# Sicce CO2 Life System?



## mindy (Dec 22, 2010)

This seems to be my only option for CO2 unless I do only DIY. 

http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c378121399/p17621402.html

Does anyone have any experience with this system? I have a 66 gallon tank. They Sicce CO2 Life System 2 says it is good for up to 75 gallons. 

I cannot do pressurized because there is no where for me to fill the tank. The closest place is 600 km away.

What do you think of this system?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

This is not the first of this kind of CO2 generator. Experience with others of this type was not good. And, it isn't cheap over the long haul.


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## mindy (Dec 22, 2010)

The refills are ~$30 and the site says they last about 3-4 months.

I guess if this isn't an option then CO2 isn't an option.


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## Sotty (Aug 31, 2012)

Wow 600km to get a refill! You must really be out in the boonies. Just out of curiosity have you looked into where local welders get their gas from? Most Mig welders use CO2 as as a shielding gas and even out in the boondocks there is usually a welding supply store somewhere. 

Good Luck


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## mindy (Dec 22, 2010)

I can look into that. Thank you. 

I do live pretty far from bigger centres (about 200 km) but not that far! It just seems that everything in Newfoundland is in St. John's. Since I live closer to the west coast of the island I am very far away!

How about this?

http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c378121399/p17654849.html

I know that it says for up to 50 gallons. I hope that it would last long enough. I don't have a long photoperiod. And I don't have any really demanding plants, I don't think. So, maybe this system would work.

(Does it really have to be hung on the side of my tank??)


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## zzrguy (Jul 11, 2012)

You might be better off with a DIY set up if you just want to add a little co2 to see if it make a difference. Before jumping in. Jm2c


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## mindy (Dec 22, 2010)

I don't want to deal with bottles and bottles of stinky yeast water under my tank. :S

I used to use one 2 L bottle for my 10 gallon tank. I can't even imagine where I would put all the bottles I would need for a 66 gallon tank.


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## mindy (Dec 22, 2010)

I really find it funny that it is either DIY paintball set up or nothing at all on this site. I would really like some advice on the products that I am linking. I am sorry I don't have access to all the things you all have access to. My town has 1200 people and it is a 200 km drive to the next bigger centre. I don't know where people get their welding supplies around here and when I ask the closed minded small town men around here I get laughed at. What would you have me do? I am sick of feeling like an idiot.


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## zzrguy (Jul 11, 2012)

I have the same feelings with some thing You could try additives like API co2 booster. I only recommended the diy for you to see if it was worth the larger investment it was not my intent to be insulting. Sorry 

Heres a link for welding supplies . Small towns minds are a trip.
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=weldi...dland, Canada&hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl


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## mindy (Dec 22, 2010)

I am sorry. I didn't mean you were insulting me. I mean the people around here already think I am an idiot for the things I have asked for. They look at my husband and roll their eyes. It really makes me angry. I grew up in a larger centre and I am quite self sufficient when it comes to household repairs/building things. I hate that now I am thrown back into the '50s and I can't even get questions answered.

Thank you for the map. I already googled Air Liquide and as far as I can tell they don't do CO2 but their site wasn't exactly user friendly. I will call them to find out for sure though.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=178503 shows the CO2 system I am using on my 65 gallon low light tank. It is working perfectly. If you have much more light than I have it won't be adequate for you, but low light tanks are great, so why not lower your light intensity and use this?


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## mindy (Dec 22, 2010)

I have medium light right now. I have 2 54 t5ho bulbs in an Odyssea fixture. So the reflector isn't great, but it is ok. I have my light on for two 3 hour periods during the day. I have an issue with bba. The light is raised about 6 inches off my tank. A little more off the top of the water.

I may get some screen to put over the glass on the top of my tank. I have never found any floating plants at my lfs.

I don't know if the DIY CO2 will be good with a screen on top. If it will combat my bba problem then I will give it a try. 

I really want a nice high tech tank. I have no idea how I am supposed to do it where I live. It makes me very sad.

Oh, I forgot to mention, I use Excel in my tank currently.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

The reality is that you aren't likely to succeed with a high light tank without using pressurized CO2. But, high light tanks, in my experience, are more likely to be a royal pain than a pleasure anyway. Tom Barr (Plantbrain) has demonstrated that you can grow most aquatic plants very well with low light, if you also use CO2, and the lower concentration of CO2 from a DIY system is adequate for low light tanks. I went to low light by choice just because I wasn't enjoying my high light experience.


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## Sotty (Aug 31, 2012)

Yeah sorry didn't mean to come off insulting if I did. I'm sorry I don't have any direct advice on the CO2 kits you lined, though my cousin was very dissatisfied with one that used the same technology as the first one you. 

I will also throw out a second on Hoppy's comment. I did high light with injected Co2 for two years long ago and after a while fond I didn't enjoy it very much anymore. I then converted to a low light tank with DIY CO2, which I did enjoy for many years. Eventually though the lure of the bright lights and fancy equipment lured me in again. 

Also, I neglected to mention that if you have a beverage supply, beer brewery, home brew shop any where in the area they often have CO2 tanks or ca point you in the right direction. I vaguely remember hearing somewhere that Canadians make some pretty good beer.


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## mindy (Dec 22, 2010)

Thank you. 

I'm sorry. I am just frustrated by the lack of things I can get around here and by the lack of support??? I get from the people here (in my town/on the phone when I call) when I ask questions. 

I wasn't feeling insulted by the people on this site. I do feel sometimes that I am told to spend $$$$ or get pressurized CO2 or nothing else will work. 

I am just frustrated with this darn tank all together.  This was supposed to be my dream tank and so far it has been a total nightmare. 

I will get some window screen for the top of my tank and give DIY a try again. Thank you for your suggestions.

Oh, about the beer... My husband and our friend have been brewing wine for about 3 years now. They are planning to do beer next month. With the beer that they are making yeast and sugar are what put the CO2 in the beer, not pressurized CO2. I though that was how it was always done. I know CO2 is injected into soda and now that you mention it there is a Pepsi bottling place somewhere on the island... Maybe what I will do is try the DIY with the lowered light and then if that still doesn't work I will start calling places (or maybe get DH to do it since my voice makes me sound like a 10 year old) to see what I can do about getting pressurized.


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