# Alka Seltzer for Co2



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

You would get a big blast of CO2, for a minute or two, then it would drop way down to a bare trickle, and in a day it would produce no CO2 at all. Remember, you only need 2-4 bubbles per second, at most, so compare that to the CO2 production you get from even one AlkaSeltzer tablet. And, you can't store the extra CO2 either, short of rigging up a leakproof balloon to accept it.


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## F22 (Sep 21, 2008)

Would have been cool though.....


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## mistergreen (Dec 9, 2006)

if you have a regulator or a needle valve to slowly release the gas build up, it could work. And the container needs to be air tight and will stand up to some pressure. You probably want to add a cup full of alka seltzer. And don't add the seltzer straight into the tank.


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## macclellan (Dec 22, 2006)

Won't work and/or won't be cost effective.


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## el_heb (Sep 12, 2009)

Ok, thanks for the replies

It was just an idea, i got tired of the fungus-thing of the yeast co2, even using an external bubble counter i could not get rid of it, and cannot afford a pressurized co2 at the moment


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## jmhart (Mar 14, 2008)

el_heb said:


> Ok, thanks for the replies
> 
> It was just an idea, i got tired of the fungus-thing of the yeast co2, even using an external bubble counter i could not get rid of it, and cannot afford a pressurized co2 at the moment


Put a bleach solution in your bubble counter. I used a capful of bleach, and about a cup of water. This was using a 16 oz gatorade bottle as my bubble counter. No more fungus in the tank.


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## mszabo (Nov 30, 2009)

Now that we're going to the absurd, I'd guess that Baking Soda + Vinegar would give better results than Alka-Selzer + Water. It would sure be a lot cheaper. Still doesn't solve the consistancy issue. If you could use an automatic dosing pump to put vinegar into the baking soda you could get your consistancy but at that point it'd probably cheaper to use a pressurized system.


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## jmhart (Mar 14, 2008)

mszabo said:


> ...but at that point it'd probably cheaper to use a pressurized system.


roud:


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

You could also buy dry ice and find a way to capture the CO2 gas and hold it under pressure. But, the risk to life and limb might make that one a bit iffy. And, you would still need the regulator/needle valve that a regular pressurized CO2 system uses.


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## jmhart (Mar 14, 2008)

Hoppy said:


> You could also buy dry ice and find a way to capture the CO2 gas and hold it under pressure. But, the risk to life and limb might make that one a bit iffy. And, you would still need the regulator/needle valve that a regular pressurized CO2 system uses.



Not to mention the pressure vessel to hold all the gas as a reasonable size....


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## el_heb (Sep 12, 2009)

yeah, thanks

i'll try to get along with excel, and start saving for a pressurized system


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

We are all just trying to help:icon_lol:


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## el_heb (Sep 12, 2009)

thanks a lot, it was just an idea i had, maybe i'll try diy co2 again, but it's too much hassle, and a pressurized co2 for a 2.5g is not worth it


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

el_heb said:


> thanks a lot, it was just an idea i had, maybe i'll try diy co2 again, but it's too much hassle, and a pressurized co2 for a 2.5g is not worth it


I'm using a 10lb pressurized system on my 2.5g nano


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## Dempsey (Oct 27, 2009)

Darkblade48 said:


> I'm using a 10lb pressurized system on my 2.5g nano


 
Lasting you how many years on one fill???? :red_mouth How do you hide that thing! I was thinking about a 10lb on my 75 but it wouldn't fit under my tank..... I have a 5lbs now(no complaints)but bigger would be nice. Almost the same price to fill a 5lb tank and/or a 10lbs tank around me.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

I haven't had to refill it yet 

Had it going for half a year already...

I can't really hide the tank at all, it just sits next to the desk. It's larger than my 2.5g nano!


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## nismo tetra (Oct 11, 2009)

Dempsey said:


> Lasting you how many years on one fill???? :red_mouth How do you hide that thing! I was thinking about a 10lb on my 75 but it wouldn't fit under my tank..... I have a 5lbs now(no complaints)but bigger would be nice. Almost the same price to fill a 5lb tank and/or a 10lbs tank around me.


yea 5lb-20lb tank refills are only a few bucks difference(20-25 dollars). I think a 20 lb tank cost around 240 bucks(that is a full one). I was at the welding shop today picking up supplies and asked about bottles and refills. It's just the initial cost of the tank that gets ya. He said to try and find used bottles to save a boatload of money. So the 20lbs would be more economical in the loooooong run lol. Wonder how long that puppy would last on my 20 gallon. That's a lb per gallon lol.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

A 20 lb tank in my area would cost ~120 USD only (this is filled).

If a filled 20 lb tank costs you 240 USD, you are getting ripped off.


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## cannonj22 (Dec 7, 2004)

Sorry for coming late to the party, but I only just noticed this thread. The alka seltzer (or something very similar) tab for CO2 production idea has been done. I was one of I think only a few people to buy this product when CO2 injection was just becoming popular (at least as far as I knew).

http://www.thatpetplace.com/pet/group/11114/product.web

If you haven't seen this before, it is literally exactly like dropping alka seltzer into a closed container with airline tubing hooked up to an upside down container that is suction cupped to the back of the aquarium. It was actually pretty neat. Not a very reliable method of dosing CO2, but a cool idea nonetheless.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=6318

Joe


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

The thing with passive diffusion is that it is very slow and generally unreliable...


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