# The best reference for DIY CO2



## panaque

O.K. I know that this question is the most asked one on CO2. How do I make my own system. This is the best site I have ever seen on DIY CO2... http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html . This system generally is for tanks under 30 gallons. For larger aquaria I would suggest a compressed system.


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## MiamiAG

Excellent site! I have never read that treatise. Thanks for posting it.


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## cpr4cpu

Let's also remember Chuck Gadd's info on CO2 setups.
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/diy_co2rig.htm


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## BobAlston

For pressurized co2 systems, take a look at the information I have collected:

http://members.cox.net/tulsaalstons/AquaticPlants.htm#High Pressure CO2

Update 5/5/2006: My web site is now here:

http://webpages.charter.net/bobalston/AquaticPlants.htm#High Pressure CO2

Bob


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## gpodio

Here's my take on DIY CO2

http://www.gpodio.com/diy_co2.asp

Nothing that hasn't been said before, John LeVasseur's writeup has been a long time favorite of mine. There are these two other pages from John that are worth reading:

DIY Reactor
http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/reactor.html

This one is very good...
http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/letter.html

Giancarlo Podio


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## kmurphy

qpodio 

The link you put up there doesn't seem to work. 

The first link in this thread is a great one. I read it about 3 years ago when I first got into planted aquariums. Still haven't tried the DIY Co2, but am getting very close to.


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## trenac

Here is the link that I used for my first DIY C02... 
http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/

And here is the one I used to make my DIY pressurized system...
http://sammyxp.tripod.com/html/id23.html


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## kmurphy

Thanks for that post trenac. You may have just convinced me to go with a DIY pressurized system instead of non pressurized yeast method. The several hundered dollar amount I was seeing for other pressurized systems was not appealing to me.

How big is your tank, what size bottle do you use and how often do you have to get it refilled.

Another question, when you remove the bottle to get it refilled, do you need to be concerned about the loss of Co2 injection while your out getting it filled.

Thanks to all that are taking part in this thread. I am getting very close to adding Co2 to my tank. My plants aren't doing that good right now, to much light, ~3 watts/gallon with no Co2.

All this info is a huge help in my decision making process.


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## trenac

I put my DIY pressurized system together for $130 total, not bad.

I have a 5lb bottle on a 55G tank. I have not had the tank hooked up long enough yet to see how often I will have to fill it. From others I have heard a fill up should last anywhere between 6-12 months depending on your aquarium size & bubble count.

I found in my area that welding shops only have used canisters (which you have to swap for another) and industrail grade C02. So I went to a store in my area that supplys resturants with C02, there I got a new canister that I can have refilled & food grade C02 which is cleaner (less oil) than industrail grade. Just something to think about.

Also instead of using a spice jar for a bubble counter I use a Hagan Ladder (diffuser/bubble counter) that you can get from Big Als for $10.


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## kmurphy

Did you happen to check out home brewing supply stores for Co2 cannisters. I imagine they would be about the same price and grade as the food supply stores. 

The reason I ask is because there is one right down the street from my house.


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## trenac

kmurphy said:


> Did you happen to check out home brewing supply stores for Co2 cannisters. I imagine they would be about the same price and grade as the food supply stores.
> 
> The reason I ask is because there is one right down the street from my house.


I did... The ones in my area did not carry them, however it may differant in your area. I want hurt to check.


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## urville

hey i looked local too and the prices were like 99 for a 5lb tank and 88 for the regulator alone....
try this instead, last time i looked they had the whole system with a solenoid for around 136.
they have great combo specials too for around 120 or more...

www.co2-canisters.com


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## CAF

Here is another DIY thread from another forum

Calling Newbies: Super Simple DIY CO2 Picture Guide. - The Planted Tank Forum


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## envee

anyone ever used "soda stream" co2 bottles


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## JJJohnson

Here's a page about CO2, pH, and how to set up and even build your own pH meter:
www.66pacific.com/pH

How to make a CO2 reservoir out of a balloon and then pump the CO2 into the tank with an aquarium air pump.
http://www.66pacific.com/ph/CO2.htm


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## smartatlantis

this is my project www.dropshots.com/smartatlantis


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## snoopy

Does anyone know the room temperature that the CO2 can be produced? How could it be produced in the winter? I made my own DIY CO2 with your recipe but it does not work when my room temperature is from 12oC to 18oC (in the room temperature above 22oC, it does work)


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## ColdServings

Since this is stickied, but not closed, I presume posting to it is not frowned upon.

I've recently started to "upgrade" the DIY system on my 29 gal tank with new caps for the bottles based on those bulkhead fittings mentioned in the reference in the first post of the thread. I had started with just a friction fit (making the holes in the caps slightly smaller than the tubing and forcing it through so it's tight. Then I'd just built up a small mountain of silicone sealant around the tubing to try and get it CO2 tight. Result was, in the end, some bubbling coming out of the diffuser. I still think I may have been losing a lot of CO2 because two 2 liter bottles _should_, IIUC, get the Red Sea drop checker into the "green" range (or past it for that matter). But still blue and still, when I do tests using KH and pH of the aquarium water I get CO2 numbers in the 1-5 ppm range.

So I just made a new set of caps using the bulkhead fittings. "Makes an airtight mechanical seal" the DIY reference said. Put the caps on the bottles. Slid the tubing onto the barbs and--leaks like a sieve.

Now what?


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## ColdServings

Further investigation shows that the leak is because the silicone tubing does not fit sufficiently tightly on the bulkhead fitting nipples.

I say again, now what?


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## gpodio

David, try to tighten the tubing around the nipple using some fishing line or a twist tie...

Hope that helps
Giancarlo Podio


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## dawntwister

Just read at krib.com that diy co2 is not safe to use if your water is soft; for ph will fluctuate with this non-regulated system.


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## gpodio

You have to be a little more careful obviously, the PH will follow the rate of CO2 which starts off high and tapers off over the course of the mixtures' lifespan. It depends how low your KH is, anything 2 or above should not be an issue in my opinion. If you take for example a tank with 2KH and a change in CO2 concentration from 25ppm to 15ppm, the change in PH is about 0.2. Now if the same occurred in a tank with KH5, the change is PH is still approximately 0.2. So the magnitude of the fluctuation is comparable, the resulting PH is what differs mostly.

Giancarlo


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## dawntwister

The kh of my water 2. Read at krib.com it is unsafe to use unregulated co2, which diys are, with soft water. gpodio says it can be done if careful. Now very uncertain if I can change from using flourish excel to diy solution. Any suggestions as to how to carefully switch to diy co2?


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## Augus

panaque said:


> O.K. I know that this question is the most asked one on CO2. How do I make my own system. This is the best site I have ever seen on DIY CO2... http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html . This system generally is for tanks under 30 gallons. For larger aquaria I would suggest a compressed system.


This site is dead. Anyone know where or have a copy of it? thanks,


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## dawntwister

Augus said:


> This site is dead. Anyone know where or have a copy of it? thanks,


I only have the picture









This diy is set up the opposite way, which give you some water flow from powerhead diffuser

Also check out diy section

For mixture found this:
yeast 1/2 tps
sugar 1/2 tps

Rinse bottles and caps in hot water. Then sit in cold water.
Mix yeast, sugar with 1 cup of warm aquarium water. 
Mix well, make sure well mixed and airate. 
Let it sit and keep mixing every ~5 mins to keep mixed.
When bubbles or some foam starting on the top the yeast done. 
Add it to your mixture. 
Mixing it with everything intially can kill the yeast.
Mix suger In hot water (aquarium)
Mix in the baking soda and let cool till lukewarm.
If water is very soft, add 2 or 4 tsp of Baking Soda 
then just add your yeast
Top the bottle up
Test Ph before + after adding CO2.
Make sure that there's a slight surface current to keep CO2 levels up at night.

Here is another mixture
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp baking soda
0.5 tsp yeast

Tips on Mixtures
Everybody has different water and this influences the your mixture.
So try slight modifications of the yeast/sugar/water ratios till what lasts the longest for you. 
Yeast decreased 
Co2 last longer 
less CO2 produced per minute, but produce more consistant
Yeast increased 
Co2 life shorter & initial higher burst of CO2


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## Flun

Augus: Was just going to ask for it myself, but I found it under the old name copied on a blog..

http://agustiono-aquarium.blogspot.com/2008/09/treatise-on-diy-co2-systems-for.html

First post should be edited, this is still the best reference for DIY CO2 out there.. I think


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## surpera1

dont be afraid - it is very easy to set up for almost no money - i use empty 2 liter cola bottles - the powerhead diffuser is the best way to put it in the tank for sure imo - i use 6 bottles with staggered start times for a fairly even flow of co2 into the tank - i restart 2 or 3 bottles a week - it will get you going and show you the benefits in plant growth - but you will eventually want the convenience of bottled co2 - i use 2 cups sugar , 1 tsp baking soda , 1/2 tsp yeast - there is an initial burst of high output which settles down after the first day - you should run an airstone at night on a timer - have the stone stop 2 hours before lights on - too much co2 at night can kill fish - we have all done it at one time or another - hahahahahahaha


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## dawntwister

Amazon_Replica has it set up so she can still get circulation from the powerhead here.


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## John LeVasseur

For anyone interested, the original posters link to my treatise on DIY CO2 systems still works and I updated the document to make some minor corrections, in December of 2014.

- John LeVasseur


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