CO2 injection using the yeast method.

[Cpark188]

Hi members,

Share with you the cheapest method of producing CO2, I started off with low-tech 2ft. tank, and dicovered that some plants are slow in growth. So I decided to use DIY method (yeast+sugar+water) and its workout very well. May be this will help students save the pocket money who are in this hobby. I am a retiree age 59 and would not want to spend so much on CO2.equipments.

Tank size: 60L x B30 x 36H cm. (13.5 gallon).
Base: Gex soil, onyx gravel and white gravel.
Filtration: external hang on filter. (Atman HF0400)
Lighting: 36 watts @ 2.6 watts per gallon. 8 hours.
Temp: 25-26 deg. C.
CO2: DIY 1-2 bps. (yeast+sugar+water).

Plants: Lace java fern, java moss, spiky moss, dwarf hair grass, anubias nana, chain sword, echino deras tenellus and downoi.

DIY material: 1 no. 2 litres juice container, 2 m. silicone air hose(air pump type), 1 no bubble counter, 2 nos check valve, 1 no. control valve and 1 no. diffuser.

Method: 2 litres container + check valve + bubble counter + control valve + check valve + diffuser.

I follow this method from wetsite, and after fixing all items, and prepared for the mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of yeast(bakery type) to 1 cup of lukewarm water into the container( mixed well) and 1 cup of sugar into 3 cups of lukewarm water separate mug to mix well and than pour into the plastis container with the yeast and fill up to 3/4 full container. Close tight the cap and wait for 8 t0 10 hours to produce CO2 in the container and you can see the bubbles start coming out from the diffuser than you can control the valve to 2 bubbles per second. This mixture will last 3 to 4 weeks depend the flow you want. I post some picture for comments.

Regards,
Cpark.

[bossteck]

Hi Cpark,

The most common complaint about yeast/sugar co2 production is the inconsistent production rate: high in the initial weeks, low after 2 weeks or so.

But I have read about ways to overcome this, not sure if all of them works, such as using champange yeast, adding baking soda, running 2 'co2 factories' with one started couple of weeks later than the other etc.

I noticed that you're using a diffuser, amazing, because it is usually reported that the pressure produced by the home brew is usually too low for it to work.

Good job for taking the pics and sharing!

[Cpark188]

Hi Eric,

Usually is that the 3th. weeks will be weaken down(slow in bubbling up) but prepare the second factory start up and removed the existing one and continue with the new factory. The ingredients is not expensive, so not a waste to start the new one.

The champange yeast or beer yeast may not easy available but baking soda and baking yeast, sugar can easily buy from supermart.

The diffusor was soak in water before used and it works fine with tiny bubbles. My silicone line is not long, so the pressure need not high to travel to the diffusor.

Regards,
Cpark

Any way, thanks for you idea may and try out with your method.

[marle]

saw the control valve. first time i see diy c02 has control functions, excellent workmanship!

[Cpark188]

Hi marle,

Thanks for the compliment.

Cpark.

[jason6142004]

Hi members,

Share with you the cheapest method of producing CO2, I started off with low-tech 2ft. tank, and dicovered that some plants are slow in growth. So I decided to use DIY method (yeast+sugar+water) and its workout very well. May be this will help students save the pocket money who are in this hobby. I am a retiree age 59 and would not want to spend so much on CO2.equipments.

Tank size: 60L x B30 x 36H cm. (13.5 gallon).
Base: Gex soil, onyx gravel and white gravel.
Filtration: external hang on filter. (Atman HF0400)
Lighting: 36 watts @ 2.6 watts per gallon. 8 hours.
Temp: 25-26 deg. C.
CO2: DIY 1-2 bps. (yeast+sugar+water).

Plants: Lace java fern, java moss, spiky moss, dwarf hair grass, anubias nana, chain sword, echino deras tenellus and downoi.

DIY material: 1 no. 2 litres juice container, 2 m. silicone air hose(air pump type), 1 no bubble counter, 2 nos check valve, 1 no. control valve and 1 no. diffuser.

Method: 2 litres container + check valve + bubble counter + control valve + check valve + diffuser.

I follow this method from wetsite, and after fixing all items, and prepared for the mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of yeast(bakery type) to 1 cup of lukewarm water into the container( mixed well) and 1 cup of sugar into 3 cups of lukewarm water separate mug to mix well and than pour into the plastis container with the yeast and fill up to 3/4 full container. Close tight the cap and wait for 8 t0 10 hours to produce CO2 in the container and you can see the bubbles start coming out from the diffuser than you can control the valve to 2 bubbles per second. This mixture will last 3 to 4 weeks depend the flow you want. I post some picture for comments.

Regards,
Cpark.

any important points to take note and can teach me?? planning to DIY CO2 also

[Cpark188]

Hi Jason,

Perhaps you can log on to this website for more details, read carefully before you start to setup. www.plantedtank.net/articles/DIY-yeast-CO2/7/


Things to take precaution is not to fill up the plastic bottle full, you only require to fill 3/4 full, so that rooms for accumulate the CO2 gases in the bottle. Now I am so use to it and is very simple to setup.

Try to use 2 factories, when the first bottle inconsistant (when the bubbles weaken) after 2 or 3 weeks get start with the second one.

Anyway good luck.

[dwgi32]

I am just curious about the diffuser, does it mean your DIY CO2 system produce enough pressure to pump Co2 out of the diffuser, can to share?

[Cpark188]

Hi, yeah my DIY able to run the diffusor, enclose herewith a picture of my nano tank. ( mark with yellow line are the CO2 gases). Thanks.

[jason6142004]

Hi, yeah my DIY able to run the diffusor, enclose herewith a picture of my nano tank. ( mark with yellow line are the CO2 gases). Thanks.

must it be 2 litre bottle?? i dont have 2 litre bottles.. the orange squash bottle can stand the pressure??

[Cpark188]

Hi Jason,
You can use 1.5 litres which is the large coca-cola plastic bottle, for me I use an orange squash 2 litres plastic container. As long as the bottle cap is not seal, the pressure will escape through the silicon hose (air-pipe) pass the one way check valve to the bubble counter (which have 3/4 water filled up inside to read the bubble count) and to the diffusor. The check valve is a one way valve, if you fix wrong way than the pressure in the bottle will build up, so be careful. The diffusor can be replace by a air stone, depend on your budget. Note: But If the cap is seal meaning thighten with its original cap without escape route than the bottle will slowly expand until the plastic give way. Splash all over the place with liquid yeast and sugar, please don't do that.

[dwgi32]

Hi bro,

that's interesting. Thanks for sharing your idea.

[jason6142004]

oh.. and does the amount of water affect the production of co2??

"1 teaspoon of yeast(bakery type) to 1 cup of lukewarm water into the container( mixed well) and 1 cup of sugar into 3 cups of lukewarm water separate mug to mix well and than pour into the plastis container with the yeast and fill up to 3/4 full container."

so 1 teaspoon of yeast to 1 cup of lukewarm water then in the other part of the mixture, 1 cup of sugar to 3 cups of water.. will there be any adverse effect if i dont fill up to 3/4?? like not enough co2 to create the pressure to go through the diffuser? (i am gonna to use a diffuser)

[torque6]

looks good, i plan to use bulkhead to create an air tight pepsi cap, may pass on a bubble counter and direct the tube with the check valve near the water surface and finally into a flipper.

[Cpark188]

Hi Jason,

The amount of water in mixture does not affect the Co2 production.
which ever way sugar first or yeast, but must be luke warm not hot water, it will kill the yeast.

Any amount of water you fill up in the bottle after mixture also does not affect the Co2.(but not full bottle).Let say if you fill up 1/2 bottle instead of 3/4 full, only thing that you will wait longer time to let the gases to fill up the 1/2 bottle before it pressure up the unit.

Note: Only the yeast does the work, the yeast eats the sugar and biproduct is the Co2, meaning more yeast in the mixture will produce more Co2 and the bubble count faster but will not last long as for the reason is the yeast eats the sugar faster and when sugar used up, the gases becomes inconsistant. Another way to prolong the gases when inconsistant after 2 or 3 weeks is that you can top up sugar into the bottle and shake it. That will continue to built the gases in shorter waiting time.

Or when the yeast has finish still have sugar at the bottom, you can top up 1/2 tsp. of yeast into the bottle and shake it. That will continue again in shorter time.

Mixture: If more sugar added in the mixture, the yeast will take longer time to eat up the sugar meaning the Co2 will last longer in the bottle.

If you are using a diffuser, try to place your Co2 bottle not too far from the tank.

Hope you understand what I'm writing and to succeed in your production.

[Cpark188]

looks good, i plan to use bulkhead to create an air tight pepsi cap, may pass on a bubble counter and direct the tube with the check valve near the water surface and finally into a flipper.

Hi torque6,
Sound great, where can you buy the bulkhead? I wish to get some. Best to get the one with control. Thanks.

[torque6]

can try sin lin electronics at sim lim square, its at level 2 with the 2 lady boss. I did my ac/dc -> 2pin 12 computer fan adapter there.

I think stock have a couple left. Its called cable linings, cost around $2

[jason6142004]

Hi Jason,

The amount of water in mixture does not affect the Co2 production.
which ever way sugar first or yeast, but must be luke warm not hot water, it will kill the yeast.

Any amount of water you fill up in the bottle after mixture also does not affect the Co2.(but not full bottle).Let say if you fill up 1/2 bottle instead of 3/4 full, only thing that you will wait longer time to let the gases to fill up the 1/2 bottle before it pressure up the unit.

Note: Only the yeast does the work, the yeast eats the sugar and biproduct is the Co2, meaning more yeast in the mixture will produce more Co2 and the bubble count faster but will not last long as for the reason is the yeast eats the sugar faster and when sugar used up, the gases becomes inconsistant. Another way to prolong the gases when inconsistant after 2 or 3 weeks is that you can top up sugar into the bottle and shake it. That will continue to built the gases in shorter waiting time.

Or when the yeast has finish still have sugar at the bottom, you can top up 1/2 tsp. of yeast into the bottle and shake it. That will continue again in shorter time.

Mixture: If more sugar added in the mixture, the yeast will take longer time to eat up the sugar meaning the Co2 will last longer in the bottle.

If you are using a diffuser, try to place your Co2 bottle not too far from the tank.

Hope you understand what I'm writing and to succeed in your production.

understand totally... thanks!!

[torque6]

i'm planning to do mine after CNY, hope to have as much success as you.

[Cpark188]

i'm planning to do mine after CNY, hope to have as much success as you.

I saw the picture of your tank, should be no problem with DIY Co2. Good luck.