First time CO2 injector

[windeindoiel]

Ok so my tank is a 25 gallon. I haven't tested the pH in awhile but last time I did it was around 7.9. I plan on lowering the pH by the use of RO water though. I have the Coralife T-5 double linear strip full spectrum and 6700k plant lamps, 1.44 wpg, which sit about 5" above the waterline. After CO2 injection I hope there will be enough carbon dioxide that I can lower the lights without hair algae taking over again. If any other info would be helpful let me know.

Ok what I want to do is make a CO2 injector. I don't know how, or how big to make it, or how much yeast to put into it, and when I make it I'd like to make it so that if something crazy happens it won't dump a bunch of CO2 into the tank and kill all the fish. I know there's a way and stuff, and I've found all the information I just would like some guidance on the more specific stuff.

[jvision]

If your tank is 25 gal or more, I'd make 2 batches.

The best bottles to use are the 4L Cranberry jugs, as they're nice and sturdy, and the lids are strong.

Fill it until to the point where the bottle starts to get skinny with lukewarm water. Add about 8 cups of sugar, and about 1/2 tsp of yeast. You can also add 1tsp of baking soda, if you want.

To pipe it into your tank, use a hot nail to poke a hole in the middle of the lid, and feed your airline tubing thru about 1/2" or so (cut the tubing on an angle to help you get it thru the hole). You can hot glue both sides of the lid - AROUND THE TUBING, ONLY - to give you a tight seal.

My best results have come when I pipe the CO2 into the intake of a powerhead to create a mist. If you can get your hands on one of those airline valves that allow you to adjust how much airflow - looks like this - to make as small bubbles as possible, all the better.

Otherwise, you can use something like the Hagen Ladder, or a number of other CO2 reactors.

HTH

[Vallisneria]

Well I can tell you what I've done before. Take a 2L pop bottle and some airline tubing. Drill a hole in the cap of the pop bottle. Stick the tubing through so it sticks out about an inch into the bottle.Silicone/ glue it in place so that its air tight. Viola the easiest diy co2 generator. You can also add a check valve if you are worried about water from the tank syphoning out. Also keeping the bottle level or higher then the tank should help prevent that. I'm not too sure how you would prevent yeast mix from getting into the tank though. I've never had a problem with that as i keep the mix level a couple inches lower then the opening in the bottle.

Now there are a couple ways to get the co2 into your tank. You can put a airstone on the end of the tubing, feed it into a powerhead(or filter), use one of those hagen co2 ladders, make a co2 bell, etc. I use the hagen ladders in my smaller tanks and in my larger tank i use a elite pump to diffuse the co2. Both work great.

The recipe for a 2L bottle is 2 cups sugar, 1/4tsp yeast and fill the bottle so that it is a couple inches lower then the cap(where the bottle starts to narrow). A 2L should be enough for a 25g. For my bigger tanks i use a 4L juice jug

Edit: seems we posted at the same time,lol

[windeindoiel]

So a 2L is good for 25 gallons? When I put it where ever it's going to rest, do I put it upright or on it's side? If it's upright will that stop deadly leakage into my tank? What does baking soda do? And thanks for your answers.

[Milan]

Ok so my tank is a 25 gallon. I haven't tested the pH in awhile but last time I did it was around 7.9. I plan on lowering the pH by the use of RO water though. I have the Coralife T-5 double linear strip full spectrum and 6700k plant lamps, 1.44 wpg, which sit about 5" above the waterline. After CO2 injection I hope there will be enough carbon dioxide that I can lower the lights without hair algae taking over again. If any other info would be helpful let me know.

Ok what I want to do is make a CO2 injector. I don't know how, or how big to make it, or how much yeast to put into it, and when I make it I'd like to make it so that if something crazy happens it won't dump a bunch of CO2 into the tank and kill all the fish. I know there's a way and stuff, and I've found all the information I just would like some guidance on the more specific stuff.

Hello Windeindoiel,

With 1.44 wpg you are in non-CO2 (low light) environment. However, in your case, adding CO2 won't hurt, but you won't see any spectacular benefits either. Correation between CO2 and light intensity is different from what your perception is (ref: italic). Normally, to increase the light, you need more CO2, not the other way around. If hair algae is an issue, I would suggest you try Seachem Excel, instead of CO2 injection.

There are numerous articles about DIY CO2 on the net, one of the best ones being in our articles section:

http://AlbertaAquatica.com/index.php?s=&sh...dpost&p=1910838

[jvision]

Stand the bottle upright, as it's only the CO2 that you want to escape, not any of the other stuff.

[windeindoiel]

When I got the hair algae I assumed it was because I had too much light, so I raised my light 4". I read that plants can only use excess light if there is enough CO2, which is why I want to inject it, so that I can lower my lights again and hopefully get rid of the hair algae. I suppose I should have said that I fertilize with seachems comprehensive supplement. I haven't really been consistent yet but I aim for a little less than a capful every week. Is this too much? I would like to add more light, possibly one day invest in a second light for the tank, bringing the wpg to 2.88. I'm quite concerned about algae though, because I had such a bad (and it was very bad, I had to take everything out every week for 3 weeks and clean it good before the HA was manageable) problem with it with only 1.44. So I suppose advice on lighting and algae would be appreciated too. :P I feel so demanding.

[jvision]

Yes, that's what happens when you dose ferts w/o CO2, or some carbon form (ie. Excell). You can do both - add CO2 from a yeast generator, and dose Excell - stick w. the lower dosing recommendations, tho.

At your light levels, the dosing recommendations on the bottles should be almost perfect, for the Seachem products. It's an expensive way to go; but, you know exactly what you're adding.

[aquanaut]

I need some Help. I have followed the recipe.

The recipe for a 2L bottle is 2 cups sugar, 1/4tsp yeast and fill the bottle so that it is a couple inches lower then the cap(where the bottle starts to narrow).

It lasts for about 5 hours than stops. I am using new brewers yeast. What is going on and how do I keep the yeast alive?

[jvision]

Is there a complete seal from bottle to tube? Even still, it should last a bit longer. How long have you let it sit? Sometimes it take a bit to get things going - the initial bubbling could be from dissolved gases in the water, not necessarily CO2 generated by the yeast/sugar.

You could also try adding 1/2 tsp of Baking Soda.

[midgetwaiter]

Hello Windeindoiel,

With 1.44 wpg you are in non-CO2 (low light) environment. However, in your case, adding CO2 won't hurt, but you won't see any spectacular benefits either. Correation between CO2 and light intensity is different from what your perception is (ref: italic). Normally, to increase the light, you need more CO2, not the other way around. If hair algae is an issue, I would suggest you try Seachem Excel, instead of CO2 injection.

There are numerous articles about DIY CO2 on the net, one of the best ones being in our articles section:

http://AlbertaAquatica.com/index.php?s=&sh...dpost&p=1910838

The basic WPG rule starts to come apart when you are looking at newer fixtures like T5s. They are probaably almost as intense as VHOs, CO3 injection is a good idea.