# Sera CO2



## DonBee (12 Jun 2008)

Does anyone have any experience of using the Sera tablet Co2 system in a nano aquarium?    Is it cost effective and would it produce any better results than just using Seachem Excel or EasyCarbo.   I'd be grateful for any information.


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## LondonDragon (12 Jun 2008)

I used this to start with before I went for the Nutrafin kit, the tablets were pretty useless.
I would probably go for the Easycarbo as it helps combate the alguea, or just make your own mixture with yeast and baking soda and use a nano diffusor, its simple and its cheap!


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## Egmel (12 Jun 2008)

LondonDragon said:
			
		

> I would probably go for the Easycarbo as it helps combate the alguea, or just make your own mixture with yeast and baking soda and use a nano diffusor, its simple and its cheap!


Ditto, in fact I use both, the EasyCarbo is there to supplement my DIY set up and help keep algae at bay.


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## DonBee (12 Jun 2008)

Thanks guys, your comments are  very helpful and much appreciated - and confirm what I suspected.   I'll continue using EasyCarbo and add a home-made yeast outfit.


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## Wolfenrook (12 Jun 2008)

I used a penn plax tablet kit many years ago (about 14 or so) which was similar but had added iron in the tablets.  It ended in disaster though as the suckers came undone and dumped the entire load of CO2 into the tank at once and I ended up with a tank of what looked like milk as lived in a hard water area.

I wouldn't use one ever again, DIY CO2 is cheaper and ime safer.

Ade


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## Ed Seeley (13 Jun 2008)

Been there, done that too.  Complete waste of time and messes around with the water parameters too as those tablets dissolve.  Maybe a case could be made to say that they are better than nothing, but I don't think so.  

Personally I even had problems with DIY CO2 and needed to dose EasyCarbo too to get great growth and algae-free conditions.  Go with pressurised if you possibly can.  About Â£100 very well spent.


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## DonBee (14 Jun 2008)

Thanks Ade and Ed, your experience of the tablet system adds to what the others have written, and the fact that no one has said anything positive so far speaks volumes.   Unfortunately, I can't afford Â£100 + for a pressurised system so I'll go with my original plan for yeast based and EasyCarbo.


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## Wolfenrook (14 Jun 2008)

When I was running DIY I was able to actually get the CO2 up past 30ppm right into the yellow quite easily, I actually had to run a water pump at the surface to drive some of it off.  Lime wood diffusers are almost as good as ceramic ones in that respect, and I was running 2x 2litre bottles with super wine yeast which gives off more CO2 than bread yeast and lasts longer as well as it can survive higher alcohol levels.

Ade


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## Egmel (14 Jun 2008)

Wolfenrook said:
			
		

> super wine yeast which gives off more CO2 than bread yeast and lasts longer as well as it can survive higher alcohol levels.


Link?!


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## Wolfenrook (15 Jun 2008)

I'm not sure that posting links on here is allowed, so moderators if you don't like this link please remove it, I'm posting it because it has been requested.

Youngs Super Wine Yeast compound http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... Yeast.html, it contains some nutrients as well which help it to last longer as sugar alone isn't the only nutrient that yeasts need.

Ade


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## Ed Seeley (15 Jun 2008)

Wolfenrook said:
			
		

> I'm not sure that posting links on here is allowed, so moderators if you don't like this link please remove it, I'm posting it because it has been requested.
> 
> Youngs Super Wine Yeast compound http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... Yeast.html, it contains some nutrients as well which help it to last longer as sugar alone isn't the only nutrient that yeasts need.
> 
> Ade



No problem with posting links, as long as it's relevant and not in too much conflict with our sponsors and supporters.


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## Wolfenrook (15 Jun 2008)

That one should be fine then   Last time I looked AquaEssentials and TGM didn't do home brew supplies. Hic. lol

Cheers Ed.

Ade


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## Egmel (15 Jun 2008)

Wolfenrook said:
			
		

> I'm not sure that posting links on here is allowed, so moderators if you don't like this link please remove it, I'm posting it because it has been requested.


From what I've seen it's not a problem, people regularly post links to things they've seen or bought.  There are some minor moral issues with posting links to sites which undercut the ukaps sponsor sites but often the quality is lower from the alternative vendors so it's not usually an issue.

On which note, if you're not purchasing multiple things from the home brew shop then it might be cheaper P&P to buy from ebay.

edit - Doh simul-post, I blame the naff internet connection I have at the moment!


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## Wolfenrook (16 Jun 2008)

Egmel said:
			
		

> On which note, if you're not purchasing multiple things from the home brew shop then it might be cheaper P&P



We don't have that problem as we make our own mead and country wines (best ever has to have been the damson, tastes more like a liqueur than a wine) so tend to neat yeast, yeast nutrients, campden tablets......   

Ade


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## Egmel (16 Jun 2008)

Wolfenrook said:
			
		

> Egmel said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Damson sounds lovely, I've never been a fan of mead though.  My parents used to make a lot of wine but I haven't been bitten by the bug yet, I'm still getting the hang of growing the stuff to start off with!

The Home Brew Shop is also a place to get Ascorbic Acid and Potassium Sorbate for the all-in-one liquid fertiliser mix so you may not be the only person buying multiple items.  It's just dependent on how much you're buying as to where is cheapest.


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## Wolfenrook (16 Jun 2008)

I use potassium sorbate when racking, it's wine stabiliser.   

Ade


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## Egmel (16 Jun 2008)

Wolfenrook said:
			
		

> I use potassium sorbate when racking, it's wine stabiliser.


Yup, in the DIY all-in-one it is used to prevent mould.  The asorbic acid is used to lower the pH - JamesC explains it all on his site.


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## Lisa_Perry75 (2 Jul 2008)

It's used in food as a preservative. My mum is allergic...


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## julioarca (2 Jul 2008)

Youngs Super Wine Yeast compound http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/aca ... Yeast.html, it contains some nutrients as well which help it to last longer as sugar alone isn't the only nutrient that yeasts need.


This I buy at Wilkinsons DIY Shop


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