to thrive. I was in a rush and used the hot glue gun to seal around the top where the airline tup goes in. Bad Idea.

The bottles seemed to "run out of steam" very quickly no mater what proportions of ingrediants I used and I couldn't figure out why, untill today. I shook up the bottle to see if I could get it going again for a day or two then noticed a bunch of bubbles coming out around the airline tube and the pop bottle top. Well thats why I'm not getting much into the tank...easyer to come out there. Then I touched the spot....and half the hot glue came on on my finger in a strange chemical slury.....
Grose!

I guess some chemical reaction happened between the sugar, yeast, water mixture reacted with the hot glue stuff that disintegrated it. It was grose...very.

So I cleaned the tops off and used real silicone tonight. I'll try the CO2 again tomorow and see how it goes this time. That's the last time I try and take a short cut like that...blugh...

Just thought I'd warn ya.

~Kaylee~


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

I always wonder why people insist on making something so simple so hard. The easiest way to attach the tubing to a DIY bottle is to drill a small hole, I find that 11/64th of an inch works great, in the cap. Then cut the tubing at an angle, thread it though the hole, pull it though with pliers and be done with it. This works best with silicone tubing but will work with other types too.

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## Bremer (Feb 3, 2003)

I agree. Pulling silicone tubing through a hole that is slightly smaller than the tubing worked great for me.


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## EDGE (Feb 28, 2004)

do you still need to silicon it?

75 Gal, 4.6 WPG MH 10 hour, pressurize co2 /w controller, Fluval 404, ph 6.8
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A Canadian's Plant Traders website


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## Jon Mulzer (Mar 9, 2003)

No, the pressure fit will work as well as silicone if you do it right. If you don't then it will leak. If you open up the hole to where you can just barely get the hose through by pulling it with a pair of pliers it seals VERY tight.

I prefer to get the butt connectors for airline and friction fit them into the caps. Makes it a little easier to do and I have no leaks on my DIY CO2 system. Makes the jugs easier to take off and such. But if you run the airline through and then add one to the end it would be just as good. IME anyways.


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## Bob81 (Mar 24, 2003)

I just figured out I have the same problem as Kaylee. I used standard airline tubing, and pulled through a hole in the cap/liner that was
smaller than the inside diameter of the tubing.
I added some hot glue around the seal on the top
and on the inside for extra rigidity. So why
did mine not work? Maybe silicone tubing is a must?


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