# DIY CO2 Made Easy



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Figured I would share my setup with everyone. I've seen quite a few posts and questions concerning DIY CO2 setups and having issues. I'm not going to say that mine is bullet proof and your results may be different. I can say that so far, this one has never failed me and it lasts a good (4) weeks plus. This is monitored by use of drop checkers. So I thought I would post my write up out here in hopes that it may help people in the future. So here it is.

*Do It Yourself CO2 Made Easy*​Many hobbyists like to have natural plants in their aquariums. Depending on factors such as lighting and the types of plants you keep, you may need to add CO2 to your system. However, buying a pressurized setup can be a bit costly. In comes DIY (Do-It-Yourself). Even then, some people think that even this method is cumbersome. Well, here we are going to go from start to finish just to show how simple it really is.

*Step I: Making the medium (a.k.a Jell-O)*
.......... Ingredients: 1 pk. Regular 6oz Jell-O. Flavor Optional.
........................... 2 ½ cups boiling water
........................... 1 ¾ - 2 cups pure cane sugar
........................... ¼ cup uncooked rice (optional)








............. 1) In a large saucepan, fill with water and bring to a rolling boil.
............. 2) Empty (1) 6oz package of Jell-O in a large mixing bowl.
............. 3) When water is boiling, carefully measure out 2 ½ cups.
.............................. a. *CAUTION:* Contents will be very hot. Be Careful.
............. 4) Pour water in bowl with Jell-O and mix thoroughly until well dissolved.
............. 5) Pour in sugar and thoroughly mix again until well dissolved.
............. 6) Once everything has been dissolved, pour contents in a flat Tupperware container.








............. 7) Cover and place in refrigerator.
_** Optional Step **_
_After about two hours in the fridge, the Jell-O should be starting to set. Test with a grain of rice. _
_- If it sinks to the bottom, it's not firm enough. Place back in fridge and retest later._
_- If rice sits on the top or sinks slightly, it should be good enough. Make sure however that Jell-O is still in a liquid state._
_- Sprikle 1/8 cup of uncooked rice over the Jell-O. Using a spoon handle or similiar, gently stir the rice into the Jell-O. It should be free floating within the Jell-O_
_- Place back in fridge to finish setting up._

*Step II: Making the Reactor*
............. While the Jell-O is setting up, let’s make the reactor vessels.
............. Materials: 1 64oz Juice bottle (Ocean Spray seems to be best)
........................... 1 20oz Gatorade bottle
........................... 4’ CO2 tubing
........................... GE Silicone I caulk (optional but recommended)
............. Tools:..... Cordless drill w/ bits
........................... Scissors
........................... Case Knife
........................... Needle Nose Pliers
........................... Toothpick
........................... Giant Peep Assistant (optional)








............. 1) Start by thoroughly cleaning both bottles with hot water.
............. 2) Remove lids. Drill a 3/16 hole directly in the center of the juice bottle lid. Drill two holes in the smaller water bottle lid.








............. * NOTE * For best results, start with a small drill bit to create a pilot hole. Then using other bits, work your way up to 3/16. The 3/16 size is a fraction smaller than the diameter of the tubing and will provide for a tight fit.
............. 3) Using the case knife, carefully trim any shavings left by the drill bit.
............. 4) Measure about 2’ of tubing.
............. 5) Using scissors cut one end of the tube at an angle.








............. 6) Push the angled end through the top of the cap.
............. 7) Using the pliers, grab the end and carefully pull the tubing the rest of the way through the cap.








............. 8 ) Cut off the angled end to make a flat cut.
............. 9) Slowly pull tubing out of cap until about ¼” remains in the cap.
............. 10) Repeat steps 5-8 with the opposite end of the tubing into one hole of the water bottle cap.
............. 11) Test fit tubing in water bottle and adjust length if needed. There should be a bend in the tubing.








............. 12) Using the remaining length of tubing, repeat steps 5-9 using the second hole on the water bottle cap.








............. 13) Caulk around all three pieces of tubing on the inside of the caps using GE Silicone I caulk only. This is an optional step as the seal around the tubing will be sufficient with the 3/16” hole depending on how you diffuse the gas. I didn’t do this at first until I switched to a glass diffuser, which resulted in higher pressure build up. In one setup, I discovered a leak in the separator bottle so I added the silicone. Caulk around the tubes on the top side as well.
............. 14) Use the toothpick to spread the caulk completely around the tubing to ensure the entire area is covered.








............. 15) Set caps aside and let silicone cure at least 24hrs.

*Step III: Time to make gas*
............. Now that our Jell-O has set and our reactor vessels have been made, it is time to start making gas… CO2.
............. Ingredients: ½ tsp. Bakers or Brewer’s Yeast divided (¼ tsp. for initial setup / ¼ tsp. to add later)
.............................. 1 tsp. Sugar
.............................. 1 cup hot water
.............................. ¼ tsp. Baking soda
.............................. Air stone (diffuser) 
.............................. ** NOTE ** use a limewood airstone or for best results, use a glass bell or nano diffuser
.............................. _** NOTE ** I only use Brewers yeast at the moment as I have found it lasts longer than either Fleischman's or Red Star baking yeast. Again, results may vary._








............. 1) Activate the yeast. In 1 cup hot water, dissolve 1 tsp sugar. Stir thoroughly.
............. 2) While water is still spinning from step 1 (tornado effect as I like to call it), carefully pour in ¼ tsp. of yeast. This will help in prevent clumping.








............. “snow globe” effect shows the yeast activating:








............. 3) While this is activating (appox. 15 minutes), cut Jell-O in small cubes. The small cubes allow for more surface action for the yeast.
............. 4) Add the cubes to the large bottle.
_** Optional Step **_
_- Using the remaining 1/8 cup of uncooked rice, layer it between the Jell-O. Do this by adding a few cubes of Jell-O to the bottle and then sprinkle a small amount of rice on top. Repeat this process until all rice and Jell-O has been added to the bottle_








............. 5) After yeast has activated (again allow approx. 15 minutes), add 2 cups hot water to Jell-O bottle.
............. 6) Pour yeast mixture into bottle.








............. 7) Add ¼ tsp Baking Soda.
............. 8 ) Using hot water, fill bottle until you have approx. 2” free space from the lid.
............. 9) Add remaining ¼ tsp yeast.
............. 10) Fill seperator bottle with water about 3/4 full. Water should be over the end of the curved tubing. This will enable you to see and count the bubbles.
............. 11) Cap both bottles tightly. Remember to allow for a “curve” in the separator bottle.








............. 12) Within hours, you will start to see generation of CO2.








That’s all it takes. Now go grow beautiful and healthy plants!

******************
* EDIT *
This write up is a little old now as in the pictures you see a standard water bottle being used for the seperator bottle and a limewood airstone for the diffuser. Both of these have since been replaced with the Gatorade bottle and glass diffusers respectively. I just haven't taken updated pictures to show those.


----------



## ElBoltonero (Jan 18, 2012)

Brewer's yeast will likely not tolerate higher amounts of alcohol (tops off between ~4% and ~12% depending on the strain...most in the 6%-8% range). You'd be better off going with champagne yeast (~16%) or just sticking with bakers yeast (~12%-~14%).


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Actually...I get far better results using Cooper's brewers yeast than I do with any type of bakers yeast (that i've tried). I have not used champaign yeast as yet though.


----------



## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

This is a nice setup.

For folks who want to keep it easier, they can just use 2 cups sugar, half a teaspoon of champagne yeast (sometimes I add a quarter tsp of baking soda but it's not necessary with this yeast) and 2/3 bottle of dechlorinated room temperature water. 

Pro of champagne yeast: steady at cooler temperatures so CO2 production doesn't suffer in the winter. I get about 8-10 weeks of use before decanting the water and adding more sugar.


----------



## EnigmaticGuppy92 (Jan 31, 2012)

nice setup howdo u rate the gals difusers i get close to 100% with my filter output i plug the airline with fine sponge and then attatch to the outlet on my filter i get no bubbles coming out and there are no leaks on the system so i have a high dissolving rate how are the glass diffusers


----------



## salmon (Apr 14, 2011)

somewhatshocked said:


> Pro of champagne yeast: steady at cooler temperatures so CO2 production doesn't suffer in the winter. I get about 8-10 weeks of use before decanting the water and adding more sugar.


+1. Extremely steady (for yeast) at cooler indoor temps. I have one two litre going on over 10 weeks now, I lost track, and still producing, I was really starting to wonder how it was going for so long, but then the temp thing clicked.

@ OP, good write up roud: One thing I would maybe add is a check valve somewhere (didn;t see one in ur pics), either between the reactor and bc, or between the bc and tank. If using a diffuser that requires any kind of pressure, a check valve can retain this built up pressure when you go to change out the mixture. I run three cv's on a two bottle system, so once you change a bottle, theres no lag time for the Co2 to start again.


----------



## ElBoltonero (Jan 18, 2012)

james0816 said:


> Actually...I get far better results using Cooper's brewers yeast than I do with any type of bakers yeast (that i've tried). I have not used champaign yeast as yet though.


Coopers has a reported tolerance around 12%, and would ferment slower than baker's yeast...so that would definitely be a good choice.


----------



## JMikeB83 (Feb 18, 2012)

doesn't hot water kill the yeast though? just asking.. what temp are you activating the yeast at?


----------



## ElBoltonero (Jan 18, 2012)

Yeast should be ideally be rehydrated between 95 and 105...we're pitching so much in such a small amount that it isn't super-important that it be perfect, as long as it's not hotter.


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

I just use hot water from the tap. Not sure as to what temp it comes out at. The Jell-O keeps the mixture lasting longer. As it slowly dissolves, it releases more sugars to the yeast.

I was really surprised that I didn't get good results using Ale yeast.

This could be an interesting mix with Jell-O and champaign yeast. Hmmmm....


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

well .... everyone knows how I like to experiment so I'm at it again. Currently working with the Safe-T-Absorbent as a substrate and now I'm going to tinker with my DIY recipe. Why not right? 

I've seen a lot of talk about brown sugar so I decided to try it myself and see what we get. I'm still going to use the Jell-O method. This test will involve 1c of white sugar and 3/4c light brown sugar. Same amount of yeast and still using the baking powder as well.

I mixed up the batch yesterday and getting ready to get it in the bottle.

Let's see how it does shall we?


----------



## cralz (Mar 11, 2012)

Pretty cool setup, I have a few questions about it - how long will the reaction last? Are you talking days, a week, or weeks? How big of a tank do you use it on and how heavily is it planted? Do you always have it hooked up to a diffuser and are constantly adding CO2, or do you find you have to "unplug" it to allow the CO2 levels even out? 

Thanks in advance, I can't wait to try this out!


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

cralz said:


> Pretty cool setup, I have a few questions about it - how long will the reaction last? Are you talking days, a week, or weeks? How big of a tank do you use it on and how heavily is it planted? Do you always have it hooked up to a diffuser and are constantly adding CO2, or do you find you have to "unplug" it to allow the CO2 levels even out?
> 
> Thanks in advance, I can't wait to try this out!


The current bottles run for weeks and they are constantly running in the tank. Diffusion is via glass nano diffusers. Tanks are 10-20g and all are heavily planted.


----------



## terran2k (Feb 24, 2009)

I used your write up as a guide line, I used a 3 Liter bottle, it's going on it's 2nd week now. after the 1st week though, i noticed the normally red water of the koolaid being dissolved started to turn white and my co2 slowed, I just dumped out 3/4's of the water and refilled and it was back and bubbling in a hour or so. probably too much alcohol in the water. From the rate of jello being dissolved by eye balling it, it'll probably last well over a month, looks like 2 months.


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Didn't have the cap on the new test bottle properly so lost the initial injection. Not that big a deal actually since it was just put in the tank recently. Recapped a few hours ago and now it's cranking. The diffuser is really creating a nice fine mist of micro bubbles.


----------



## DesmondTheMoonBear (Dec 19, 2011)

The second bottle (bubble counter) isn't required, right? I'm not sure I need it since I have a drop checker and won't have much in my tank besides plants.


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Not required but recommended. It's use is two fold as a bubble counter and keeps the yeast snot from getting into the tank.


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

So here we are two weeks later for the brown sugar experiment and it is still cranking out like mad. Only issue is the tank I'm running it on is undergoing a diatom outbreak and the diffuser is covered which is happering the bubble size. I should probably put a check valve in line somewhere so I can easily swap out diffusers without losing any pressure.

I have a feeling that the yeast will die out well before the jell-o mix. I may just have to go and get some champaign yeast to test with this particular setup.


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Came home today and made a very interesting discovery. A picture is worth a thousand words eh? This is the drop checker on the tank with the DIY w/ brown sugar. And..it's been running two weeks now. The DC had been a light green for the entire period until now. Needless to say, I had to get an air stone in there since I have (6) Oto babes in there.









So...if someone says you can't over do it with DIY...just refer to this pic.


----------



## urbanredneck (Mar 26, 2012)

Awesome write up! I'm in the process of waiting for the jello to set and wanted to drop a thanks at ya. Went by your design with a gallon jug and small bottle and just added quick connect fittings on the lids. Thought it would make disconnecting a breeze when it came time to brew a new batch or clean. I had everything in the cabinet except for granular sugar... used confectioners but I think the only difference would be the rate it dissolves in the hot water? .?. I'm going to start a journal for the tank and point the co2 setup to this thread. Thanks again!


----------



## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Hey, James!

I wanted to ask you a few questions about your adventures in DIY CO2.

I haven't done really any experimenting yet, but right now I'm running two 2 liter soda bottles with my 29 gallon, diffused by running the end of the airline into my HOB filter intake. I refresh each bottle on alternating 3-day intervals. to keep everything steady.

The recipe is 2 cups white sugar and 2 teaspoons of baker's yeast. I do have access to champagne and other brewing yeasts, but I have a big jar of the baking yeast to go through. I don't mind refreshing the bottles so often, but I just want the most bang for my buck.

Does the Jell-O method really last longer, and steadily? Would I have to do two bottles for my 29g?

And speaking of the bottles... why the Ocean Spray bottles? Do those keep the pressure higher than soda bottles?

I'd also like to get a proper diffuser, but I'm worried about pressure. Fluval has a diffuser on Amazon that one reviewer says works great with DIY CO2. Do the bottles have something to do with this?

Sorry for so many questions!


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

urbanredneck said:


> Awesome write up! I'm in the process of waiting for the jello to set and wanted to drop a thanks at ya.


You are most welcome and good luck. Haven't attempted with confectioners sugar before.



kcartwright856 said:


> Hey, James!
> 
> I wanted to ask you a few questions about your adventures in DIY CO2.
> 
> ...


Nonsense...ask away. Always glad to help when and where I can.

2 teaspoons of yeast is a ton! Good thing you have a lot of yeast to blow through. 

The Jell-O method does last longer than the regular setup and is more stable over the long haul. And with a 29g, you would want to stay with the two bottle setup

I use the Ocean Spray bottles because they give me a better and tighter seal than the 2L bottles. I found that in using the glass diffusers, the 2L's were more prone to develop leaks from the caps.

As long as the bottles are sealed tightly, you can use pretty much any nano diffuser. I have tested on (6) different ones successfully. Unfortunately not the Fluval one you mentioned. I'll have to go out and take a look at it.


----------



## ElBoltonero (Jan 18, 2012)

Confectioners sugar is just more finely-ground white sugar with a little cornstarch in it. It'll screw your measurements up though, you need to adjust. 1 3/4 cup packed powdered sugar = 1 cup granulated sugar


----------



## urbanredneck (Mar 26, 2012)

Ah thanks elboltanero.... I gave it a few hours and didn't see any substantial reaction. Not sure if the cornstarch affected it or the lower amount of sugar but I'm going to swing in the grocery store and do this right. Also I wasn't able to find champagne yeast at the store but I'm going to check whole foods as they always seem to have the off-the-wall stuff for the kitchen. Thanks again!


----------



## ElBoltonero (Jan 18, 2012)

Cornstarch won't hurt anything...the only issue is that there's less sugar molecules per cup than granulated sugar, so you need to use more.

Whole Foods won't have champagne yeast, you'll need to hit a homebrew store.


----------



## urbanredneck (Mar 26, 2012)

Good call! Using grape jello, light brown sugar, seltzer for the cold water portion of the jello process, no home brew places near me so double the fleischmans it is for the first batch. I also thought about how chlorinated Baltimore water is and grabbed a gallon of distilled water.


----------



## ElBoltonero (Jan 18, 2012)

urbanredneck said:


> Good call! Using grape jello, light brown sugar, seltzer for the cold water portion of the jello process, no home brew places near me so double the fleischmans it is for the first batch. I also thought about how chlorinated Baltimore water is and grabbed a gallon of distilled water.


seltzer? probably wouldn't hurt but it definitely won't help


----------



## kuro (May 21, 2010)

what the rice for?


----------



## ElBoltonero (Jan 18, 2012)

I seriously doubt the rice does anything...the starch chains are way too long for yeast enzymes to break apart. I tried it once...a month later the grains appeared to still be whole.


----------



## thenameless (Dec 12, 2011)

james0816 said:


> As long as the bottles are sealed tightly, you can use pretty much any nano diffuser. I have tested on (6) different ones successfully. Unfortunately not the Fluval one you mentioned. I'll have to go out and take a look at it.


Hey James, just wondering if you could name those 6 diffusers? im still trying to figure out which one to buy for my DIY set up.

Thanks


----------



## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

james0816 said:


> 2 teaspoons of yeast is a ton! Good thing you have a lot of yeast to blow through.
> 
> The Jell-O method does last longer than the regular setup and is more stable over the long haul. And with a 29g, you would want to stay with the two bottle setup
> 
> ...


I think I'll be giving your method a go here as soon as I get some Ocean Spray bottles. That makes sense about the seals. The threading on those bottles is different.

As mentioned above, I would also be interested in knowing which diffusers worked with your setup. If you are unable to post them due to forum rules, I'd appreciate a PM, if it's not too much trouble!

I'd also like to know more about the recipe and why it works. The Jell-O dissolves slowly so that it delivers sugar to the yeast steadily, right? What is the purpose of the rice, then?


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

The diffusers didn't have brand names on them. Except for the limewood one which was RedSea. I'll try and post pics of the various diffusers I still have but they are pretty standard glass ceramic diffusers.

As for the rice, here's how it was presented to me. The rice is a starch. Something about the yeast breaks the starch down and converts it into simple sugars. This in turn is consumed by the yeast as a food source which will then produce CO2. No, the rice will not disintegrate and it will be at the bottom of the vessle when you go to clean it out.

Using Jell-O "locks" up the sugars initially. As the Jell-O dissolves, the sugars are then made available to the yeast. More food means happier yeasties.

These mixes last me a very long time. I monitor with drop checkers. Once I notice the green giving way to blue, that's when I change out the bottle. And I should say that most of the time, the Jell-O is completely spent before having to change out the bottle. It's a nice little spell.


----------



## urbanredneck (Mar 26, 2012)

Success! I followed this model and am getting 2 bubbles/sec out of 1/4"OD tubing.

The bubble counter should def be used because without it (or a decent $275 meter) you really won't be able to see that the mixture is healthy. Its also a good way to know when you need to brew a new batch or add to it.

The seltzer was just a little jumpstart... like soda jello jugglers... as it melts and is eaten extra co2 should be released.


----------



## ElBoltonero (Jan 18, 2012)

james0816 said:


> As for the rice, here's how it was presented to me. The rice is a starch. Something about the yeast breaks the starch down and converts it into simple sugars. This in turn is consumed by the yeast as a food source which will then produce CO2. No, the rice will not disintegrate and it will be at the bottom of the vessle when you go to clean it out.


If the rice is being converted to sugar by yeast enzymes it won't be there. If it's still there then it hasn't been broken down. Cooked rice would be more likely to eventually break down (cooking breaks down the starch chains). If you use rice when you brew or make sake or the like it must be cooked first. Even still it needs help to break down the starch chains (barley enzymes in beer or a special mold in sake). It's just not plausible, there's 2 gigantic steps missing. S. Cerevisiae can't even ferment all kinds of sugar, let alone starch.


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

I can't explain it as it's not in my area of expertise. I remember reading about it and people have used it so I tried it. It provided a boost over the regular setup with proven results (as tested by me) and that's all the science I needed.

As mentioned before, I love to experiment and this was one that worked out rather well. Using this method, the mix is used up completely which was an added plus.

Remember...results may vary as there are other factors such as ambient temp involved.


----------



## morgan (Apr 4, 2012)

My first post just to say Thanks for a great tutorial. 

I'm going to diffuse using either a wooden air block or a ciggy filter under the filter outlet.


----------



## brooklynfishman (Feb 12, 2012)

GREAT idea and thanks for sharing this. Never thought of the jello aspect.


----------



## Gethenet (Sep 23, 2011)

I am tryting to do a setup for a 140 gallon tank...any suggestions on to how many bottles I would need?


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Gethenet said:


> I am tryting to do a setup for a 140 gallon tank...any suggestions on to how many bottles I would need?


Wow...Ummm...Too many I would say. 

I would just calcuate by saying I use one bottle on a 10 and go from there. That would be a TON of work to maintain on that big ole thing. Just couldn't see it being cost effective or pratical. Definately want to go pressurized for that.


----------



## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

I have my two Ocean Spray bottles and one Gatorade bottle, drilled and nearly ready to go!

The 3/16th bit made the perfect snug fit. Thanks so much for that instruction and the tip about snipping the hose on the diagonal to pull it through the hole with pliers.

I'm currently waiting on the silicone to dry and for my limewood airstone to soak. I have a proper diffuser on order, but it may not get here until next week, so I'm going to try the limewood for the next few days.

I'll be making up the Jell-O mixture here shortly, though I'm not going to use the rice this first time around.

We shall see!


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Kewlness. Hope all goes well for you!


----------



## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

The limewood airstone was getting me excellent diffusion! My drop checker green was pretty light.

The little Fluval diffuser finally shipped in, and it seems to work just fine with DIY. Nice mist coming out of the ceramic disc. My drop checker isn't getting as light, though. Curious.

I haven't switched over to the Ocean Spray bottles and Jell-O yet. Haven't had the time! I just have the new diffuser attached to the old system.

Excited to try the Jell-O!


----------



## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

I mixed up the Jell-O yesterday morning and, 24 hours later, it's VERY runny.

I used two packets of generic brand (Is this the problem?) cherry Jell-O. Cherry, because that's the flavor that I know wouldn't get eaten in the house.

4 cups of sugar, 5 cups of boiling water. Essentially, I just doubled the recipe. Poured it all into a 13x9 casserole dish, covered with aluminum foil, and stuck it in the fridge.

The mixture is set a little, as in I can touch it without my finger submerging, but it really feels like it wants to spill when you take the dish out of the fridge. Sloshes around a bit more than I'm comfortable with.

I'm still going to give it a go, because I don't want to waste this, but I'd like to know where I went wrong.

My husband wondered if it's possible to use the unflavored gelatin from the store. I may try that after the other two boxes of cherry Jell-O are used.


----------



## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Answered my own dumb question. I ended up with THREE ounce packets instead of SIX.

Ugh. I'm going to use this batch even though it won't work as intended. And then I will try again PROPERLY.


----------



## Cyianara69 (Mar 26, 2012)

kcartwright856 said:


> My husband wondered if it's possible to use the unflavored gelatin from the store. I may try that after the other two boxes of cherry Jell-O are used.


lol - is that so he isn't tempted to eat the Jello???


----------



## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Cyianara69 said:


> lol - is that so he isn't tempted to eat the Jello???


Well, I bought cherry flavor at first for his protection. I could just see him filling up a bowl and them vomiting after he realizes that it has four cups of sugar dumped in.

I think he thinks that the plain gelatin is cheaper? I'm not sure about that. I can't say that I know the local prices off the top of my head.


----------



## kcartwright856 (Jan 16, 2012)

Words can not express the mess that I just made.

So, even though this mixture was so runny because I used the wrong amount of gelatin, I told you all that I was going to go ahead and use it anyway so it didn't go to waste.

Bad choice. Too runny to cut into cubes. Too thick to pour down a funnel. I ended up making a large funnel out of a gallon-sized freezer bag with the corner cut out. That worked alright until my hand slipped.

Finally got all of that in there and took the bottles to be hooked up to my system. I still had my soda bottles running, so I thought I'd just pull their hoses off of the t-valve and put the Ocean spray hoses on. WRONG!

As soon as I popped one of the hoses off, things were just spraying everywhere. I was soaked, my floor, my cat...

Anyway. I finally got everything put back together. Now, I wait and see how long this runny mixture will last and do everything correctly next time!


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Oh Noooooooo! Sounds like an adventure? Where's the video when ya need it? 

Sry....hope all turns out ok.


----------



## In.a.Box (Dec 8, 2011)

What does using jello and rice do?


----------



## alimasriali (May 11, 2012)

can you show all steps please by video , Actually i am from jordan and there is no body here know something about co2 in home just he know co2 reactors machine and its very expensive on me , that's-why i need to see what is happening in each steeps to understanding and to prepare all materials . thanks allot


----------



## Ohioguy (Apr 8, 2012)

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this or not, but the use of plumbers tape around the threads of these bottles works miracles. That's where 99.999% of my leaks were occurring and after I used this it solved everything and increased my pressure, from even when it was working well without the tape, x2. Just a cheap tip that I think everyone should use IMO.


----------



## cralz (Mar 11, 2012)

I just got this setup going last week, and it works great. However, in the past few days my reactor bottle has filled up with foam, which has made its way into the separator bottle. The foam production does not seem to be stopping, and it will likely make its way into the diffuser. Does anyone know what causes this and how it can be prevented? Will I have to start again, or can my mixture be salvaged? 

Thanks.


----------



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

alimasriali said:


> can you show all steps please by video , Actually i am from jordan and there is no body here know something about co2 in home just he know co2 reactors machine and its very expensive on me , that's-why i need to see what is happening in each steeps to understanding and to prepare all materials . thanks allot


Here is a DIY thread I just posted, that may help you: http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/diy/178503-diy-co2-system-how-do.html


----------



## Zenfishy (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanks so much for this thread! I made my own CO2 system based on your post, though I did a slightly different yeast formula, which seems to be working great.

I initially used a chopstick as a diffuser but I didn't think it worked that well. I dug around in the closet and found some tulle fabric left over from a Halloween costume. I stuffed it into the air tube and left a little sticking out of the outside, to diffuse the bubbles even more. It actually works amazingly well and probably cost $0.00000000001 to make. haha


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

cralz said:


> I just got this setup going last week, and it works great. However, in the past few days my reactor bottle has filled up with foam, which has made its way into the separator bottle. The foam production does not seem to be stopping, and it will likely make its way into the diffuser. Does anyone know what causes this and how it can be prevented? Will I have to start again, or can my mixture be salvaged?
> 
> Thanks.


 
Haven't really had an issue with foaming. How much yeast and how high is the water level?

Someone mentioned to use a couple drop of veggie oil to help with foaming. As I mentioned, I haven't had this issue so I can't comment on that aspect of it.


----------



## srivihk (Feb 20, 2011)

Trying it out this weekend. Will post the results.

Mine is a 10G tank, so going with 1L Oceanspray bottle.


----------



## srivihk (Feb 20, 2011)

Jelly is getting set (need to wait for 4 more hour), not using the rice though.

Pretty much done with the tubing. Using silicone on the outer side of the bottle caps.

Used 1/4" drill. Connected the 1/4" tubing to the connecter on both sides and slid the tube into the drilled holes. Managed to get a tight fit as the connecter expands the 1/4" OD tube into 5/16". 

Attaching some pictures.


The connector










Tubing attached to the connector










Final assembly


----------



## srivihk (Feb 20, 2011)

Thanks "james0816".

It took around 40 mins for CO2 mist hitting my tank and its lovely. 

Right now its around 3 bpm (at the separator).


----------



## srivihk (Feb 20, 2011)

The peak on CO2 was 30 bpm. Now its at around 2-3 bpm.

Started on Jun 9. Its only 13 days. The fizz is almost gone. Should i try adding 1/2 tsp of yeast or should i restart the entire setup again. I do not see the jello jelly. Its all syrupy inside the 1 liter bottle.


----------



## Max (Apr 28, 2011)

I just want to ask how many bottles should be used for a 30G tank? I haven't checked the photos yet so I'll ask maybe a dumb question - do the big bottles have to be connected or they go separately into the tank? Thanks in advance.


----------



## Max (Apr 28, 2011)

NVM, I am more clear on this setup.


----------



## Max (Apr 28, 2011)

Could someone tell, how long does it take for the reaction to start. I have done my first batch in the first half of the day and now it's 11 pm and no bubbles seem to come out... I probably screwed it... just want to be sure. Thanks in advance.


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

Max said:


> Could someone tell, how long does it take for the reaction to start. I have done my first batch in the first half of the day and now it's 11 pm and no bubbles seem to come out... I probably screwed it... just want to be sure. Thanks in advance.


Depends on a few things like you recipe, yeast activation, room temp and possible leaks.

Mine usually start putting out after a few hours.


----------



## speerwashere (Feb 24, 2012)

Ok I do proof it, I always start it in a cup of warm sugar water. Thanks


----------



## Max (Apr 28, 2011)

james0816 said:


> Depends on a few things like you recipe, yeast activation, room temp and possible leaks.
> 
> Mine usually start putting out after a few hours.


Finished doing several batches and then I double checked for leaks and yeast. First it was leaking, so I applied a few more swings of teflon tape. Secondly, the yeast was expired long long ago so I bought a new one with expiration date somewhere in 2014. Now bubbles come out. I have a second question how does one count bubbles? Is it per minute or per second? And generally with a DIY CO2 what bubble rate should be expected? Thanks in advance.


----------



## james0816 (Jun 26, 2008)

For me...I don't even worry about counting bubbles. I rely on my drop checker to keep the peace.


----------



## Max (Apr 28, 2011)

james0816 said:


> For me...I don't even worry about counting bubbles. I rely on my drop checker to keep the peace.


Well, good to know, but I don't have one. Just wondered how I could see if there would be an impact on the fish tank water. Might buy one if it makes sense. Well, anyway, the bubble rate is so slow...


----------



## Z-Diggy (Jul 30, 2012)

What is the purpose of the rice?


----------

