Re: CO2 System was Re: Australian Aquatic Plants

Cary Hostrawser (caryho at ix.netcom.com)
Wed, 30 Oct 1996 00:00:02 GMT

On Tue, 29 Oct 1996 22:52:16 +1100, "Bruce Hansen"
<bhansen at ozemail.com.au> wrote:>
>Yes it is a simple DIY system. A 2 litre fruit juice bottle with a hole
>burned in the lid to tightly fit airline that then is inserted into the
>venturi of the powerhead of the sponge filter.

I use the same method but run it into the tank straight through a fine
airstone. It also seems I can vary the reaction rate by changing the
amount of yeast used.

For anyone attempting this method, there are a few precautions when
you start out. CO2 will drop you pH!!! If you're not buffered up
enough you can easily wipe out an entire tank. The time to really
check the effect this DYI method of CO2 injection is having on your pH
is just before the lights first come on. Plants do not use CO2 at
night so the CO2 levels will be at their highest before the lights
come on. Too much CO2 going in without enough buffering can swing your
pH and stress or kill your fish.
I learned this the hard way when I first began using this method and
thought I'd warn folks to start slow and monitor what effect you're
having. With a little forewarning you shouldn't have to wipe out a
tank of fish to learn this :~)

Later
Cary Hostrawser

Minnesota Aquarium Society
http://www.mn-aquarium.org/

Rainbowfish Study Group of North America
http://home.earthlink.net/~sbuckel/index.html