DIY CO2
- Thread starter kjfan1
- Start date
kjfan, thanks for posting all this great info. I'm going to make a DIY system this weekend.
Can anyone tell me why the ph would go down at night any more so than it would during the day? I don't understand why it would go down more at night.
Thanks.
Can anyone tell me why the ph would go down at night any more so than it would during the day? I don't understand why it would go down more at night.
Thanks.
CO2 in water will lower the pH of your water. Durring the day when the lights are on the plants use this CO2 and so the pH will not be as low. At night when the lights are off the plants are not using the CO2 and you will have more of it in the water making the pH go down. With most DIY set ups the swing will not be enough to harm your fish. Some people run air bubbles opposite of there lights to help counter the CO2 build up. When doing this the air should shut off a half hour or so before the lights so that the CO2 can build up a bit for the plants.
OK, I couldn't wait till the weekend, so I made my CO2 kit tonight. One of my batches was roughly 1 3/4 cup white sugar plus 1/2 tsp yeast and 1/2 tsp baking soda. The other bottle was roughly 1 cup white sugar and 3/4 cup brown sugar plus 1/2 tsp yeast and 1/2 tsp baking soda. Both bottles are 1.9 liters and both were filled to about an inch below the top when finished. We'll see how it goes. My water comes out of the tap at 100 degrees. After I put in the sugar and disolved it, I put it in the microwave for 30 seconds to get the temp back up a bit. I then added the yeast and baking soda, so hopefully I had good temp to let the yeast do its thing (package says 100-110 degrees is best).
Now we'll see if the algae stops taking over the tank...
Now we'll see if the algae stops taking over the tank...
Ha nice job man you follow instructions well. I might have done the yeast first if you are sure your tap is 100. That way you know fo sho. The nuker might have over done it. Not sure though. You will find out in about 3 days if you did it right. I will be making a new batch the next time I have an hour of free time to waste. Should be tomorrow night. I will make the whole thing on video and because I am lazy I will not edit this but I will try to make it as quick as possible.
Your recipes sound solid too man! Maybe you can set up two different bubble counters and see which one produces the most the longest. Remember to use glass for this so you don't off set it with a little bump.
Your recipes sound solid too man! Maybe you can set up two different bubble counters and see which one produces the most the longest. Remember to use glass for this so you don't off set it with a little bump.
Be care full hooking up a hot bottle to your system. I've had a bottle suck water from the tank as the bottle cooled and contracted. It started a shiphion until the bottle pressurizzed enough to hold the water back, then i noticed the bottle was full and the line was full of water. Pull the line off and had a small steady stream of tank water going.
Yes another great tip. Be careful of that. I always let it sit with the cap open for 2 days first. No reason to hook it op with no action going yet.
Two days seems long. i let mine sit for 5 mins or so then hook it up. I have a two bottle system so when one is not hooked up i have no CO2 in the tank.
