# ZEOmax Co2 System



## urville (Sep 20, 2004)

I was wondering what everyone thought of this. You could easily build this system and the reagents are quite cheap. it says it lasts for months. I can get the acid and limestone easy, and building the reaction chamber would also be cheap and easy. Albeit maybe a little bit more dangerous, but if it lasts a lot longer and the reaction is more steady then yeast??
????
anyone anyone?
ian


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## stcyrwm (Apr 20, 2005)

Haven't heard of it. Where did you see something about it????????? Googled and found nothing.

Bill


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## urville (Sep 20, 2004)

stcyrwm said:


> Haven't heard of it. Where did you see something about it????????? Googled and found nothing.
> 
> Bill


heres two

http://www.co2-canisters.com/en-us/dept_30.html
http://translate.google.com/transla..._EUR.htm&prev=/search?q=zeomax&hl=en&lr=&sa=G


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## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

Thats an interesting idea. Never seen or heard of it before. Its like the baking soda and vinegar reaction except much slower. 

Hmmmm...

I did notice thats some damn expensive limestone!
Where I live its everywhere.
I think I will try to DIY this.


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## urville (Sep 20, 2004)

neonfish3 said:


> Thats an interesting idea. Never seen or heard of it before. Its like the baking soda and vinegar reaction except much slower.
> 
> Hmmmm...
> 
> ...


oh yeah me too. i would never suggest buying it. i was hoping someone had one or had had one that i could get a better idea how its made. and quite frankly waht its made of. the material has to withstand muriatic acid or hydrochloric acid whatever name you use.

I checked the science and found three high schools and a college where they take everyday limestone and poured muriatic acid on it, in fact it's just a bio assay test really. the same we use to test if a collected rock will raise gh. i just never knew it produced co2. i should have though it makes perfect sense.

exactly longer! but how long? and how steady? cause if the answers are what i want them to be, well i can build a big one using the same idea as a pressure cooker. just like a diy potato gun. then i could finally get around the exaggerated pricing of co2 systems, plus i like projects better than buying stuff. even if not. if it lasted say 3 months. limestone costs nothing. heck i live in wyoming it's just laying around. i assume the bigger the rock the longer it lasts. if i remember right the acid doesnt lose it's corrosiveness over time so it's a matter of the rock size and the amount of acid.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I don't see how this type of device can avoid putting muriatic acid fumes into the tank along with the CO2. That acid is dangerous, and if you breathe the fumes you can harm yourself. As easy and cheap a system as it sounds like it would be, I wouldn't try it without some kind of neutralizing filter to eliminate the acid fumes from entering the tank. And, that just makes it more complicated.


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## urville (Sep 20, 2004)

well it's definitly not for the faint of heart or non experimental. so if your not comfortable trying anything i wouldnt. but then i am comfy hehehe

this is what i have found on muriatic or hydrochloric acid
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cach...luted+hydrochloric+acid+limestone+fumes&hl=en

from http://www.johnbetts-fineminerals.com/jhbnyc/articles/minclean.htm under Muriatic Acid


> You can fully neutralize your old acid with crushed limestone or marble or with more baking soda. When it no longer fizzes then you can dispose of the acid safely. The limestone gravel found at the Limecrest Quarry in New Jersey is great for neutralizing the acid.


so i take it that once the acid comes into contact with the limestone that the gas as well contains no acid??

apparently its a system of two chambers, which leads me to believe that possibly contact between the two agents is somewhat controlled.

it reads as follows


> Remove the exhaust plug (Entlüftungsstopfen) from the ZEOmax. Wear protective gloves and eyewear and cautiously pour diluted hydrochloric acid (5 to 10 %) slowly into the BIG white dial opening (Verschlu(). Fill up the reactor ONLY up to the acid level marking (Markierung für Säurestand) on the internal reaction chamber (Reacktionskammer)!
> 
> With the exhaust plug (Entlüftungsöffnung) tightly re-capped, put the piece of limestone into the internal tube through the white dial opening. Re-cap the white dial and make sure the words " Open / Fill " (Auf / Füllen) point to the exhaust hole. Observe how the CO2 forces its way into the diaphragm installed in the aquarium. If about 2/3 of the diaphragm are filled with CO2, turn the white dial quickly clockwise such that the word " Start " (Betrieb) points to the exhaust hole. The device is now ready for use and operates maintenance-free, until the limestone is exhausted.


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## urville (Sep 20, 2004)

chalk might be an even better idea.
also i think the system drips the acid over the limestone hence the dialing of the rate. still not sure if there are fumes and/or how they are handeled. obviously the system sells well i found thousands of german articlews too bad i'm not german.

i emailed a chemist so i'll know soon


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## urville (Sep 20, 2004)

well i foudn this too
http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cach...one+hydrochloric+co2+aquarium+-ph+-test&hl=en
it says


> Early soda fountains had to make their own CO2 gas. There wasn't anyone to deliver the gas in steel cylinders. You remember chemistry in high school? Mix limestone (calcium carbonate) with hydrochloric acid and you make CO2 gas and calcium choride See how all this stuff backs up in your mind!. But you can make carbonated beverages at home without CO2 or sophisticated equipment using yeast and flavor extracts you have in the cupboard!


should have an answer to the chemistry question i asked as to fumes. but my understanding is that people hasve use muriatic acid in a similar solution (diluted to 10% just like this system to bring ph down and make the water more acidic.


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