# Disappointed with citric acid + baking soda DIY CO2 kit



## jmeeter (Nov 22, 2015)

Bought a DIY CO2 kit off Amazon for $15 which calls for the citric acid + baking soda recipe, which is as follows

Bottle A: 200 grams citric acid, 20oz water
Bottle B: 200 grams baking soda, 6.5oz water

I've played around with the needle valve and the most I've been able to get out of the solution is about 6 days. If I want between 2 to 2.5 bubbles / second, I'll get about 3 days out of it. Citric acid isn't expensive but it's annoying making a new solution every 3 - 4 days.

Any solutions? 😤


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## York1 (Dec 18, 2014)

Get a 10# tank, regulator, and diffuser/reactor. Problem solved:grin2:


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

Now you know why so many people go to the expense of pressurized CO2. I started with a DIY yeast system and now have a GLA Pro-2 system with 10 lb. tank.


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## jmeeter (Nov 22, 2015)

York1 said:


> Get a 10# tank, regulator, and diffuser/reactor. Problem solved:grin2:


I'm in the process lol. I found a local welding supply shop that sells filled 5lb CO2 tanks for $70 and charges $15 for each subsequent exchange. Not bad. I'm just trying to find a good regulator.

Does CO2 Art make good regulators? A guy online is selling this dual stage regulator for $55 + shipping...


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## York1 (Dec 18, 2014)

I have never used one but I have only heard good things about them from others. 55 isnt a bad price


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

Looks like their single stage model.


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## azazan (Aug 17, 2014)

maybe a stupid question, does the CO2 gauge have an international fitting? as in, does it fit on any bottle?


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## jmeeter (Nov 22, 2015)

kevmo911 said:


> Looks like their single stage model.


So because it's single stage does that mean I am susceptible to end of tank dumps?



azazan said:


> maybe a stupid question, does the CO2 gauge have an international fitting? as in, does it fit on any bottle?


It was an American buyer so I would hope he'd choose CGA320 threading. I'll confirm though.


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

jmeeter said:


> So because it's single stage does that mean I am susceptible to end of tank dumps?


It's possible. Mostly, though, you just need to know what you're getting. CO2Art is an intro-level rig. It might be a bit better than Aquatek/Milwaukee/Azoo/etc., but they haven't been around long enough to know for sure. If you're going to get an intro rig, that's not a bad choice. It's not *good* by any means, but it will probably work for you, until you figure out what you don't like about it. Unfortunately, you're going to spend a couple hundred to upgrade, and there's not much, if anything, you're going to want to keep from it. But that's down the line. For $55, if I didn't know anything about pressurized CO2, I'd do it.

I would make sure it's got a CGA320 nipple/nut on it. Looks like North American plug, but best to be sure. They come from the UK, after all. And I suspect the threads for the nipple are, at best, 1/8" NPT (instead of standard 1/4" NPT), and at worst, BSPT or something else odd, so no matter what, if you had to replace the nipple, it would be complicated.


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## jmeeter (Nov 22, 2015)

Hmm. The fact that everyone is telling me I'll "need to upgrade later" is a bit disheartening. I wanted to upgrade from DIY to pressurized because I'm going out to sea pretty soon and wanted my aquarium to be as easy as possible for my wife to take care of lol. I guess my plants just won't have the extra CO2 for a few months... Hopefully nothing really weird happens heh.


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## azazan (Aug 17, 2014)

just saw your tank journal, i don't think you really need CO2, doesn't seem like your lighting is strong enough for your plants to really want it in high amounts. they'll be fine witouth


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

jmeeter said:


> Hmm. The fact that everyone is telling me I'll "need to upgrade later" is a bit disheartening. I wanted to upgrade from DIY to pressurized because I'm going out to sea pretty soon and wanted my aquarium to be as easy as possible for my wife to take care of lol. I guess my plants just won't have the extra CO2 for a few months... Hopefully nothing really weird happens heh.


Based on what Ive read from others experience, they are more of a mid-level product than entry level. There is no reason to assume you'll ever need to upgrade.....assuming there's nothing wrong with it to begin with. 


*Edit: It looks like this model, which isnt much more than $55 to begin with. http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections...regulator-dual-gauged-solenoid-magnetic-valve

The working pressure not being adjustable is why it's so cheap. Its set to 3 bar (roughly 40 psi) That's plenty enough for most any diffuser, and one less thing for your wife to have to tinker with. :red_mouth

Having said that, in this case I would opt for a new one and get one of their better models.


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## jmeeter (Nov 22, 2015)

azazan said:


> just saw your tank journal, i don't think you really need CO2, doesn't seem like your lighting is strong enough for your plants to really want it in high amounts. they'll be fine witouth


My tank is very different nowadays, those are old pictures that I'm adding to show the progress. This is my current tank:










@burr740 can you recommend something better that isn't too much more expensive? I was thinking of going Aquatek but I've heard mixed reviews on those as well. Doesn't seem to be much of a 'mid range'... Either they're pure crap or incredibly expensive lol.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

jmeeter said:


> @burr740 can you recommend something better that isn't too much more expensive? I was thinking of going Aquatek but I've heard mixed reviews on those as well. Doesn't seem to be much of a 'mid range'... Either they're pure crap or incredibly expensive lol.


From looking at your tank, you could probably get by fine without CO2 until you get back home. Nothing in there is super demanding. Maybe buy a bottle of Excel to use in the meantime. That would be the easiest route imo.

I have an Aquatech Premium. It works, but essentially it's a piece of crap. It's liable to come on or go off at random times. Needle valve is junk. The slightest touch makes a huge difference, and it's usually several minutes before you can tell the final result of an adjustment, and you're lucky if it's still the same next day or next week. 

I wound up replacing the stock NV with a Fabco. That made a world of difference. But still have to keep an eye on the whole cutting on and off thing. Definitely not something you could leave in the hands of the wife to look after, unless she knows what she's doing. Im hoping to build a nice one myself soon and replace it.

I actually just bought THIS ONE a few days ago to run 2 of my grow out tanks, currently on sale for about 100 bucks. It should hopefully be here next week. So that's what I would do, although I have no personal experience with them yet. Could be a piece of crap for all I know....


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## sevendust111 (Jul 15, 2014)

I am no expert by any means in fact I am in the same boat is you trying to upgrade from DIY to pressurized. I have decided to go with CO2 art. Why don't you get one of their more premium regulators. There only another 50 bucks more than the Aquatek. They do seem to be the middle ground between cheap ones like aquatek and more expensive prebuilt ones from gla. The regulator I am getting from Co2art cost around the 140 bucks, shipping is free. Cheapest GLA single stage was 205 plus shipping.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

I never had any issues with a single stage. I wouldn't worry.

Bump:


azazan said:


> maybe a stupid question, does the CO2 gauge have an international fitting? as in, does it fit on any bottle?


They don't but maybe you can ask them to do a custom international fitting for you.


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## jmeeter (Nov 22, 2015)

Does anyone know anything about the SR Aquaristik CO2 regulator? I can't seem to find any reviews online...


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## Argus (May 22, 2013)

mistergreen said:


> I never had any issues with a single stage. I wouldn't worry.


Do you have a GLA? They claim their single stage regulators have built-in protection against end-of-tank-dumps. So, they may be different than most single stage regulators.


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

Argus said:


> Do you have a GLA? They claim their single stage regulators have built-in protection against end-of-tank-dumps. So, they may be different than most single stage regulators.


I have a regular brewer's regulator.


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## Pinaki_Pal (May 4, 2015)

jmeeter said:


> I'm in the process lol. I found a local welding supply shop that sells filled 5lb CO2 tanks for $70 and charges $15 for each subsequent exchange. Not bad. I'm just trying to find a good regulator.
> 
> Does CO2 Art make good regulators? A guy online is selling this dual stage regulator for $55 + shipping...


This regulator is Kooooool ..... it costs u $55 ??? It looks great 

Sent from my SM-G7102 using Tapatalk


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## ichy (Apr 6, 2015)

jmeeter said:


> I'm in the process lol. I found a local welding supply shop that sells filled 5lb CO2 tanks for $70 and charges $15 for each subsequent exchange. Not bad. I'm just trying to find a good regulator.
> 
> Does CO2 Art make good regulators? A guy online is selling this dual stage regulator for $55 + shipping...


Save some big bucks and look on Craig's list for a tank. 
If you look around you can often get a used tank for $20. 

BUT make sure it has current hydrotest. Walk that tank in for a refill and you've done it for half the price.


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

Argus said:


> Do you have a GLA? They claim their single stage regulators have built-in protection against end-of-tank-dumps. So, they may be different than most single stage regulators.


Not terribly likely. A second stage is the built-in protection against pressure rise. All single stage regulators will have some pressure rise when cylinder pressure falls. For industrial-grade regulators, this is minimal. I don't know enough to be too specific, but it has to do with the ability of the diaphragm spring compensating for the lower pressure on one side of it. Lower quality regs overcompensate. Because industrial regs are generally fairly high quality, the diaphragm is better at compensating. And in a second stage, it does the same thing a second time. So in a two-stage regulator, pressure rise exists, but is so small that it might as well not exist, given the low pressure we use.

GLA's lowest-tier reg (Gro-) is a Cornelius reg, the type that's been used for decades in commercial and residential beer and soda applications. It's a workhorse and is of good quality. The second-tier single stage reg (Pro-) is, I think, a Taprite, which has the same history as the Cornelius, and I have no idea why it's more expensive, and has a longer warranty. The third tier, I'm not sure. It's supposed to be stainless steel, and you don't muck about with construction when you're going with SS in the first place. So it likely has even less of a rise than the Cornelius, which *might* have a barely noticeable rise. My guess is it's a Harris Group reg, which I believe is what GLA used when they first offered two-stage regs a few years back. And I know Harris Group offers economy-class models at reasonable prices.

All regulators have a pressure rise value per X psi. I've only occasionally seen it published, but the manufacturer has certainly tested for and measured it.

The other method of compensating for pressure rise is a pH controller, which does it from the back end, after gas leaves the reg.


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## burr740 (Feb 19, 2014)

Oddly enough, the crappy Aquatech I was talking about earlier....it has run bone dry at least 4 different times with no noticeable eotd.


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## jmeeter (Nov 22, 2015)

I've heard with Aquateks you continually have to mess with the needle valve to maintain working pressure as tank psi drops...


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