# Complete Aquarium DIY CO2 System for tank up to 500L



## Heagney (13 Feb 2016)

This is selling for just £40, is there anyway to manipulate it to use a fire extinguisher or something rather than yeast etc?


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## Dr Mike Oxgreen (14 Feb 2016)

Can you post a link to the product you mean?

I'm having trouble imagining a yeast-based CO₂ system that would provide enough CO₂ for a 500 litre tank.

I can't imagine there being many common components between such a system and a pressurised system running from a fire extinguisher. A pressurised system needs a regulator, and preferably also a solenoid valve. Neither of those would be needed for a fermentation-based system, which would normally just be a plastic bottle with a length of airline tubing and possibly a check valve - in fact, I can't see why you'd spend £40 on such a system rather than making it yourself out of a lemonade bottle.


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## Heagney (14 Feb 2016)

I was just having a look through some sites and noticed it on co2 art

http://www.co2art.co.uk/collections...e-aquarium-diy-co2-system-for-tank-up-to-500l


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## aaron.c (14 Feb 2016)

I think attempting to run a 500litre tank on yeast would be very ill advised.

This kit would be built for much lower pressures I would imagine, hooking up a 1000psi fire extinguisher is asking for trouble.


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## Heagney (14 Feb 2016)

No I was just looking at options. Not got a spare couple hundred kicking around for a wee 63l
I just like a lot of the more hard to keep plants as I'm sure most people do haha


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## tim (14 Feb 2016)

Always worth keeping an eye on the for sale section for used co2 setups etc.


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## Heagney (14 Feb 2016)

Perfect, will do bud


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## john dory (14 Feb 2016)

Iv'e got a load of kit for sale


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## ray copeland (14 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> No I was just looking at options. Not got a spare couple hundred kicking around for a wee 63l
> I just like a lot of the more hard to keep plants as I'm sure most people do haha


Look I rem using a diy kit on my first tank before the Bucks starting rolling in on both yeast and b carb citric acid for as little as £20 setup have a look about on eBay 1kg of b carb and citric acid around 3-4 pounds.


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## ray copeland (14 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> This is selling for just £40, is there anyway to manipulate it to use a fire extinguisher or something rather than yeast etc?


No don't waste your money honestly that's a lot for that you could spend that 40 and get it all than just the kit your be able to get it for half that price honest eBay type in search diy co2 you might even get a kit for a tenner on bid don't rush shop about.


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## Heagney (14 Feb 2016)

Thanks John Dory but I wouldn't have the money for all the kit for a couple of months tbh I've got a lot on at the mo. 
Thanks ray I'll have a shop around. I'm a bit weary of the whole co2 malarkey with 2 young kids around. Pressurised gas puts the sh1ts right up me haha


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## ray copeland (14 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> Thanks John Dory but I wouldn't have the money for all the kit for a couple of months tbh I've got a lot on at the mo.
> Thanks ray I'll have a shop around. I'm a bit weary of the whole co2 malarkey with 2 young kids around. Pressurised gas puts the sh1ts right up me haha


No worries all the best


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## Heagney (15 Feb 2016)

Has anybody used this method before?? Could be better than yeast if it's more controllable?


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## ray copeland (15 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> Has anybody used this method before?? Could be better than yeast if it's more controllable?



Yeah I used this before I used the kit too a lot better than making your own no leaks. It's really good as it auto feeds the acid to the b carb but not sure what you mean by controllable? I believe it or not went back to the yeast i personally found the acid to be more of a risk I knocked the bottle over hit 4bar yeast last longer slow reaction. A 1kg bag sugar what 55p a tin of active yeast 39p get the Balance right can last more than a week c acid eBay say 700g fiver 1kg b carb fiver =10 faster reaction auto feed good psi yeast slower reaction 2bar last longer each to there own yeast works for me.


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## ray copeland (15 Feb 2016)

ray copeland said:


> Yeah I used this before I used the kit too a lot better than making your own no leaks. It's really good as it auto feeds the acid to the b carb but not sure what you mean by controllable? I believe it or not went back to the yeast i personally found the acid to be more of a risk I knocked the bottle over hit 4bar yeast last longer slow reaction. A 1kg bag sugar what 55p a tin of active yeast 39p get the Balance right can last more than a week c acid eBay say 700g fiver 1kg b carb fiver =10 faster reaction auto feed good psi yeast slower reaction 2bar last longer each to there own yeast works for me.





Heagney said:


> Has anybody used this method before?? Could be better than yeast if it's more controllable?



Yeah I used this before I used the kit too a lot better than making your own no leaks. It's really good as it auto feeds the acid to the b carb but not sure what you mean by controllable? I believe it or not went back to the yeast i personally found the acid to be more of a risk I knocked the bottle over hit 4bar yeast last longer slow reaction. A 1kg bag sugar what 55p a tin of active yeast 39p get the Balance right can last more than a week c acid eBay say 700g fiver 1kg b carb fiver =10 faster reaction auto feed good psi yeast slower reaction 2bar last longer each to there own yeast works for me. I suggest if you buy the kit it will do you well for the money I suggest playing about with it u don't want to kill any fish theses are not like bottle co2 kits where you have little worry the needle valve that comes standard with this is not the best I thought I turn it off and it leaked the co2 over night could kill someone fish luck I did not have any you might want to update the diffuser get a bubble counter and a better needle valve play about to get it right your need to test for c02 to make sure you have enough to feed the plants and not kill any fish good lighting helps too.


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## xim (15 Feb 2016)

I started with yeast CO2 when I got into this hobby.
I've done the math and know that it is viable for my 340 litres tank
by using a 3 bottles system with 1 kg of sugar in each.
With a bottle getting renewed every week, the cost is 4 kg
of sugar a month. And with a normally-open solenoid and a timer,
I can get CO2 injected into the tank during lighting time and let the CO2
out into the atmosphere at night automatically.

In the end, I switched to a pressurised system because it's more
convenient with the same operation cost. But yeast CO2 is still
practical for a big tank.


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## Heagney (15 Feb 2016)

With me being new to planted aquariums I think the yeast option is more feasible at the moment. I quite liked the system that's he used although I would defo add a drop checker. The pressure he got seemed to enable the use of a ceramic diffuser which I've read is better but I would porobably position it under my canister filter intake.
Thinking about scrapping my hood that came with the tank and customising one do I can have double t5s or t8s aswell.
I did see a video of someone using 2x LED outdoor spot lights to good effect so possibly another option, less heat etc etc


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## ray copeland (16 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> With me being new to planted aquariums I think the yeast option is more feasible at the moment. I quite liked the system that's he used although I would defo add a drop checker. The pressure he got seemed to enable the use of a ceramic diffuser which I've read is better but I would porobably position it under my canister filter intake.
> Thinking about scrapping my hood that came with the tank and customising one do I can have double t5s or t8s aswell.
> I did see a video of someone using 2x LED outdoor spot lights to good effect so possibly another option, less heat etc etc


I used the diy kit on a 120l with a good valve to shut off of an evening good pressure and a diffuser drop checker worked well.


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## Heagney (16 Feb 2016)

Was this with yeast Ray? 

I'll need to have a look online. Should I just type co2 kit into eBay or something?


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## jagillham (17 Feb 2016)

How much is this yeast set up going to end up costing? I bet for very similar money you can get a more reliable system which requires much less hassle.

Second hand full CO2 every time for me I'm afraid.

If you need a CO2 bottle I have an empty sodastream bottle which you can have for the cost of postage assuming where you can refill / exchange it local to you?


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## Heagney (17 Feb 2016)

The yeast or citric acid kits are only About £20 whereas second hand co2 seems to run at about £60odds


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## ray copeland (17 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> Was this with yeast Ray?
> 
> I'll need to have a look online. Should I just type co2 kit into eBay or something?


Yeah and yeah eBay co2 kit


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## ray copeland (17 Feb 2016)

jagillham said:


> How much is this yeast set up going to end up costing? I bet for very similar money you can get a more reliable system which requires much less hassle.
> 
> Second hand full CO2 every time for me I'm afraid.
> 
> If you need a CO2 bottle I have an empty sodastream bottle which you can have for the cost of postage assuming where you can refill / exchange it local to you?


The diy kit off eBay for full kit no more than 20 pounds on a good day 15 yeast = 39p sugar = 55p if that b carb and c acid eBay say five pound each


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## ray copeland (17 Feb 2016)

ray copeland said:


> The diy kit off eBay for full kit no more than 20 pounds on a good day 15 yeast = 39p sugar = 55p if that b carb and c acid eBay say five pound each


That soda bottle 17 pounds to fill then your need the adapter etc before your up and running I mean same for the welding kit I have looked my self don't get me wrong the diy for a smaller tank even my 120 some people prob done it on bigger the co2 can run 24 7 for cheaper. Where gas runs out need refill


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## ray copeland (17 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> The yeast or citric acid kits are only About £20 whereas second hand co2 seems to run at about £60odds


Mate honestly your on a nano tank right? It's up to you what you want to do but if your looking for a cheaper start up for now trust me this will be ok you can cut your lost if it don't work out for you for the 20 pounds than a few Hun maybe but up to you.


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## Heagney (17 Feb 2016)

Intralabs.co.uk do the citric acid and bi carb for pretty cheap for 1kg so ill prob try that out like. Defo going the diy before I fork out for co2, would do co2 on a bigger tank.
I need to get new lights (going for 30w LED floodlight) buy in my salts and get my co2 sorted before I start any of them. Prob a month of so before I've got it all.
Plants are doing well at the mo though. Cabomba is growing, new leaves on Java fern, anubias and my dwarf hair grass has some bits really shooting up


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## ray copeland (17 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> Intralabs.co.uk do the citric acid and bi carb for pretty cheap for 1kg so ill prob try that out like. Defo going the diy before I fork out for co2, would do co2 on a bigger tank.
> I need to get new lights (going for 30w LED floodlight) buy in my salts and get my co2 sorted before I start any of them. Prob a month of so before I've got it all.
> Plants are doing well at the mo though. Cabomba is growing, new leaves on Java fern, anubias and my dwarf hair grass has some bits really shooting up



Cool yeah shop about try both maybe should work out fine for you keep us updated


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## Aqua360 (22 Feb 2016)

john dory said:


> Iv'e got a load of kit for sale



I'm interested, what do you have?


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## Aqua360 (22 Feb 2016)

jagillham said:


> How much is this yeast set up going to end up costing? I bet for very similar money you can get a more reliable system which requires much less hassle.
> 
> Second hand full CO2 every time for me I'm afraid.
> 
> If you need a CO2 bottle I have an empty sodastream bottle which you can have for the cost of postage assuming where you can refill / exchange it local to you?



On this note, OP I'm in a somewhat similar situation; not trying to spend a tonne of money, but on the C02 art website they sell a sodastream kit for £99, which looks really good for that size of tank. 

It is £59 more, but from my limited experience so far; the convenience would probably be well worth saving up that little bit more for...

Just my thoughts!


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## ray copeland (24 Feb 2016)

Aqua360 said:


> On this note, OP I'm in a somewhat similar situation; not trying to spend a tonne of money, but on the C02 art website they sell a sodastream kit for £99, which looks really good for that size of tank.
> 
> It is £59 more, but from my limited experience so far; the convenience would probably be well worth saving up that little bit more for...
> 
> Just my thoughts!



Valid point I did mine on a diy still am as was new to co2 I don't have any fish in so no worries to OD but I will def be looking to update so I agree hold off if u don't need it yet if you can lose 20 then that's fine


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## Heagney (24 Feb 2016)

It's just a small tank I have any my plants have grown loads so think I'm gonna leave the co2 just now. It's getting there


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## ray copeland (24 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> Intralabs.co.uk do the citric acid and bi carb for pretty cheap for 1kg so ill prob try that out like. Defo going the diy before I fork out for co2, would do co2 on a bigger tank.
> I need to get new lights (going for 30w LED floodlight) buy in my salts and get my co2 sorted before I start any of them. Prob a month of so before I've got it all.
> Plants are doing well at the mo though. Cabomba is growing, new leaves on Java fern, anubias and my dwarf hair grass has some bits really shooting up


Here look you can get a kit for 10 pounds off eBay now but look I found a cheaper way for you check this out 




Two caps 99p each free postage some good tubing say 1.49p for say enough to do the setting up with I could half this to around 5 pounds your get the same kit as this 



I could even tell you how to make it up set it up


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## Heagney (25 Feb 2016)

Perfect Ray! I'll have a look on eBay, I'll look for a pressure valve as well


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## ian_m (25 Feb 2016)

One thing I found (before I decided pressurised CO2 was the much fish safer and better way to go) was some people were standing their yeast bottles in a bucket of water with an aquarium heater on low to keep the yeast a temperature constant. This meant the CO2 output was constant, preventing CO2 level variations that cause algae outbreaks. They also fitted a solenoid valve on a timer that opened at night to vent CO2 during the night. Also vented via a smell removing "bubble bottle" or else the fish room smelt of yeast in the morning.

The failure they did have (before moving to FE) was the aquarium heater melted a hole in the storage bucket and ended up empting a gallon of water onto the floor.

The other two most common failure modes people have suffered are:-
- Pipes popping off and yeasty fluid venting forth. As explained below the cleaning and wife flowers cost far exceed a pressurised CO2 setup in the first place.
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/posts/310010/like

- Yeast getting into the tank, despite bubble bottles etc and wiping out everything in the tank. (link to follow).


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## parotet (25 Feb 2016)

If it helps... one week ago I refilled my 2kg modified FE for 10 euros. It has been working non-stop with 1 bps for 2 years in my 25 liters. 10€/24 months = 0.41€/month and the best thing, no need to hassle with yeast, jelly, sugar, leaks, changes, etc. Just switch it to your solenoid/reg and forget about it. Stability IME is a key aspect in a tank. 
I have a 8kg pic cylinder that is running between 1 and 2 bps in a 60 liters tank for one yearend a half now... and I expect it to last for 4 years at least.

Jordi


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## ian_m (25 Feb 2016)

I am getting nearly 200 days on my 2Kg fire extinguisher that costs me £10. Which is 5p a day or £1.50 a month for hassle free plant growing.


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## Heagney (25 Feb 2016)

Thanks for all the info folks. I'm not in a rough at the moment so may save my pennies for co2. Undecided at the mo as I would need to purchase new lighting before using co2. I take it I can't dose salts without new lighting and using co2?


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## ian_m (26 Feb 2016)

Heagney said:


> I take it I can't dose salts without new lighting and using co2?


Correct, the ferts & CO2 uptake is driven by the available light, so you would be just wasting your salts as the plants will not be able to make use of the ferts levels you are providing. However, you can of course, just run low tech, low light, just dose say 1/10 (or more 1/5 ?) of EI levels and use liquid carbon as carbon source.


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## john dory (27 Feb 2016)

Aqua360 said:


> I'm interested, what do


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## john dory (27 Feb 2016)

Aqua360 said:


> I'm interested, what do you have?


2 x regs(one unused)
Both co2 art dual stage
2x 2kg fire extinuishers(one half full)
1x small jbl bottle(full)
And all the bits and bobs


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