Last month I explained the importance of carbon dioxide (COČ) in creating a successful planted tank and promised to tell you how to build a do-it- yourself COČ generator this month.
As with most aspects of the hobby there is more than one way to accomplish a particular task. Some methods maybe better than others for reasons of cost, efficiency or convenience but usual there is more than one way. The method that I will describe is simply one of the methods I was told about and the one I decided to use in the 55 gallon tank that I described last month. It is not necessarily the best or only way to add COČ to your aquarium. With that said, lets get on with building our COČ generator.
To start we'll build the generator itself and then we add the ingredients. You'll need... a two liter plastic pop bottle a 4 or 5" length of 1/8" or 3/16" rigid plastic tubing a length of air line tubing that will reach from your generator to your tank and an air stone
You'll also need a drill and a bit of silicone sealant. Those are the basic requirements, although you might consider improving your generator with the addition of a snap-on connector. The type used with a garden hose works well and will make the task of changing the "COČ mix" that much easier. Okay, now that we have assembled those items, lets put our generator together.
The first step is to drill a hole through the center of the bottle cap. The diameter will need to be the same as your 4 or 5" piece of rigid tubing. After you drill the hole, insert the rigid tubing so that approximately half of the tubing is extending from both sides of the bottle cap. Now make sure you have a nice tight joint by adding a bit of silicone to both sides of the bottle cap. This should eliminate any leaks.
After the silicone has dried (check the directions to see how much time is needed) you can screw the cap back on the bottle and attach the air line hose to the rigid tubing that you siliconed to the bottle cap. The air stone should be attached to the other end of the air line hose. That's all there is to it...you've built your first COČ generator!
The next step involves the actual "C0Č mix". For this you'll need... 2 cups of sugar 1 teaspoon of baking soda 2 teaspoons of bread yeast
Mix the 2 cups of sugar with two cups of warm water and pour this into your generator. I find a funnel useful for this purpose. Now mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with two cups of cold water and pour this into the generator too. Shake well and then add the 2 teaspoons of bread yeast. Just let the yeast float on top of your "mix". DO NOT shake. Replace the bottle cap, find a safe location for your generator and place the air stone in your aquarium.
You should now have a fully operational COČ generator. Within an hour you should see bubbles rising from your air stone. That's COČ. You'll also notice a slight drop in your pH but nothing to be overly concerned about. On an ongoing basis you can use this to your advantage. If you don't see C0Č bubbling in your tank, check for leaks, a blocked air line or air stone. The "mix" you made will last for two or three weeks. Replace it when it is no longer bubbling.
That's all there is to creating a do-it-yourself COČ generator. Mine has been working for over a month now and I'm already beginning to see the results. Crypts that have long since disappeared, have reappeared and my Swords and Java Ferns have all added several new leaves. I've also had to contend with an algae bloom which I hope will disappear as I increase the lighting and give the plants an opportunity to out compete the algae for nutrients. I have my fingers crossed.
Next month we'll visit the lighting in our 55 gallon tank.. Until then...take care....
Dan Cole