# HELP!DIY C02 Problems



## manmadecorals

Hey Guys,

I followed the recipe from plantedtank.net and after a day i still do not see any c02 going into my tank can anyone help? Here is a picture of my setup.

Thanks Guys!


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## mdvo

are you seeing bubbles coming up in the bubble counter? you could have a leak in the system, try putting soapy water to check for leaks. otherwise, it looks like you're using a ceramic diffuser, not sure if you'd get enough pressure with a diy system to use that. I use a cigarette filter and get fine bubbles that get diffused into my HOB aquaclear.


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## Evans11

mdvo said:


> it looks like you're using a ceramic diffuser, not sure if you'd get enough pressure with a diy system to use that.


+1 Agreed. You probably won't get enough pressure with DIY to be able to use a ceramic diffuser.


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## solarz

1. Check for leaks. Everywhere. Thoroughly.
2. Did you put baking soda in the mixture? It's my experience that baking soda significantly retards the reaction.
3. Check the diffuser pressure: is there any water in the diffuser tube?


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## kbn

What did you use? Yeast? Send a link to recipe.


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## TankCla

That music diffuser needs a lot of pressure. I used one with CO2 tank. It will not work in DIY setup.
If you don't have bubbles in the counter (small bottle), put more sugar. Be very careful with this system. It may "blow up", and doesn't smell nice (happened to me).


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## Darkblade48

Check to see if there are any bubbles produced in the main mixture. If there are none, you may have inadvertently killed the yeast when you mixed up the solution.

If you are seeing bubbles in the main bottle, then the next most probable cause for not seeing bubbles would be a leak somewhere along the line. Check for leaks using soapy water, as mentioned.

Finally, I am not sure what particular diffuser you have, but most in my experience do not work with DIY CO2, as mentioned.


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## Zebrapl3co

Well, like the other have said. The biggest problem was the diffuser. For DIY Co2, the best diffuser is probably the Co2 ladder.
A second problem would have been the height of the Co2 mix. It's working against 1 meter of gravity to push Co2. For best results, let the bottle sit at the same surface level as the tank.
Also, a poorly mixed batch can take 3 or 4 days to activate.

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## manmadecorals

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the help! here is the link to the recipe i used.

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



solarz said:


> 1. Check for leaks. Everywhere. Thoroughly.
> 2. Did you put baking soda in the mixture? It's my experience that baking soda significantly retards the reaction.
> 3. Check the diffuser pressure: is there any water in the diffuser tube?


No Leaks, No baking soda, and yes there is water in the tube from the green bottle to the tank.



Darkblade48 said:


> Check to see if there are any bubbles produced in the main mixture. If there are none, you may have inadvertently killed the yeast when you mixed up the solution.
> 
> If you are seeing bubbles in the main bottle, then the next most probable cause for not seeing bubbles would be a leak somewhere along the line. Check for leaks using soapy water, as mentioned.
> 
> Finally, I am not sure what particular diffuser you have, but most in my experience do not work with DIY CO2, as mentioned.


There are no bubbles in the main mixture.


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## manmadecorals

I thought with the pressure created in the bottle, the C02 would have no where to go but up...no?


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## kbn

If there's no leaks, then probably the yeasts dont't work on your sugar yet. Maybe not enough yeasts/sugar, maybe they're dead. Try to warm it up a bit, 30C max. Or give it another 1-2 days, if nothing happens change the mixture. Take the diffuser off, if you'll see the bubbles = pressure too low.


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## manmadecorals

Damn i wish i was at home now so i can fix it up... Thanks for all the help guys...much appreciated!!!


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## solarz

manhtu said:


> No Leaks, No baking soda, and yes there is water in the tube from the green bottle to the tank.
> 
> There are no bubbles in the main mixture.


That means there's not enough pressure yet to force the CO2 even into the diffuser.

What is your room temperature? You might simply need more time for the mixture to start going.

Trying swirling your mixture bottle.


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## macKRAZY

manhtu said:


> Hi Guys,
> 
> Thanks for all the help! here is the link to the recipe i used.
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/articles/DIY-Yeast-CO2/7/
> 
> No Leaks, No baking soda, and yes there is water in the tube from the green bottle to the tank.
> 
> There are no bubbles in the main mixture.


2 things...

maybe your water temp(while making solution) is too hot or too cold? thus, killing your yeast or not activating it.
i usually put warm/hot water with my sugar first then separately activate the yeast with warm water... then mix.
it usually takes 3-4 hours to run smoothly(lasts me 2 weeks then i let my soil nutrients do its thing)

secondly, i cannot see the tube from your bubble counter to your diffuser... do you have a check valve? perhaps your tank water is syphoning back into your bubble counter?


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## Blitzcraze

I'm just going to throw this in there as a option did u use ACTIVATED yeast?


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## manmadecorals

Blitzcraze said:


> I'm just going to throw this in there as a option did u use ACTIVATED yeast?


...activated yeast? I'm not sure...i read online that brewers yeast is the best kind of yeast to make C02, so I went to bulk barns and got some there.


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## solarz

manhtu said:


> ...activated yeast? I'm not sure...i read online that brewers yeast is the best kind of yeast to make C02, so I went to bulk barns and got some there.


LOL! Was it the powdery stuff or the little round pellets stuff? The powdery stuff doesn't work.


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## manmadecorals

...
... powder... DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMN !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## gofigure

you can buy in 3 packs at any loblaws










or you can buy the one in a bottle, im on my last pack now, and I started mid last summer.


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## Blitzcraze

Go to metro buy 
premium organic 100% pure cane sugar- 4.00$

One small jar of there activated yeast it's going to look like little pellets 3.00$

One box of baking soda 1.00 

Ads your sugar to hot water than add the yeast stir than add the baking soda you'll have bubbles in 10-15 minutes using quality makes a difference my DIY cod had been producing 3-4 bps for 6 weeks thank I change it even tho it's still working


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## manmadecorals

Ugh...went back to bulk barn and found it...pretty decent price actually!


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## manmadecorals

Just wanted to give you guys an update. I used the Active yeast and it is now bubbling into my bubble counter, i'm currently just waiting now to see if it'll pass through the diffuser. Thanks again for all your help guys, I'll continue to post my updates.


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## TankCla

How big is your tank?
Maybe is better to buy a small CO2 unit. DIY co2 is not so effective, it smells bad, and you will have yellow stuff brought in your tank (in time)
Pure CO2 is clean.


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## Fish on the Mind

+1 to the smell. Also make sure your bottle does not have the chance to tip over and spit its contents into the tank. Just had that happen ... Not pretty.


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## manmadecorals

TankCla said:


> How big is your tank?
> Maybe is better to buy a small CO2 unit. DIY co2 is not so effective, it smells bad, and you will have yellow stuff brought in your tank (in time)
> Pure CO2 is clean.


I went to check out the price on those little C02 setup kits...kinda pricey


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## Jaysan

manhtu said:


> I went to check out the price on those little C02 setup kits...kinda pricey


and the refills are pricy too ><


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## coldmantis

isn't it cheaper in the long run to get an aquatek regulator with solenoid, a cga320 to paintball adapter and a 24oz paintball tank. you would refill like 3 times a year at $5 each time vs $3-4 for sugar per month. plus you have full control of the co2 and no smell not to mention making the recipe all the time. Should cost you around the 100-$150 mark.


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## manmadecorals

I have a 90% completed C02 Set up, just still lacking knowledge on how to set it up and i'm still missing a needle valve, I'm not to sure which one to get and where to get one.


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## solarz

TankCla said:


> How big is your tank?
> Maybe is better to buy a small CO2 unit. DIY co2 is not so effective, it smells bad, and you will have yellow stuff brought in your tank (in time)
> Pure CO2 is clean.





coldmantis said:


> isn't it cheaper in the long run to get an aquatek regulator with solenoid, a cga320 to paintball adapter and a 24oz paintball tank. you would refill like 3 times a year at $5 each time vs $3-4 for sugar per month. plus you have full control of the co2 and no smell not to mention making the recipe all the time. Should cost you around the 100-$150 mark.


I don't know how you guys set up your yeast CO2, but my setup has no smell, is plenty effective for my light level (1.8 WPG), and a 5kg bag of sugar from costco lasts me at least a year.

I use a 2L soda bottle, and it easily lasts a month.

I've been using yeast CO2 on my 20gal for over a year and experience no problems whatsoever. No algae issues, no fish deaths.

I've never read about people running into problems with yeast CO2 on this forum. On the other hand, there are several threads about disastrous accidents happening with pressurized CO2.


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## mdvo

solarz said:


> I use a 2L soda bottle, and it easily lasts a month.


what recipe and yeast do you use? My 2L bottles only last 2 weeks max - after a week it goes down to 1 bubble every 4 seconds or so.


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## Jaysan

coldmantis said:


> isn't it cheaper in the long run to get an aquatek regulator with solenoid, a cga320 to paintball adapter and a 24oz paintball tank. you would refill like 3 times a year at $5 each time vs $3-4 for sugar per month. plus you have full control of the co2 and no smell not to mention making the recipe all the time. Should cost you around the 100-$150 mark.


Where do you refill 24oz tanks for $5?
I have a 1L tank that I believe is just a little bit larger than 24oz and the cheapest quote I got was $10 to refill.


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## Darkblade48

coldmantis said:


> isn't it cheaper in the long run to get an aquatek regulator with solenoid, a cga320 to paintball adapter and a 24oz paintball tank. you would refill like 3 times a year at $5 each time vs $3-4 for sugar per month. plus you have full control of the co2 and no smell not to mention making the recipe all the time. Should cost you around the 100-$150 mark.


It is even cheaper to use a 10 pound CO2 cylinder (or larger) and only having to fill it once every 3 years  (your mileage may vary).



manhtu said:


> I have a 90% completed C02 Set up, just still lacking knowledge on how to set it up and i'm still missing a needle valve, I'm not to sure which one to get and where to get one.


Please take a look at my pressurized CO2 guide that is linked in my signature (I believe it has also been stickied recently).

Needle valves can be purchased online. The Fabco NV55 is usually about $25. Alternatively, if you are patient on eBay, you can sometimes find excellent deals as well.



solarz said:


> I've never read about people running into problems with yeast CO2 on this forum. On the other hand, there are several threads about disastrous accidents happening with pressurized CO2.


Usually the problem with pressurized CO2 disasters is not knowing how to use the equipment properly.

Unfortunately, pressurized CO2 does require a bit more technical know-how than DIY CO2; however, if the equipment is properly handled, then no disasters will result.

It is just like with any other piece of equipment; misuse it, and certain disaster awaits.


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## solarz

Darkblade48 said:


> Unfortunately, pressurized CO2 does require a bit more technical know-how than DIY CO2; however, if the equipment is properly handled, then no disasters will result.
> 
> It is just like with any other piece of equipment; misuse it, and certain disaster awaits.


Everything would work great if handled properly. Unfortunately, nobody is perfect, and screw-ups do happen. The difference is, a screw up with pressurized CO2 can be a disaster, while a screw up with yeast CO2 means a wasted batch of sugar and yeast.



> what recipe and yeast do you use? My 2L bottles only last 2 weeks max - after a week it goes down to 1 bubble every 4 seconds or so.


How big of a bubble are you talking about?

I think the key to my setup is simplicity: no bubble counter, no reactor, no check valve, no intermediate chamber. Just a 2L soda bottle with a tube through the cap, and a piece of disposable chopstick on the other end.

This setup minimizes leaks and backup pressure. There will be less CO2 near the end of its lifespan, but the beauty of the chopstick diffuser is that lower pressure = finer bubbles.

Also remember to swirl the bottle if you see it stopped. That will usually extend the lifespan by another week or two.

Oh, and I also place my bottle on the same height level as the tank.


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## Darkblade48

solarz said:


> Everything would work great if handled properly. Unfortunately, nobody is perfect, and screw-ups do happen. The difference is, a screw up with pressurized CO2 can be a disaster, while a screw up with yeast CO2 means a wasted batch of sugar and yeast.


A screw up with yeast CO2 could potentially mean the mixture goes into the aquarium too 

Also, the inability to control DIY CO2 is much more of a disadvantage in smaller aquariums.

Of course, in larger aquariums (up to a limit, of course), DIY CO2 is a perfectly viable option, however.


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## solarz

Darkblade48 said:


> A screw up with yeast CO2 could potentially mean the mixture goes into the aquarium too
> 
> Also, the inability to control DIY CO2 is much more of a disadvantage in smaller aquariums.
> 
> Of course, in larger aquariums (up to a limit, of course), DIY CO2 is a perfectly viable option, however.


If the soda bottle is sealed (which it should be if it's capped), it will never empty its contents into the aquarium.

There may be drops of the mixture going into the tank if you filled the bottle too high, but we're talking about sugar + yeast here. A little bit of it isn't going to harm the fishes.

I don't think it's a real concern to control the amount of CO2, other than to make sure it doesn't overdose, that is. My DIY setup fluctuates all the time, especially when I get lazy and don't replace the bottle for weeks. I don't have any algae issues apart from needing to wipe the glass every two weeks.


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## manmadecorals

I use 2 cups of Sugar, 1/4 tsp of baking soda, and 1/8 tsp of yeast in my 6 Gal Edge tank. I have a drop checker in it and it's blue with a hint of green in it. So i guess i'm still not getting enough C02?


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## coldmantis

manhtu said:


> I use 2 cups of Sugar, 1/4 tsp of baking soda, and 1/8 tsp of yeast in my 6 Gal Edge tank. I have a drop checker in it and it's blue with a hint of green in it. So i guess i'm still not getting enough C02?


nope always strive for lime green to yellow, anything darker than that, I expect some sort of algae in the future.


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## coldmantis

Jaysan said:


> Where do you refill 24oz tanks for $5?
> I have a 1L tank that I believe is just a little bit larger than 24oz and the cheapest quote I got was $10 to refill.


any paintball arena, but remember your tank must be a paintball tank with the pin depresser or they can't refill it.


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## manmadecorals

i wonder if they would do the same for a 10+lbs tanks for the same price...


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## Jaysan

coldmantis said:


> any paintball arena, but remember your tank must be a paintball tank with the pin depresser or they can't refill it.


I got one of these tanks.
Picked it up while I was in Taiwan.
http://istaproducts.com/details+CO2+Aluminum+Cylinder++1L/products/220/

I'm guessing I can't get this refilled at the paintball places?

I also just called a paintball place and the guy on the phone said not to use paintball grade Co2 as their gas is contaminated. he said to use "Food Grade" Co2?
I was confused, lol


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## Jaysan

along with the tank, I picked up this kit 
http://istaproducts.com/details+CO2+Aluminum+Cylinder+Supply+Set++1L+-+Professional/products/15/


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## Newobsession

That would be true, but the CO2 will take the path of least resistance. Before you tear everything apart, you might want to try sealing the caps on the bottles with electrical tape. Although they seem tight by hand you'd be surprised how hard it is to seal airtight. You don't need to use a ton of it, just 2 or 3 turns tight around where the bottom of the cap and the bottle. I used to fold the last 1/2" back onto itself to make an easy tab to remove it when you re-do your mixture. 

Start with your mixture bottle and then see if you are getting anything in your bubble counter. If you get bubbles in the counter but nothing in the tank, then at least you know your mixture is working and your bottle is sealed and you have a problem between the counter and the tank or the diffuser


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## manmadecorals

Darkblade48 said:


> It is even cheaper to use a 10 pound CO2 cylinder (or larger) and only having to fill it once every 3 years  (your mileage may vary).
> 
> Please take a look at my pressurized CO2 guide that is linked in my signature (I believe it has also been stickied recently).
> 
> Needle valves can be purchased online. The Fabco NV55 is usually about $25. Alternatively, if you are patient on eBay, you can sometimes find excellent deals as well.
> 
> Usually the problem with pressurized CO2 disasters is not knowing how to use the equipment properly.
> 
> Unfortunately, pressurized CO2 does require a bit more technical know-how than DIY CO2; however, if the equipment is properly handled, then no disasters will result.
> 
> It is just like with any other piece of equipment; misuse it, and certain disaster awaits.


Hi Darkblade,

I've read your C02 thread a million times from start to end but i still don't quite feel confident putting it together yet... I have some questions regarding setting it up.

1) Is there any right way for me to screw the regulator onto the tank? As in can it be screwed on in any particular angle?

2) How do you attach the bubble count onto the needle valve?


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## Darkblade48

manhtu said:


> i wonder if they would do the same for a 10+lbs tanks for the same price...


Probably not, but you can always ask. 



Jaysan said:


> I got one of these tanks.
> Picked it up while I was in Taiwan.
> http://istaproducts.com/details+CO2+Aluminum+Cylinder++1L/products/220/


I'm guessing I can't get this refilled at the paintball places?
You can try and ask; since it is not North American certified, paintball places may not refill it.



Jaysan said:


> I also just called a paintball place and the guy on the phone said not to use paintball grade Co2 as their gas is contaminated. he said to use "Food Grade" Co2?
> I was confused, lol


They would recommend food grade CO2 if you were using it to carbonate beverages (beer, soda, etc). There is no issue with using "paintball grade" (if such a thing even exists) CO2.



manhtu said:


> Hi Darkblade,
> 
> I've read your C02 thread a million times from start to end but i still don't quite feel confident putting it together yet... I have some questions regarding setting it up.
> 
> 1) Is there any right way for me to screw the regulator onto the tank? As in can it be screwed on in any particular angle?


I am not sure what you are referring to here. If you are talking about the gauges on the regulator, they can face any direction you want. They can face towards the ceiling, towards you (perpendicular to the ground), at a 45 degree angle, etc.



manhtu said:


> 2) How do you attach the bubble count onto the needle valve?


It depends what kind of bubble counter you have. If you have an inline one, as the name implies, it would go inline.

Otherwise, if you have a JBJ bubble counter, it has a 1/8" FNPT connection, meaning your needle valve would need to terminate with a 1/8" MNPT. What needle valve you have would determine the adapter you require.


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## manmadecorals

Thanks Darkblade you nailed my questions dead on.


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## Zebrapl3co

Solarz, just though you might want to know. The money you spent on the sugar could probably pay for a CO2 regulator by now. DIY are usually used for beginners and people who want to test the water. If you're planning to run your gear for more than 1 year. It's actually cheaper to go with pressurized.



Darkblade48 said:


> ...
> They would recommend food grade CO2 if you were using it to carbonate beverages (beer, soda, etc). There is no issue with using "paintball grade" (if such a thing even exists) CO2.
> ...


None food grade CO2 has more % of other chemical impurrities. In most cases, it doesn't matter, but if you have sensitive fish, it's something to keep in mind.

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## solarz

Zebrapl3co said:


> Solarz, just though you might want to know. The money you spent on the sugar could probably pay for a CO2 regulator by now. DIY are usually used for beginners and people who want to test the water. If you're planning to run your gear for more than 1 year. It's actually cheaper to go with pressurized.


Dude, I've been running DIY CO2 for over a year now, and I've only gone through one and a half bag of 5kg sugar. That's 12$ + tax by Costco prices. 

Typically, 2 cups of sugar lasts me a month. That's about 500g, so a 5kg bag of sugar would last me 10 months.

With my new 79-gal tank, I've just started running 2 bottles. That means I'd have to buy a new bag every 5 months now, which works out to about 20$ a year. At this rate, it will be at least 10 years before a pressurized setup would pay off.


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## manmadecorals

Darkblade48 said:


> I am not sure what you are referring to here. If you are talking about the gauges on the regulator, they can face any direction you want. They can face towards the ceiling, towards you (perpendicular to the ground), at a 45 degree angle, etc.
> 
> It depends what kind of bubble counter you have. If you have an inline one, as the name implies, it would go inline.
> 
> Otherwise, if you have a JBJ bubble counter, it has a 1/8" FNPT connection, meaning your needle valve would need to terminate with a 1/8" MNPT. What needle valve you have would determine the adapter you require.


Ok so i just went and bought a Fabco Needle valve. Now i have a Regulator, a solenoid valve, a needle valve, a bubble counter, a ceramic diffuser and some C02 tubing. How do i put everything together? It doesn't seem like they are a "Plug and Play" type of connections. What do i need to put everything together?

Also for my drop checker, how often do i need to change the solution and will the color continue to change in the drop checker if my C02 lvl was to go fluctuate up or down or once it has changed colors it stays that color?


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## Darkblade48

manhtu said:


> Ok so i just went and bought a Fabco Needle valve. Now i have a Regulator, a solenoid valve, a needle valve, a bubble counter, a ceramic diffuser and some C02 tubing. How do i put everything together? It doesn't seem like they are a "Plug and Play" type of connections. What do i need to put everything together?


You may need adapters to connect everything together.

What are the fitting sizes on each piece of equipment that you have? For example, you may require a 1/4" MNPT to 1/8" MNPT adapter for the connection between the regulator and the solenoid.

The Fabco NV55 needle valve, depending on where you purchased it, will either have 1/8" FNPT ports or #10/32 ports, which will require adapters. You can find #10/32 to 1/8" adapters online. Some people suggest not going this route as the #10/32 connections are rather small can could potentially be damaged, and so recommend using #10/32 to barb fittings (and thus running the needle valve in line).

I am not sure what bubble counter you have, but as mentioned before, if it is an inline counter, than simply run it inline after your needle valve. If it is mountable, then you may want to consider mounting your NV55 needle valve (taking the above precautions into mind).

As with any case, most of the connections (with the exception of the #10/32 to 1/8" adapters) can be found in the plumbing section of any hardware store.



manhtu said:


> Also for my drop checker, how often do i need to change the solution and will the color continue to change in the drop checker if my C02 lvl was to go fluctuate up or down or once it has changed colors it stays that color?


I change it every 2-3 weeks, or whenever I notice that the colour changes do not happen as quickly as I like. Some people change it less often, some more. There is no set "rule".

The colour will continue to change according to the CO2 level that is present.

Be sure to use a 4 dkH reference solution inside the drop checker and not tap/aquarium/distilled water.


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## manmadecorals

I bought this bubble counter from AI

http://www.aquainspiration.com/nproductdetail.asp?PIN=CO&PNAME=dc&PSIZE=DCBC&PTYPE=CO2%20Accessories


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## Darkblade48

manhtu said:


> I bought this bubble counter from AI
> 
> http://www.aquainspiration.com/nproductdetail.asp?PIN=CO&PNAME=dc&PSIZE=DCBC&PTYPE=CO2%20Accessories


I am not familiar with that particular bubble counter, nor does the site offer any additional pictures, but I would hazard that the connection is a 1/8" FNPT port.

As such, you may want to consider using #10/32 to 1/8" MNPT for your Fabco NV55.


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## manmadecorals

do you have any recommendations to where i can purchase this rare fitting for my fabco needle valve online?


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## Darkblade48

manhtu said:


> do you have any recommendations to where i can purchase this rare fitting for my fabco needle valve online?


Actually, you might be able to acquire it locally; give Sempress and/or Air & Hydraulic a call first (the contact information for both can be found in my CO2 article).

If not, there are a few individuals in the US (over at plantedtank.net) that often carry the parts.

Though again, I have to stress that the #10/32 ports to 1/8" NPT adapters are fragile, and you will have to be careful not to break them via accidentally bumping into your setup, etc.


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## manmadecorals

okay i'll give it a shot...thanks for all the knowledge~!


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## Greg_o

Sempress is great, I'm sure they'll have it.


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## manmadecorals

That's where i got the needle valve


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## manmadecorals

so basically to make everything fit i'll need adapters and same goes for the needle valve to bubble counter and from from the bubble counter i attach the C02 tubing...right?


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## Darkblade48

manhtu said:


> so basically to make everything fit i'll need adapters and same goes for the needle valve to bubble counter and from from the bubble counter i attach the C02 tubing...right?


In as many words as one, yes.


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## mkblitz

manhtu, can't see clearly but it looks like your second bottle has too little water. The co2 entering this filter bottle will have fill the whole bottle before it begins its trip into your tank. That might have been your problem, for future reference since it seems you went Pressurized.

I have to agree with Solarz, I also run 3x 2L of DIY in my 50g tank, linked into one line with a control valve to an airstone into a powerhead. Works like a charm. I replace my 2L every 3 weeks (optimal). Saves me the equipment cost, travelling somewhere to get a refill, and paying infernal gas prices to get there! did you guys factor that into your calculations? . Based on some quick calculations it will be 3-4 years before I meet the cost of a pressurized system. This is not factoring in fuel charges, cost of storage (I would probably get the largest tank), convenience, etc.

But I will readily agree that Pressurized is the way to go if you don't mind splashing the cash. More reliable performance, less micromanagement. Forgive me if I don't want a huge tank of pressurized gas in my living room near my family


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## solarz

mkblitz said:


> I also run 3x 2L of DIY in my 50g tank, linked into one line with a control valve to an airstone into a powerhead. Works like a charm.


Do you use anything to seal off the junctions? When I tried that kind of setup, I would get leaks at the junctions even after slabbing gobs of silicone onto it. In the end, I gave up and just ran one line. Right now, in my 79-gal, I'm running two separate lines tied together.



mkblitz said:


> Based on some quick calculations it will be 3-4 years before I meet the cost of a pressurized system. This is not factoring in fuel charges, cost of storage (I would probably get the largest tank), convenience, etc.


The last time I went to costco, a 5kg bag of sugar was ~5$. (For some reason, I thought it was 8$.) That's 1$/kg of sugar.

3x 2L bottles = 6 cups of sugar every 3 weeks based on your usage.

1 year = 52 weeks => 52 / 3 * 6 = 104 cups of sugar per year.

1 cup of sugar is ~250g. 104 cups = 26 kg of sugar.

So that's about 26$ per year.

I think it'll be a lot longer than 3 or 4 years before you meet the cost of a pressurized system.


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## mkblitz

solarz said:


> Do you use anything to seal off the junctions? When I tried that kind of setup, I would get leaks at the junctions even after slabbing gobs of silicone onto it. In the end, I gave up and just ran one line. Right now, in my 79-gal, I'm running two separate lines tied together.
> 
> The last time I went to costco, a 5kg bag of sugar was ~5$. (For some reason, I thought it was 8$.) That's 1$/kg of sugar.
> 
> 3x 2L bottles = 6 cups of sugar every 3 weeks based on your usage.
> 
> 1 year = 52 weeks => 52 / 3 * 6 = 104 cups of sugar per year.
> 
> 1 cup of sugar is ~250g. 104 cups = 26 kg of sugar.
> 
> So that's about 26$ per year.
> 
> I think it'll be a lot longer than 3 or 4 years before you meet the cost of a pressurized system.


I found a brass junction in my box of old aquarium stuff, the fit is really tight so I don't think I have a leak issue. The nozzle is triple serrated (best way I can describe it) The bubbles are visibly varied when I use the control valve so I know I'm getting the majority if not all of the CO2 output. I just turn the CO2 down at night to a dribble and on again during photoperiod. One thing I am weary of is CO2 buildup in the 2L bottles. I make sure to open the valve up to medium output when I am out of town for a few days. Would rather suboptimal CO2 levels in the tank rather than exploded yeast on my living room walls.

As for the calculations, I originally calculated 4-5 years (got 25$ per year) but didn't want to shock everyone into disbelief so I rounded it down for a larger margin for error  Also did it in my head so no exact numbers. Also accounted for $5 in yeast per year.


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## solarz

mkblitz said:


> I found a brass junction in my box of old aquarium stuff, the fit is really tight so I don't think I have a leak issue. The bubbles are visibly varied when I use the control valve so I know I'm getting the majority if not all of the CO2 output. I just turn the CO2 down at night to a dribble and on again during photoperiod.


Brass junction eh? Maybe my plastic junction just sucked. You're not using anything to seal off the joints? Are you using standard airline tubing?



> As for the calculations, I originally calculated 4-5 years (got 25$ per year) but didn't want to shock everyone into disbelief so I rounded it down for a larger margin for error


I don't think you can get a pressurized setup for only 100$. It's more like ~200$ after tax. Of course, if someone was to get everything second-hand for bargain prices, they can squeeze it down to under 100$, but then there would be higher risks of failure.


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## mkblitz

solarz said:


> Brass junction eh? Maybe my plastic junction just sucked. You're not using anything to seal off the joints? Are you using standard airline tubing?
> 
> I don't think you can get a pressurized setup for only 100$. It's more like ~200$ after tax. Of course, if someone was to get everything second-hand for bargain prices, they can squeeze it down to under 100$, but then there would be higher risks of failure.


Nope, I don't use anything to seal it off. I drill the holes on the caps really tight so that the only way I can squeeze the tube through is by squishing and pulling with pliers. I don't break out silicone for such a small job. Yes to standard cheapo airline tubing from BA.

Oh okay. Well I was estimating 125$, I think someone said that and it stuck. I think all we really proved on this thread is that we are the cheapest bastards of all


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## manmadecorals

I still have my DIY C02 Setup in my small 6.6 Fluval Edge Tank. the pressurized C02 is for my bigger tank whenever i decide to set it up


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