DIY CO2 Injector Help?

[NomiDemekin]

Hey. I've been diving into the world of planted tanks and I'm sort of learning as I go. And I'm planning on making a CO2 injector for my tank, so of course I have a few questions.

I know the basic concept, but I'm still confused as all heck about the details.

Can I clean out the bottle with hot water and bleach, or is there any special way I should clean the bottle?

What size should the bottle be, and how much sugar/yeast/water do I add (for a 10 gallon)?

I've heard that baking soda helps keep the reaction last longer. Is this true and in that case, how much baking soda should I add?

When inserting the tube into the cap, will making the hole smaller than the tube create enough of a seal? (I don't generally have silicone laying around my house)

How often should I replace the formula?

Seeing as CO2 damages plastic over time, how often should I replace the whole rig?

Is there any simple way to keep the yeast-gunk to a minimum, or would it be simpler to just wipe off the end of the hose every now and again?

I would really appreciate any help!

[jvision]

When I was making my DIY CO2, I just rinsed out a pop bottle w. hot water. No need to go to all the trouble since pop is mostly sugar, and you're going to be adding a bunch, anyway.

Making a hole smaller than the tubing will be good enough - just cut the tubing on a angle to poke thru the hole... makes getting it thru a lot easier. I'd use a couple 2L bottles, offset by a week. You could use 1L bottles, but I think you'd be replacing them every few days. Each 2L should last 7-10 days, so if you make one, then in 7 days make a second, you should be able to change out just 1 each week.

The reason for 2 bottles is that CO2 consistancy is what keeps algae down. With 2 bottles, you CO2 levels won't peak and dip as bad.

If you want, you can replace the bottles every few months. I've had some that lasted quite a long time. The tubing gets brittle after a few years, but the bottles never seemed to wear.

If you're talking about the yeast-gunk at the end of the tubing that is inside the tank, get an Otto or two - they love the stuff!

[firestorm]

When I was making my DIY CO2, I just rinsed out a pop bottle w. hot water. No need to go to all the trouble since pop is mostly sugar, and you're going to be adding a bunch, anyway.

Making a hole smaller than the tubing will be good enough - just cut the tubing on a angle to poke thru the hole... makes getting it thru a lot easier. I'd use a couple 2L bottles, offset by a week. You could use 1L bottles, but I think you'd be replacing them every few days. Each 2L should last 7-10 days, so if you make one, then in 7 days make a second, you should be able to change out just 1 each week.

The reason for 2 bottles is that CO2 consistancy is what keeps algae down. With 2 bottles, you CO2 levels won't peak and dip as bad.

If you want, you can replace the bottles every few months. I've had some that lasted quite a long time. The tubing gets brittle after a few years, but the bottles never seemed to wear.

If you're talking about the yeast-gunk at the end of the tubing that is inside the tank, get an Otto or two - they love the stuff!

I didn't know otto's liked it, never thought to check in the tank they're in, thank Jason

I have had my DIY running for around 5 months now, never replaced anything yet. I rinse 2L bottles with hot water, and fill it with 1.5 cups of white sugar/2 tsp yeast (brewers or wine yeast last longer than those used for baking), and fill the bottle with luke warm water 3/4 full. You can attach the other end to the intake of a powerhead, it will spit the bubbles in a fine stream. I don't know about the baking soda doing that, I know that it helps the tank from having a pH crash with softer water.

[NomiDemekin]

Thank you for the replies! Very helpful.

For the otto, I wouldn't mind getting an otto or two (since I seem to be developing quite a bit of algae as well). However, will the ottos damage the plants?

[thedarkstar]

Thank you for the replies! Very helpful.

For the otto, I wouldn't mind getting an otto or two (since I seem to be developing quite a bit of algae as well). However, will the ottos damage the plants?

Ottos sure won't damage plants

Edited May 7, 2009 by thedarkstar

[NomiDemekin]

Thank you for the replies! Very helpful.

For the otto, I wouldn't mind getting an otto or two (since I seem to be developing quite a bit of algae as well). However, will the ottos damage the plants?

Ottos sure won't damage plants

Awesome! (I quite like ottos, weird thing is I've never had one). I just found out that the algea I have is blue-green algae (there was a thread on here that had pictures), so I'm going to try to battle that. I know CO2 helps, so I'm going to try to get that going asap, as well as trying a blackout for a few days. But how are ottos at dealing with that type of algae?

[jvision]

Nothing eats BGA. Make sure you black-out for 4 days.

[firestorm]

My best suggestion if getting ottos is get at least 3 or more. I have 5 of them and it is very interesting being able to watch them play. They will mostly hide if you have only a couple. And they stay small enough that even in tanks as small as a 10 gallon you could have at least 3-4.