DIY CO2 generator for live plants

[plantedlab]

Hi,

I made this .pdf a while back on how to build a Do-It-Yourself Carbon Dioxide Generator with common household items.

Hope you enjoy, it's not very polished but I am open to suggestions for

improvement.13728

[escamosa]

That's really clever, i believe that the co2 can be a good ph lowering method also. I'm sure i read that somewhere, don't know whether it's true or not though.lolthumbs2:

[mrs fishpatrick]

very good write up, thanks

[Demjor19]

Interesting read!

[Lady Hobbs]

The DIY CO2 is what most of us use here. I don't silcone my airline, tho. I cut the line at a pointed angle, pull it thru the hole with pliers and that's it. It's very tight and air proof. I also just use a punch to make the hole in the cap.

[plantedlab]

Wow, I guess the kiss principal applies here. (Keep It Simple Stupid!)

I have been drilling and tapping threads into my caps! Thanks for the tip.

[Northernguy]

I think its time to make one for my tank.
My plants are browning and the leaves are deteriorating.I have to try something!

[Wild Turkey]

The DIY CO2 is what most of us use here. I don't silcone my airline, tho. I cut the line at a pointed angle, pull it thru the hole with pliers and that's it. It's very tight and air proof. I also just use a punch to make the hole in the cap.

Same, the only tool i use are needle nose plyers, use my lighter to heat up the end cap a little bit (not much) and poke the hole, flip it over and use them to pull the hose through. Done deal

I use a lot less sugar than most, and i am always experimenting with the mixtures for different tanks. It can be a pita to get the ph you want relatively stable and all that mess.

[Northernguy]

Does the CO2 mess with your ph?
How many points up or down?

[Wild Turkey]

Does the CO2 mess with your ph?
How many points up or down?

Yup it makes it drop. Thats why we see a lot of "my ph is rising once in the tank" threads.

Theres a chart to figure out how much it will drop according to KH

pH 6.0 6.2 6.4 6.6 6.8 7.0 7.2 7.4 7.6 7.8 8.0
KHº
0.5 15 9.3 5.9 3.7 2.4 1.5 0.9 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.1
1.0 30 18.6 11.8 7.4 4.7 3 1.9 1.2 0.7 0.47 0.3
1.5 44 28 17.6 11.1 7 4.4 2.8 1.8 1.1 0.7 0.4
2.0 59 37 24 14.8 9.4 5.9 3.7 2.4 1.5 0.9 0.6
2.5 73 46 30 18.5 11.8 7.3 4.6 3 1.9 1.2 0.7
3.0 87 56 35 22 14 8.7 5.6 3.5 2.2 1.4 0.9
3.5 103 65 41 26 16.4 10.3 6.5 4.1 2.6 1.6 1
4.0 118 75 47 30 18.7 11.8 7.5 4.7 3 1.9 1.2
5.0 147 93 59 37 23 14.7 9.3 5.9 3.7 2.3 1.5
6.0 177 112 71 45 28 17.7 11.2 7.1 4.5 2.8 1.8
8.0 240 149 94 59 37 24 14.9 9.4 5.9 3.7 2.3
10 300 186 118 74 47 30 18.6 11.8 7.4 4.7 3
15 440 280 176 111 70 44 28 17.6 11.1 7 4.4
20 590 370 240 148 94 59 37 24 14.8 9.4 5.9

Ah, it took out the spacing, here it is again: http://www.gpodio.com/diy_co2.asp scroll down

[Drip Loop]

Heres the deal with the Co2 and PH. While its true, Co2 will drop your PH to some degree (usually a full point), this change is not negative in any way to your fish. This is because the hardness of your water is not changing. When fish have troubles due to PH fluctuations this is because they are experiencing what is known as osmotic shock due to a hardness change associated with the PH drop/add. The trouble with these DIY co2 units is the inability to regulate the process.

At night, plants are unable to use co2 and in fact spend the evening releasing Co2 into the water. Therefor its likely you will need to add a bubbler to your aquarium to specifically begin running the moment your lights shut off at night. If you do not do this, you may find a wiped tank in the morning not due to PH crash, but suffocation. Hope this helps.

[plantedlab]

This day/night stuff is very interesting, I've neve done anything like that. But I tent to stick with pretty hardy Fish so maybe that's the determining factor in how careful one needs to be.

[Plant Man]

Heres the deal with the Co2 and PH. While its true, Co2 will drop your PH to some degree (usually a full point), this change is not negative in any way to your fish. This is because the hardness of your water is not changing. When fish have troubles due to PH fluctuations this is because they are experiencing what is known as osmotic shock due to a hardness change associated with the PH drop/add. The trouble with these DIY co2 units is the inability to regulate the process.

At night, plants are unable to use co2 and in fact spend the evening releasing Co2 into the water. Therefor its likely you will need to add a bubbler to your aquarium to specifically begin running the moment your lights shut off at night. If you do not do this, you may find a wiped tank in the morning not due to PH crash, but suffocation. Hope this helps.


The amount of Co2 released by the plants compared to a generator is miniscule! I tested my first planted tank, which was heavily planted, after 5 hours of complete darkness. The PH was as far as my test kit could tell exactly the same. Maybe Ph went up .1, maybe. I think that the exchange rate of gases at the surface is far greater then what the plants are doing. Think about how much Co2 from your generator it takes to affect your PH and that’s with the surface fairly calm. It’s probably 50-100 times more then the plants are putting out! I wouldn’t worry about aerating your tanks at night, it's pointless.

And yes it is true that PH changes due to adding Co2 have had no effect on any of my fish, including a school of 15 Cardinal Tetras I kept in my first planted tank without losing even 1 for over 3 years!

[Wild Turkey]

Plant guy, airstones are run at night with co2 injection because (as co2 is not used by plants) the co2 levels rise higher than desired. The airstone is to keep the co2 levels stable throughout the night and there are many reasons this is done. Plants producing co2 at night or not doesnt really come into play, as you indicated.

Please stop digging up old threads to argue with posters. If you are looking for a debate start your own thread.

[Plant Man]

Plant guy, airstones are run at night with co2 injection because (as co2 is not used by plants) the co2 levels rise higher than desired. The airstone is to keep the co2 levels stable throughout the night and there are many reasons this is done. Plants producing co2 at night or not doesnt really come into play, as you indicated.

Please stop digging up old threads to argue with posters. If you are looking for a debate start your own thread.

Oh hey, I'm really sorry man! I t was definitely not my intention to start a debate or to argue with anyone. I was just trying to state “in my experience” this is what “I” have tested to be true. I am truly sorry if anyone has taken any offence. I whole-heartedly apologize to the entire community. Sorry.

I do think that the biggest reason why in an expensive high end Co2 system you might want to shut it down at night would be simply to save Co2 so you would not need to change you canister as often.

Again, I’m not arguing with anyone it is just my thoughts. I also never said that the plants don’t generate some Co2 just that in my experience it’s not enough to raise the ph or Co2 ppm by any significant amount. So I think, except in VERY heavily planted aquariums it is not necessary to run an airstone during the evening.

[Plant Man]

Plant guy, airstones are run at night with co2 injection because (as co2 is not used by plants) the co2 levels rise higher than desired. The airstone is to keep the co2 levels stable throughout the night and there are many reasons this is done. Plants producing co2 at night or not doesnt really come into play, as you indicated.

Please stop digging up old threads to argue with posters. If you are looking for a debate start your own thread.

I'm not arguing, just stating what I have observed and tested.

Also, in my experience the CO2 that is in the water is leaving through the surface at a very high rate. The plants actually don't use nearly as much as is leaving through the tanks water surface. This is why I think when I tested my tank at night the waters Co2 concentration was no higher. I have turned my Co2 off without an air stone to test how long it would take for the Co2 concentration to drop back down to 4-5ppm, it took about 2 1/2 hours in my 46gal. I have also just tested last night what happens to my Co2 concentration with an airstone turned on lightly during the night. In less then 1 hour my Co2 concentrations plumeted to betwwen 3-5ppm.

[Northernguy]

Plant Man You posted in earlier post that you use test strips.
Those things are dangerously inaccurate.
That may be why you are testing so differently.

[Plant Man]

Plant Man You posted in earlier post that you use test strips.
Those things are dangerously inaccurate.
That may be why you are testing so differently.

I use both actually liquid and strips some stips are better then others but yes liquid is always the best. I am a hardcore tester. I test everything!

GH
KH
PH
Co2
Iron
Phosphate
NO3

[Wild Turkey]

No more posts here unless you have something on topic to add.

It ended back at post #14. Plant guy, once more if you want to debate opinions on co2 do it on your own thread. The next step is a warning.

[Plant Man]

Here's a clearer chart,
http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p296/TheMailman6666/ph_kh_co2.gif


That adapter is a great idea for those who wish to use the 2 L Coke bottle as there Co2 canister. I started with that as do most I’m sure. I found that over just a few months the silicone lets go of the plastic hose and starts to leak. I think the adapter would eliminate that issue.

Nice pdf!

[chesspupil]

So please tell me... The exhausted mixture... Since I am a fan of fine craft beers... what is the drinkability and ABV of the exhausted mixture... Realizing taste would have a lot to do with putting something other than just water in the 2L bottle.

[BrandonBCA]

So please tell me... The exhausted mixture... Since I am a fan of fine craft beers... what is the drinkability and ABV of the exhausted mixture... Realizing taste would have a lot to do with putting something other than just water in the 2L bottle.

Drinkability would be very, very poor, alcohol content would(if the sugar is exhausted) be between 11-14%, and fusel content would be high if temperatures aren't controlled. There is a beer called Sahti you could make with juniper berries, malts, and bread yeast that is alright if you like a sour note. Best to dump the DIY CO2 beer though unless you purposely ferment something drinkable, which is best discussed elsewhere.

[ericcooper9]

do you have to dechlorinate the water you use? would it kill the yeast? I made a similar setup and it did not foam or bubble at all.

[Goes to 11!]

The answer to your question is no.

:idea: Btw Eric you might want to check the dates of the threads you reply to, This one is nearly four years old and hasn't had a reply in almost two. :11:

:22:

[CrazedMichael]

It sometimes takes more than 12hrs for it to finally start bubbling.

If that isnt the case then the most likely culprit is a leak somewhere. If it's not airtight it wont ferment properly and will turn to vinegar which released far less CO2

[KingFisher]

old thread