# DIY Yeast CO2 No Bubbles



## littlefish (Aug 6, 2010)

I am using the recipe below of co2 yeast and is working very well for my 100 litre tank, 1 bubble per second for 3 weeks 
http://freshwater-aquarium-passion.blogspot.com/2010/07/do-it-yourself-carbon-dioxide-injection.html
I don't know what you doing wrong, but maybe you make mistakes at the preparation.


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## tug (Mar 22, 2009)

Brown sugar doesn't change much in the way of fermentation. And, let the yeast water cool before attaching it to the line leading to the tank or you will have problems. This thread has a lot of yeast reactor information, http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/113280-diy-co2.html and incase you miss it GlA's link, http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html with a great link to nylon bulkhead fittings, http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXG849&P=ML


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## frogmanjared (Feb 21, 2008)

Maybe you used too hot of water when mixing the yeast and killed most of it off. Did you check everywhere for leaks, and what container are you using for it? My recipe is 1/4 t. yeast, 1/2 C sugar and it seems to last 3 weeks or so. 1.5 T seems like way to much yeast to me, you'll get strong output for a very short period of time.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

That does seem like a lot of baking soda and yeast. Baking soda affects pH, so it's possible that alone might have killed it.

I currently use 1.75 cups sugar, 1 tsp. baking soda, and 1 tsp. yeast in a 2L bottle.

Optimally, the water should feel neither warm nor cold to the touch. If you have a _lot_ of chlorine in your water, you may need to add a conditioner to remove it.

The surface of the mixture will appear slightly frothy while fermentation is taking place. If you see this but aren't getting output, you have a leak. Check all connections by spraying with a mild solution of water and dish soap, leaks will bubble.


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## vstone (Jul 15, 2010)

I made extra caps with tubing to make sure one of the bottles would mess up I'd have a spare. Ill try some of the remedies you guys posted! Thanks a ton for the links btw. Ill post pics of my lame setup later :|


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## J.farrand (Jul 12, 2010)

Most commonly air leaks and killing the yeast are the problem. Don't forget to use a check valve in your system. Others have had major problems with yeast mixture going into the tank(Knock on wood!). I always wisk the yeast vigorously for ten minutes off and on while I dissolve the the sugar in the water. More oxygen more better in my opinion. Good luck and check out my photo album of my process and see how it differs.


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## bigboij (Jul 24, 2009)

if you can submerge the entire setup under water and look for a leak, ive never had a problem killing the yeast, but having leaks almost every new setup had it


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## tug (Mar 22, 2009)

A leak; definitely a temperature issue, probably red star's foamy, aerobiometabolic flocculates. Pls learn as much about your yeast strand as pos and do what it wants/needs. Some yeast have broader temperature tolerances, higher alcohol tolerance, etc. If you start rotating your batches you can start a 2L off of 1/4 tsp yeast, give it a few days, 36hrs. If you keep it a warm location, sooner. Try a more forgiving yeast - a bottom flocculentastic champain strand.

Baking soda is not always the best idea, Cobra +1
I use a buffer to keep pH around 5.6, I think. Generally, alcohol will kill yeast faster then the acidity will. Yeast, even prefer low dKH, as darkcobra points out. Try it with no backing soda.


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## vstone (Jul 15, 2010)

Im mixing up a new batch now. Thanks guys.


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## fooledyas (Feb 22, 2010)

I not sure about ph but temp and chlorine are not your problem 80 -90 degrees is best for yeast but you dont kill it till your near 140. 20 years in the pizza biz i can tell you its not that easy to kill and people make bread all across the country I've never heard of anyone adding dechlorinator. if not the ph than must be a leak


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## tug (Mar 22, 2009)

If vstone is using an active dry yeast, Red Star, etc., the temperature is probably too low for fermentation to be active. Thats more of the temperature issue I was thinking of. Fleischmann's active dry yeast is ideally rehydrated at 104ºF, temperatures lower than 90º F and higher than 115º F should be strictly avoided. 

fooledyas, during your 20 years in the pizza biz have you ever fermented your own yeast in a reactor, anaerobically? I'm just saying even if you make your own pizza dough, how can you know what helps a fermentation unless you've turned water to alcohol.


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## Delco1 (Aug 7, 2010)

*making alchol*

I have been doing this for almost 2 years.
You can test the yeast by using a half cup of warm (not hot) water and a teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of yeast, maybe two if you have little fingers.
let it set in a warm place for a couple hours and if it stinks, its working.

I always use a two liter bottle. The easiest recipe is one 12oz concentrated grape juice, one cup sugar, and a heavy pinch of yeast, fill with water till 3 inches from top.


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## The Plantman (May 5, 2010)

vstone said:


> What's guys. Ive been reading up on a lot the past week and decided to forge ahead on my own co2 yeast. I got all the stuff setup with a diffuser on the article page and the correct ingredients for the batch, 1.5 tbls yeast, 1.5 tbls baking soda and 2 cups of sugar, I used brown with some dechlorinated water. Th water was warmed up to 80F with a spare heater. After three days no bubbles have been showing, only occasionally when I stir it. The cap has been sealed properly and the check valve is fully functioning. Any ideas? Thanksss


 
This is the worst DIY Co2 recipe I have ever seen! OMG!

I have been running DIY Co2 for more then 5 years straight! Please, try my recipe before you do anything else.

Here’s the recipe,


2 Liters “tank” water (do not add any chemicals to it)

1 cup white sugar (no more, it’s just not needed; it’s just a waist of sugar.

“¼” teaspoon of bakers yeast (produces for 3 weeks)

1/8 teaspoon baking powder.


Add sugar and baking powder to water and stir/shake till clear. Add yeast, do not shake bottle. It you want to give it a little shimmy so it sinks that’s fine but don’t stir/shake it.

Over the first few years I ran DIY yeast Co2, tap worked 50-75% of the time. I tried adding dechlorinator to the water this never worked! Then one day I saw someone mention using tank water. So I tried it and MAN what a difference! Firstly my mixtures worked “every time” and they produced near twice as much Co2 as with even my best tap water batch and they lasted longer to. Back then I was using 2 cups sugar and a full teaspoon of yeast and ½ teaspoon of baking powder. I got about 2 weeks from my mixtures ands I thought this was pretty good. Then I dropped the sugar down to 1 cup which made “no difference”. Then I dropped the baking powder to 1/8 teaspoon my mixture started lasting 2 ½ weeks, then I dropped the yeast down, over several mixtures, to ¼ teaspoon and got my mixtures lasting 3 weeks and sometimes more. I’ve had a mixture continue to produce for over a month! Adding more yeast produces Co2 at a faster rate but it doesn’t last as long so I added a bottle and changed one ever 2 weeks for a nice consistent Co2 production.

Currently I run 3 bottles and change one every week.


















Deffuser,










Tank,


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## fooledyas (Feb 22, 2010)

tug said:


> If vstone is using an active dry yeast, Red Star, etc., the temperature is probably too low for fermentation to be active. Thats more of the temperature issue I was thinking of. Fleischmann's active dry yeast is ideally rehydrated at 104ºF, temperatures lower than 90º F and higher than 115º F should be strictly avoided.
> 
> fooledyas, during your 20 years in the pizza biz have you ever fermented your own yeast in a reactor, anaerobically? I'm just saying even if you make your own pizza dough, how can you know what helps a fermentation unless you've turned water to alcohol.


Its not the water that turns to alcohol its the suger I'm not saying I'm an expert on fermentation only that its not that easy to kill yeast 90 degrees or 100 or 110 not the problem


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

The Plantman said:


> 1 cup white sugar (no more, it’s just not needed; it’s just a waist of sugar.


You and I get very different results!

I tried 1 cup sugar, and at the end I tasted the "brew". Not a hint of sugar left, which means the yeast is still good to go. I use common baker's yeast, Fleishmann's ActiveDry; and obviously use tapwater, not tankwater for batches that will be taste tested. :hihi:

1.5 cups increased usable production time nearly 50%, with a trace of sugar left at the end, so that's close to optimal for me.

The right amount of baking soda was determined in an interesting way. I made a batch with 2 cups sugar (more than the yeast can possibly use) and no baking soda at all. When production sharply dropped off, I added 1/4 tsp. of baking soda. This actually boosted production to normal levels for another day or two. When it fell again, I added another 1/4 tsp. soda; repeating until it no longer had a useful effect. I now use the total amount I added that had an effect, on all batches up front. This lets you figure out the optimal amount of baking soda experimentally on a single batch.


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## tug (Mar 22, 2009)

I see you're able to turn a phrase and know something about yeast. Yes, it's the yeast turning glucose to CO2 and alcohol.


fooledyas; said:


> Its not the water that turns to alcohol its the suger


I don't remember saying that yeast is easy to kill. Here or anywhere else.


tug said:


> Brown sugar doesn't change much in the way of fermentation. And, let the yeast water cool before attaching it to the line leading to the tank or you will have problems. This thread has a lot of yeast reactor information, http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/113280-diy-co2.html and in case you miss it GlA's link, http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html with a great link to nylon bulkhead fittings, http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXG849&P=ML


Most commonly, air leaks are the problem with DIY reactors. What people often have a problem with next is getting a culture to last ten days or old yeast past it's prime. Problems associated with the type of yeast and it's tendencies, fermentation rate, temperature preference, pH/alcohol tolerance are complicated. 

+1 to use tank water, unless you're drinking the fermentation like Delco1. Some of the concerns I hear about bacteria in the same water as yeast might be valid, but I have never experienced a bad result using tank water.


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## DarkCobra (Jun 22, 2004)

tug said:


> +1 to use tank water, unless you're drinking the fermentation like Delco1.


LOL, that's me, not Delco1. I'm not actually drinking it, just using the most sophisticated chemical analysis equipment at my disposal (my tongue) to test, and then spit.

It actually tastes pretty foul. I'd drink the cheapest lite beer before I drink aquarium hooch.


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## fooledyas (Feb 22, 2010)

"aquarium hooch" thank you best laugh I've had in a while


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## vstone (Jul 15, 2010)

lol at the hooch. My current setup has started fizzing after a day. No bubbles yet, Im using an airstone. I think it might be the cap that's leaking. I will set another cap with aquarium silicone later today. Thanks to all your replies! You guys are beasts!

EDIT: Next batch I will definitely use tank water. It's at 82F


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## tug (Mar 22, 2009)

vstone; said:


> No bubbles yet, Im using an airstone. I think it might be the cap that's leaking. I will set another cap with aquarium silicone later today.


 Yeah, that airstone's not the best way to do that. Read "Treatise on DIY CO2 Systems" for better deffuser options like Plantman has. http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html
Get some nylon bulkhead fittings, http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXG849&P=ML
And meet for the hooch tasting at Dark Cobra's later this week.


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## vstone (Jul 15, 2010)

Awesome links!!!


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## frogmanjared (Feb 21, 2008)

vstone said:


> lol at the hooch. My current setup has started fizzing after a day. No bubbles yet, Im using an airstone. I think it might be the cap that's leaking. I will set another cap with aquarium silicone later today. Thanks to all your replies! You guys are beasts!
> 
> EDIT: Next batch I will definitely use tank water. It's at 82F


Make sure to silicone the underside of the cap too!


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## vstone (Jul 15, 2010)

I read the whole post and I gotta say it's amazing. Totally blew my noob mind on this. Thanks


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## urbanherbalist (May 13, 2010)

One thing to think about in the future, make sure that the yeast isn't too old!


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## mwuf15 (Aug 3, 2010)

it also might be the diffuser you use. like if you use those glass with ceramic disk (for pressureize co2), your diy yeast is not going to have enough pressure to push co2 through the ceramic disk.


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## frogmanjared (Feb 21, 2008)

mwuf15 said:


> it also might be the diffuser you use. like if you use those glass with ceramic disk (for pressureize co2), your diy yeast is not going to have enough pressure to push co2 through the ceramic disk.


That's not true, as long as you have no leaks, a nano glass diffuser will work perfectly fine, I've never had an issue with mine.


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## The Plantman (May 5, 2010)

tug said:


> If vstone is using an active dry yeast, Red Star, etc., the temperature is probably too low for fermentation to be active. Thats more of the temperature issue I was thinking of. Fleischmann's active dry yeast is ideally rehydrated at 104ºF, temperatures lower than 90º F and higher than 115º F should be strictly avoided.
> 
> fooledyas, during your 20 years in the pizza biz have you ever fermented your own yeast in a reactor, anaerobically? I'm just saying even if you make your own pizza dough, how can you know what helps a fermentation unless you've turned water to alcohol.


I start mine at around 86-87 I assume as I use tank water that starts at 89 when it is removed from the tank and I have no problems.


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## The Plantman (May 5, 2010)

Over the years the most troublesome issues I ran into with DIY Co2.

1) Leaks
2) Bad diffusion

Leaks,

Leaks were actually the easy fix; they come “mostly” from the Co2 hardening the air line hose. The entire hose line gets hard but it really gets hard at the bottle connection. This causes the silicone to let go of the hose and hence you end up with leaks, which are very frustrating because this usually initiates a nice BBA outbreak in your tank! Doh! I solved this issue by using 2 liter glass pickle jars with soldered brake caliper bleeder valves in the center of the metal lids. This has worked perfectly for just over 4 months now.












As a very nice added bonus, using glass allows you to visually tell when a bottle is slowing down. Because the mixture becomes very clear as it reaches the end of its production. I can just look at the bottles and know which one needs changing.

Bad diffusion,

I went through soooooo many methods trying to get maximum diffusion of my Co2. The first one I used actually worked very well for my first planted tank, it was a 29 gallon.












But it could only handle so much Co2 flow and was not any use in my 46 Bowfront.

So I tried putting the Co2 line into one of these,




















This worked but I couldn’t get Co2 over 30ppm with it, so I added a tube with a restricted end. It was VERY ugly! It did work great, unfortunately it was ugly and the tank was constantly full of tiny bubbles which I didn’t care much for.














Then I tried this on the intake of the canisters, a reactor built from two 10” Pythons (one tube and the 2 end caps). At diffusing Co2 this worked the BEST, but some bubbles were still getting into the canisters and disturbing debris that was then getting kicked back out into the tank. This substituted tiny bubbles for tiny pits of dirt! Not a good solution. 


And finally this connected to the canisters exhaust, which is working very well. The tank is clean, I just get a few small bubbles coming out of the exhaust and Co2 is in the 30ppm range. I have constructed a larger reactor now that I intend to replace the Python with that is in the center of this contraption. I'm hoping because of it's larger diameter it will diffuse more of the Co2 then I am getting right now.











Larger one,











I may end up needing to make it longer though. But I wanted to see if I could just replace the skinner one with this wider one without having to rebuild the holder/tubing thingy.


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## herns (May 6, 2008)

A year old thread with good info.


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