Anyone ever do a DIY CO2 system on a moderately large tank. I have seen plenty of vids on doing it with a 2 litre bottle, but they seem to be limited to 10-20 gallon tanks. I want to add some CO2 to my 75 and would like to go the DIY route. Anyone got any ideas. Would it be a simple as scaling up the 2 litre to a gallon or so, or using multiple 2 liters?
DIY Co2 for somewhat larger tanks
- Thread starter davdev
- Start date
Honestly, I think your best bet would be looking into getting a CO2 canister with a regulator. You can usually find a cheap 10 or 20lb CO2 canister on craigslist or ebay, and most local specialty gas companies will fill it up for less than $50. A regulator should cost another $40-50.
For the time, energy, and mess involved with DIY yeast based CO2, I think its well worth it to spend the money on a pressurized CO2 system.
I ran a 20lb CO2 tank on a HEAVILY planted 125g tank, and it lasted me I think 6 or 7 months before I needed to refill it.
For the time, energy, and mess involved with DIY yeast based CO2, I think its well worth it to spend the money on a pressurized CO2 system.
I ran a 20lb CO2 tank on a HEAVILY planted 125g tank, and it lasted me I think 6 or 7 months before I needed to refill it.
I did DIY CO2 on a 240 gallon tank, heavily planted. I typically ran two 2liter bottles of sugar and yeast. What made the biggest difference was the reactor you use. I had a bubble track, which extended the time the bubbles were in contact, and worked ok. What made the biggest difference was my DIY reactor, which was PVC pipe capped at both ends, weighted at one end, and holes drilled in the pipe for the co2 line, pump inlet, and water outlet. The pump was on the light timer circuit. The PVC captures the co2, and the pump pushed water into the pipe, creating more surface area and contact time. This worked great for increasing the co2 levels.
For a 75 gallon , sugar and yeast can work; for larger tanks it does become a bit tiresome to be changing the sugar solution weekly, and pressurized co2 probably becomes more cost effective in the long run.
For a 75 gallon , sugar and yeast can work; for larger tanks it does become a bit tiresome to be changing the sugar solution weekly, and pressurized co2 probably becomes more cost effective in the long run.
I used Growlers from a local brewing store. 3 of them, I used the rubber stoppers with a hole drilled through them and hard line pushed through that. From there I added soft line to a one way valve and ran all the connecting lines to a multi-port adapter like those used for normal aquarium setups. This I then ran to a micro diffuser that ran into a vortex diffuser.
If you are looking for a CO2 system i have one from a reef tank i bought.
Dont need it because i set up tank for freshwater
I have tank,regulator,solenoid valve, and a calcium reactor setup that goes with it
I am in se CT
let me know dont need it and will give you good deal on it
shawn
Dont need it because i set up tank for freshwater
I have tank,regulator,solenoid valve, and a calcium reactor setup that goes with it
I am in se CT
let me know dont need it and will give you good deal on it
shawn