CO2 bubbler "slime"

[Lady Hobbs]

What's up with that slime? I get so much of it in two days time the bubbles can't even come out. I put the bubble counter away yesterday and tried an airstone. I had to clean the slime off that twice today. Now I'm trying an airline bubbler.

Does anyone here use the Fizz Factory and if so, how does that work for you?

[genitor]

I get slime on my airstone too but it doesn't stop the bubbles and my snails seem to like eating it off.

[Lady Hobbs]

I just afraid the bubbles will get blocked and the bottle will build up pressure.

[RobbieG]

I squeeze a couple of good sized dings into the side of my bottle so I can see if pressure is building up.

[ChurchofAdam]

heh, that's actually a really good idea... you might hear it pop back into shape, like a warning alarm. just thinking diy aloud here but you could totally make an emergency pressure valve... just think like those check valves aquarium stores sell... it's a little chamber with a spring loaded stopper. once the pressure is greater than the spring power, it vents... of course, there'd be no way to know that you're venting co2 instead of getting it in the tank

[Zerileous]

another way to make an emergency pressure valve is to take an airline T, sand down the barbs, and put a rubber cap of sorts on it. I have never done it myself, but read about it here (http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html#6). It seems like it would be a little difficult to get set up properly, but once done, a good safety measure.

[Dave-id]

If you're using a two liter pop bottle, it will NOT burst.
I installed a valve stem (for tires) into the lid of one a little while ago, and pressurized it up to about 160 PSI. It swelled up a little but did not burst. Then I threw it around a bit, hoping it would pop, but it still wouldn't. Eventually I was hitting it with a shovel and still couldn't get it to blow.
Those things are TOUGH.

I doubt your lines and fittings could even handle more than about 20PSI, so I would not be worried about pressure buildup blowing your bottle up.
(Unless you're using something other than a pop bottle.)

[RobbieG]

Thats good to know - but I have to know - why were you doing that?

[Dave-id]

Don't try this at home, but I was mainly just trying to pop the bottle. A regular party balloon can make a decent bang at like 4 Psi... :ezpi_wink1:
I did manage to keep things safe for at least a little while. I wore safety goggles and gloves, and I connected the valve stem to the tire chuck before opening the valve to the air supply from a safe distance. This was also not in a residential area.

[RobbieG]

I was actually kinda hoping you would say that - glad you were careful not to put an eye out!

[Greg Menke]

The bottles do have an unpleasantly high bursting point, the Anarchists Cookbook suggests putting in a vinegar and baking soda mixture, then putting the bottle in the car of somebody you don't like. Which I guess means somebody tried it.. :(

Since theres a hole in the cap for the hose, probably the hose would be blown out and the contents would shoot out of the bottle like popping the top of a champagne bottle. Icky.

Greg

[RobbieG]

Thats pretty much what I imagined happening - it is nice to know that I won't blow the doors off of my cabinet AND cover my living room with goo.

[Dave-id]

vinegar and baking soda mixture ...
A chunk of dry ice, in about a third of a bottle of water will also work.

[Drumachine09]

A chunk of dry ice, in about a third of a bottle of water will also work.


True, but the dry ice wont last very long, at least not at room temperature.

[Dave-id]

It actually takes quite a while for the bottle to build up enough pressure to burst. I think the increased pressure may reduce the sublimation rate of the dry ice? Like how a pressure cooker works? I don't know, just a thought.

[Drumachine09]

It actually takes quite a while for the bottle to build up enough pressure to burst. I think the increased pressure may reduce the sublimation rate of the dry ice? Like how a pressure cooker works? I don't know, just a thought.



OOOHHHHh, i thought you were talking about using dry ice to add CO2 to a tank. Haha, muh bad.

[ChurchofAdam]

pressure will slow down the sublimation but still, if you've got enough dry ice and water in there and shake it, you've only got a couple seconds to huck it. check it out on youtube, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near that. lol