# Will this work?



## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Ok - CO2 reactor turned into a small disaster yesterday as gravity pulled some of the yeast mixture into the tank (some fish looked drunk)

anyway everything is stable now - several partial water change I think it'd be fine.

I wonder if this model will work at all (see attached picture)

It is obvious that it is not going to be pure CO2 but a mixture of CO2 generated by the miture, some of the CO2 already in the air and ya know O2 and N2 and all that crap from the environment.

Will this at least help somewhat? Or I should just redesign a better reactor with a one way valve.


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## Guest (Jun 17, 2009)

Nam,

check this out.

http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/DIY-Yeast-CO2/7/

hope it helps.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

thats what i did first, zakk - i just dont think mine is airtight enough.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

k i think strong aeration will defeat the purpose right - i prob need to rid of this.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

maxpayne_lhp said:


> ... i prob need to rid of this.


mp: Yes.




maxpayne_lhp said:


> thats what i did first, zakk - i just dont think mine is airtight enough.


mp: *Enough* is a misnomer due to the pressure difference between the atmosphere and a location near the bottom of your tank.

I tried glue alone but with minimal joy.

A barbed/barbed airline tubing connector yields joy.

Punch a small hole (ice pick size) in the plastic bottle cap and insert one end of the barbed connector in the hole (you will have to force it) but stop before the last barb is inserted.

Glue around the hole on the inside and outside of the cap if necessary.

TR


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

jones57742 said:


> mp: Yes.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


will try it this afternoon - do you think the screw rail on the bottle (I use a cranberry juice bottle) is reliable? Cause when the barbed fitting is on, it will probably the next weak spot.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

maxpayne_lhp said:


> will try it this afternoon - do you think the screw rail on the bottle (I use a cranberry juice bottle) is reliable? Cause when the barbed fitting is on, it will probably the next weak spot.


mp: I do not know what a screw rail is and googling yielded no joy with respect to your definition and this issue but:

1) If you are talking about the "pull up" on some bottles then yes but you will have "to figure" out how to get the airline secured to the "pull up".

2) If you are talking about a sturdier cap then yes but the theory behind the very small pilot hole is generating an airtight seal and the barbed fittings are h..l to get into a typical cap and a sturdier cap will make the job harder: also these creatures are typically airtight without the glue.​
I do not know what size bottle these "screw rails" are installed on but for a 110G tank a two liter bottle will increase the CO2 concentration from 2% to approximately 5%.

TR


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i believe that the screw rail are the threads on the neck of the bottle... the seal between the bottle and the cap is quite good.. shake up a bottle of soda... there is no gas leakage.. that will not be a weak point at all... actually; the bottle would burst before that seal leaked...


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

This is funny.

I checked the old system for leak by submerging it into a tub and, with one hand blocking the outlet and the other squeezing the bottle. Apparently the leak was at the connection, not the threads as dave said.

I go ahead and drill another hole on a different bottle, this time with a smaller diameter. I had to really force the tube in (make the end pointy and pull real hard.) I check for leak using the same method as above. I believe it works this time - CO2 system is functioning I think.

Well last question - I prob will make a bubble counter or catcher - but for now if I don't see any buble hanging on to the airstone that doesn't mean that CO2 is not being introduced into the tank right?


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

maxpayne_lhp said:


> Well last question - I prob will make a bubble counter or catcher - but for now if I don't see any buble hanging on to the airstone that doesn't mean that CO2 is not being introduced into the tank right?


mp: The airstone is probably part of the problem here.

The pressure required to diffuse the CO2 through the airstone is probably of such significance that it is breaking the seal around the airline tubing.

TR


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

just leave it as a bare tube then, into the tank?

Gotta figure out how to make a small buble counter cause im outta space


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

maxpayne_lhp said:


> just leave it as a bare tube then, into the tank?


mp: I believe that this is the solution unless you have a power head or an external pump in which case the tube's outflow orifice can be placed in the suction stream of the device.




maxpayne_lhp said:


> Gotta figure out how to make a small buble counter cause im outta space


mp: It is my understanding that bubble counters are employed in the compressed CO2 apparatus in order not only to measure the quantity of CO2 injection but more importantly to limit the quantity such that the CO2 concentration in the tank water will not be toxic.

This "over-injection" of CO2 I do not believe to be of concern with DIY apparatus as a 2L bottle will only produce approximately a 5ppm concentration in a 110G tank.

TR


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

> mp: I believe that this is the solution unless you have a power head or an external pump in which case the tube's outflow orifice can be placed in the suction stream of the device.


Thanks - I will let it be for now. When I have a chance, I will do diy co2 infuser with a power head.  But for now it should be good.

All the plants seem to be doing well.


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

Prototype works! 

I can see bubles coming up to the surface - and quite abit of them - i just need to tweak around with the ratio etc etc.

but this means it works! Thanks for the cloudiness from fluorite dust, i can easily spo them today.



> mp: It is my understanding that bubble counters are employed in the compressed CO2 apparatus in order not only to measure the quantity of CO2 injection but more importantly to limit the quantity such that the CO2 concentration in the tank water will not be toxic.


I will prob just put a cup upside down and let it catch the bubles, so the CO2 stays in there longer and disolves more into the water due o the size of the tank and the level demand of my plants (the only thing i can think of as the neediest is HC baby tears for my foreground)

Thanks y'all!


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

maxpayne_lhp said:


> Thanks man for the advice on CO2 reactor... its bubbling with victory (i prob need to watch out for the pressure)


mp: You are probably not receiving the full benefit of the CO2 generator.

I previously mentioned a power head as I use my external pump for a diffuser but I found a *Hagen diffusion/bubble counter* recommended by *Rex Grigg* which you might consider trying first.

TR


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

jones57742 said:


> mp: You are probably not receiving the full benefit of the CO2 generator.
> 
> I previously mentioned a power head as I use my external pump for a diffuser but I found a *Hagen diffusion/bubble counter* recommended by *Rex Grigg* which you might consider trying first.
> 
> TR


How about this plan? which one do you think may best diffuse CO2 into the tank? I did see what you recommended in store for $10.00?

Thanks again.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

maxpayne_lhp said:


> which one do you think may best diffuse CO2 into the tank? I did see what you recommended in store for $10.00?


mp: I would try the Hagen diffuser/counter first as Rex Grigg is up there close to Tom Barr relevant to respect in the planted tank community and as, IMHO, the fewer moving parts the greater the long term joy (ie. a passive solution is always better than an active system if both produce identical results).

If the Hagen diffuser/counter does not function for you I would next try placing the outflow orifice from the CO2 generator tube at the suction orifice of the power head (ie. would not the power head's orifice not be a "first class mixer"?).

TR


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## maxpayne_lhp (Jan 19, 2005)

jones57742 said:


> mp: I would try the Hagen diffuser/counter first as Rex Grigg is up there close to Tom Barr relevant to respect in the planted tank community and as, IMHO, the fewer moving parts the greater the long term joy (ie. a passive solution is always better than an active system if both produce identical results).
> 
> If the Hagen diffuser/counter does not function for you I would next try placing the outflow orifice from the CO2 generator tube at the suction orifice of the power head (ie. would not the power head's orifice not be a "first class mixer"?).
> 
> TR


Installed it last week  I just need to tweak around a bit. Thanks.


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## jones57742 (Sep 8, 2007)

maxpayne_lhp said:


> I just need to tweak around a bit.


mp: Please post when you "get this figured out" for my edification.

TR


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## _Jay (Jul 3, 2009)

> This "over-injection" of CO2 I do not believe to be of concern with DIY apparatus as a 2L bottle will only produce approximately a 5ppm concentration in a 110G tank.


I had a difficult time following this thread. But if you are correct about the size of the tank, and the potential ppm that can be generated from this DIY device then you are accomplishing nothing...going to all this trouble.

The CO2 dissolved in a tank with modest surface agitation is about 5ppm just from the room atmosphere. To be of benefit to plants the CO2 level needs to be at a minimum of 20ppm and preferably higher. Much higher if you are going to neutralize bba. There has been an increase in modestly expensive CO2 systems or the past few years that are efficient and newbie friendly.

Jay


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