# DIY idea for co2, how viable is this



## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I have tried to keep the drawing simple here....

I tend to lose pressure and whatnot when I change the yeast sugar bottle. Also I am thinking that a solid way to adjust the amount of co2 going in is to use the valve. Obviously the danger here is pressure making the water bottle burst. But I think that would be easier to clean than a yest bottle bursting....maybe....

The co2 flows into the second bottle below the water line. this might possibly clean the co2 as well as keep a sort of air trap between it and the outside world, so when you remove the yeast bottle to repleace it, you don't lose the co2 pressure.

I have not put in backflow valves, but they would be in for sure. Not sure the best location, so if anyone is creative enough to want to add, be my guest.

Also the first tube from the co2 reactor might be a valve as well, so it can be turned off too when the bottle is changed. Just thinking here. 
The co2 flows through the bubble counter, where you can control it at the water bottle valve down into the tank into whatever thing you use for mixing it into the water.

Please rip this idea to shreads with useful pointers and whatnot.


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

This has been done. Unfortunately, we found it slows the CO2 so we removed that part. We used a bubble ladder in our set-up, worked very well!


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Trying to regulate pressure with DIY systems does not work, as these bottle connections are not made for high pressure applications. You're better off to use a bubble ladder, or a bell to diffuse the CO2 you are generating.


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Yup, I agree. Although we didn't have it running for very long, it worked very well. Also, by accident, I used 1 tbsp instead of 1 tsp yeast and it never blew, instead I got really good flow and used the recipe more than once!  Use this recipe at your own risk!


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I am getting a bell/ladder thing sometime soon. So a tbsp of yeast eh?


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## Tabatha (Dec 29, 2007)

Sunstar said:


> I am getting a bell/ladder thing sometime soon. So a tbsp of yeast eh?


At your own risk. 

I used it in 2L pop bottles and it worked brilliantly with 2c sugar. Also, it lasted a long time in comparison with a tsp yeast.


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## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

IF (A big one) you want to try to regulate the CO2 release rate, you can take advantage of metabolic activity: the warmer the yeast culture is, the faster it will metabolize the sugar making more CO2. You can leave the CO2 bottle near the light ballast, so that when it is on, it warms the bottle slightly (so put the bottle close, but not on or touching the ballast) raising CO2 production; conversely, when the light is off, the solution cools and the yeast will be less active and make less CO2.

If you try this use less yeast initially.


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## Sunstar (Jul 29, 2008)

I am trying to make a co2 bubble ladder, it works sort of so-so. the one I got from china came broke, so I am reverse engineering it. What I need is a disk of pumice or some sort of bubble stone like material that does not disintergrate with co2. I am trying to get a replacement. 

I made the ladder out of hard tubing that i heated over hte stove, and gently wrapped it around a sharpie marker to get the shape. then I poked a hole near the base where the tube attached and stuck it in an undergravel filter tower thingy.


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