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Bio CO2 - How to stop the foaming?

Vinkenoog1977

Member
Joined
14 Apr 2014
Messages
560
Location
The Hague, Netherlands
Hey guys,

I've been using bio CO2 to some great results. However, the foaming on startup has been giving me some issues. Let me explain.

I use the jello-method, i.e., for a 1 liter bottle, I mix 400 ml. of water with 200 gr. of sugar, bring that to the boil, then I add 3 gelatine leaves soaked in cold water to the mix, add the mix to the bottle, and let it stiffen up in the fridge over night. Next, I add half a teaspoon of yeast mixed with water. CO2-production starts up quite quickly, and this mix runs for a good three weeks at pretty constant levels.
That's the good parts, now for the bad. Especially in the first 24-72 hours after startup, the mix tends to form a thickish layer of foam on top, which can get out of the bottle, and into the bubble counter, and sometimes further. With the rising day temperatures, this has been getting worse, and I'm wondering if there is any way to stop this foam, or at least stop it getting out of the bottle? I was thinking maybe adding some coarse foam in the neck of the bottle might help it desintegratie before it gets in the tubing, or maybe adding some kind of acidic ingredient to the mix, to stop the foam forming of the foam all together, but since I dropped chemistry the first chance I got, I have no clue if that might f up the mix entirely.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
 
You make an empty bottle trap on the outlet of your fermenting bottle.

So the output from fermenting bottle goes to another empty bottle to catch the foam/yuk, before leaving this bottle to one way valve and bubble counter.

Also if you put the fermenting bottle in a bucket of water with an aquarium heater in (on a timer) you can get a more consistent rate.

Just so glad I use an FE.:)
 
Just run it into another bottle before the tank, like this:

separator.jpg
 
LOL

Yeah, I know that, have been thinking about rigging something up. I'm using a system with two bottles already, that's kind of the thing, but two bottles just to up production, and it lets me swap one bottle, without dropping the CO2 to zero. They are in a sort of caddy I made, and I might be able to strap a smaller bottle to the back of the, without it being an eye sore.

On the adding an ingredient front; I was talking to a friend of mine, and he said a few drops of lemon juice added to the water and yeast should do the trick. Keeping it simple, son, sort of.
 
Back when I did yeast, I'd start a new bottle, let it sit "open" for 24 - 36h, then place in line to the tank (with check valves, in line filter, looped lines etc)
(champagne yeast produced a longer, more consistent culture - it takes very little yeast to get a culture going, then dilute into a larger volume, harder alkaline water will support a culture longer (it's generally the pH drop that slows & "kills" yeast long before all the sugar etc is consumed)
 
Try adding some drops (about.. 5-10?) Of saladoil to your mix, after you finished preparing the bottle. The oil should prevent the foaming :)
 
Well, I found the solution, which has helped my CO2 in more ways than one. By adding a couple if drops of plant fertilizer (the regular stuff used for houseplants), the foaming is nearly non-existent, even when used straight away (so no more 24-36 hour waiting period). I have also found that the mix stays much more stable, and lasts roughly as long then without it. The third thing, which I found out by nearly gassing one of my tanks, is that the production rate is MUCH higher; without fertilizer, I would get 2bps from 2 bottles, now I get 4bps from 1 bottle! Hence the gassing of the fauna.

Anyways, works brilliantly!
 
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