# Co2 For my 46 gallon Tank



## Viperi (Mar 22, 2010)

I have a planted tank in my 46 gallon and i have one of those ladder system with the little tank for co2 which i dont think is enough.want to do a diy systems so that it would last longer and dont have to change the solution as much. I was wondering how do i do that and how many bottles i need etc.


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

From your thread last week: http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13854

"DIY CO2 will work in tanks above 30g; however, it just becomes very tedious to make the multiple bottles (for a 50g, you will likely need 3-4 bottles). In addition, the cost of sugar, the time you waste, etc will soon make you want to consider pressurized CO2."


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## Viperi (Mar 22, 2010)

Mr Fishies said:


> From your thread last week: http://www.gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13854
> 
> "DIY CO2 will work in tanks above 30g; however, it just becomes very tedious to make the multiple bottles (for a 50g, you will likely need 3-4 bottles). In addition, the cost of sugar, the time you waste, etc will soon make you want to consider pressurized CO2."


Not my thread. Im doing some research and was wondering whats a "reactor" and do i need it? 
Can i just hook it up to my ladder? 
How do i calculate the amount of co2 needed?
Whats the Best setup diy? during my research theres so many different ways to do it.

THanks for any advice


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## Mr Fishies (Sep 21, 2007)

Viperi said:


> Not my thread.


Not sure why I had "your" not "a" in there but it's still valid in your case. DIY CO2 on a 50G (or even a 46G) is going to be painful to execute in a stable manner. You'd have to have multiple bottles on the go and change a bottle at a time so at least 3 are always working and you'll cost yourself and arm an a leg in sugar, yeast and time. Trying to keep the whole thing running and not leaking from regular maintenance and fiddling...ugh.

My advice, for a tank as large as 46G you'll chase your tail trying to make it work DIY/yeast - save up the money you'd spend on sugar and go pressurized.


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## Viperi (Mar 22, 2010)

Mr Fishies said:


> Not sure why I had "your" not "a" in there but it's still valid in your case. DIY CO2 on a 50G (or even a 46G) is going to be painful to execute in a stable manner. You'd have to have multiple bottles on the go and change a bottle at a time so at least 3 are always working and you'll cost yourself and arm an a leg in sugar, yeast and time. Trying to keep the whole thing running and not leaking from regular maintenance and fiddling...ugh.
> 
> My advice, for a tank as large as 46G you'll chase your tail trying to make it work DIY/yeast - save up the money you'd spend on sugar and go pressurized.


How much do pressurized co2 tanks costroughly and how log do they last for?


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## arc (Mar 11, 2010)

> Not my thread. Im doing some research and was wondering whats a "reactor" and do i need it?
> Can i just hook it up to my ladder?
> How do i calculate the amount of co2 needed?
> Whats the Best setup diy? during my research theres so many different ways to do it.


http://diyyeastco2.blogspot.com/

The reactor is a device that will dissolve the co2 into the water. You need something that will make as many small bubbles as possible and hold the co2 underwater until it gets dissolved into the water. If you just put the air line in and let the bubbles float to the top you really don't get any co2 into the water. It just gets released into the air. 
The latter will work but over time it will get a white residue from the yeast which will kill it in the long run.
I've got a DIY set up for a 20 gal using the intake of the filter as the reactor; see the picture in the link I posted. One 2L bottle lasts about 5-6 weeks for. No experience on the pressurized so can't help there.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

Viperi said:


> How much do pressurized co2 tanks costroughly and how log do they last for?


It depends. If you are patient and like waiting, you should be able to snag the best deals on eBay and/or buying individual parts and piecing the pressurized CO2 build together yourself.

For the average pressurized CO2, you are looking at ~$200. How long it will last depends on the size of CO2 tank you purchase, how fast you inject the CO2, how many aquariums you are injecting to, whether or not you have leaks when you first set up the CO2 tank, etc.

However, for a 46 gallon tank, I would say a 10 lb CO2 tank should last at least a year.


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## igor.kanshyn (Jan 14, 2010)

Viperi said:


> Not my thread. Im doing some research and was wondering whats a "reactor" and do i need it?
> Can i just hook it up to my ladder?
> How do i calculate the amount of co2 needed?
> Whats the Best setup diy? during my research theres so many different ways to do it.
> ...


CO2 Nano Glass Diffuser for Plant Aquarium Tank will work for you.
Ladder is not good.

As guys said, you will need several 2L bottles. I guess, 2 or better 3 bottles.

> How do i calculate the amount of co2 needed?
Just try to add as more as you can, but monitor your pH, it should not be to low. Read about pH that is suitable for you fishes.

> Whats the Best setup diy? during my research theres so many different ways to do it.
The simples one is the best. I stick with DIY Yeast CO2


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 28, 2008)

igor.kanshyn said:


> > How do i calculate the amount of co2 needed?
> Just try to add as more as you can, but monitor your pH, it should not be to low. Read about pH that is suitable for you fishes.


pH is not very relevant and not a good indicator of whether more (or less) CO2 is needed. A better estimator is to get a drop checker with a 4 dkH reference solution.


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