Trying My Hand @ DIY CO2

I have been thinking about a DIY CO2 reactor, and came up with the following:
For the reactor I have use a large garden type pressure spray container. Those with the pump, that you pressurize, and with a hand held spray. The reason I chose this is that it has a emergency pressure release valve, so there is no chance of something blowing up, and it can handle the pressure much better that a normal plastic bottle.
I have attached some aquarium tubing to where the spray would normally be attached on the one end, and on the other end I attached the tubing to a internal power filter in the tank.
Pressure builds up in the container, and as soon as the pressure in the container is greater that the water pressure at the depth of the internal power filter, a spurt of CO2 is release into the water.
I can also put a clamp on the tubing at night, so that no CO2 is release into the tank after lights out.
It has only been running for two day, and so far all seems to be going well.

 

KL... I don't turn mine off at night. The CO2 coming out of the DIY is so little that TO ME it doesn't seemf to do any benefit/deficit to turn it off at night.

If you turning it on and off all the time, you will be altering your pH constantly... which will eventually stress out the fish. Also... if you turn it off at night, then on in the morning, that CO2 buildup bursts into the tank altering the pH VERY fast.

 

My DIY Co2 is also running 24/7 and so far no problems

 

I will keep the system running as is for the moment, and monitor the pH before lights out, before lights on and them again a short while after the valve has been opened after light on in the morning. If I see a spike in the pH I will then let it run 24/7.

 

Good idea KL

 

How much CO2 are you guys adding with the DIY method? To achieve the correct concentration you will need about 1 bubble per second per 100L of water. Depending on your kh. This measurement is good for 4kh and lower, but not for higher kh.

Have you guys measured your ph at different intervals during the day? I am interested to know. If you are adding CO2 overnight, then I would expect your fish to be gasping for air by the next morning. If not, you are probably not running high enough injection rates.

 

I'm injecting about 1 bubble every 2-3 seconds... I don't want to create a MASSIVE plant explosion... but becaue I have a fair amount of plants, I need to keep them alive at least, and I've found that the little co2 that I do add helps in that regard.
Fish aren't gasping at all in the morning.

pH has only dropped from 7.6 to 7.2, and maintains constant.

 

I tested my tank a few days ago and my ph was 7.6 and believe cant remember when last I did a water change

 

I will test the pH over the weekend and let you know Laure. Also think it will be interesting to see if it does change.

 

I love your pressure spray container idea! If you produce the CO2 in a different container behind a valve that you can close it will mean the pressure in the container can stay constant even if you change the yeast mixture. Close the valve and replace the reaction container. You will also not lose the gas produced up to that point. Do you know how much pressure the spray container can handle?

 

Here's an interesting thread i found regarding the concentrations of CO2 and relations to water hardness...