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Old 20-04-2003, 06:22 AM
Jim Miller
 
Posts: n/a
Default No PH change with DIY CO2

the only sure way to find a leak is to put the whole apparatus (bottles,
tubing, etc.) underwater with the output at the same depth or greater as it
would be in the tank. you'll see your leak(s) right away.

i went crazy trying to find mine and it turned out to be a crack in the body
of a check valve. i would have never found it otherwise.

it will only take the length of time to fill the bathtub to do it and you'll
be a happy guy!

jtm

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"Rick" wrote in message
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"Dave Mc" wrote in message
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DIY CO2 cannot be diffused successfully because the
pressure needed to run an adequate diffuser must be much higher than the
yeast generator can produce.
Alex


First thing to say is that I'm new to the whole Aquarium thing (2 months)

so
please be gentle when replying as I could be talking through my Arse

(Irish
for Bum).

Alex, are you saying that a DIY CO2 setup cannot produce enought pressure

to
blow through an airstone? From my home brewing experience I know that not
only can CO2 do this easily, but it can also shatter glass bottles or blow
corks out of well sealed bottles (hence the wire around Champangue corks).
If the CO2 was not able to force its way through the airstone then Rick
would not see any bubbles.

I must admit Rick, that I am in a similar position to yourself. I have a

DIY
CO2 which is connected to an airstone positioned in my (in tank) filter,
just at the up take for my powerhead (Juewl Rekord 120 tank). My tank

looks
like the inside of a shaken pop bottle, with lots of tiny CO2 bubbles
diffused around it. The smaller the bubbles are, the longer it takes them

to
rise to the surface, hence the longer I presume it gives the CO2 to

disolve.

check out my tank at http://www.mcconnellhousehold.com/Main.htm Please

bear
in mind that this is my first website & my first tank.

I too have seen no real change in my PH. I hade taken this to be, that the
acid generated by the desolving CO2 was being neutralised by the KH buffer
in the water. I expected to see my KH drop and then my PH drop. My KH is
dropping slowly, but this is probably not helped by me doing 25% water
changes 1/week. My tap water is PH 7.2 KH 6

I think the advise regarding starting with a small amount of yeast is that
you get a slow build up of CO2, rather than one big bang as it were. The
yeast is multiplying so eventually you will probably end up with the same
saturation of yeast in the mixture.

I don't know if any of this makes sence

All the best

Dave Mc




Nice looking tank Dave, and great family pictures. In regards to the CO2
stuff we are both beginners in that area but I did do research and talked to
a lot of people. Lots run their co2 through an airstone with the main
negative that I found was that the pressure of the co2 tends to eventually
break apart the normal airstones, thus the reason I bought the ceramic Rena
bubblers which are expensive in relation to a normal stone. I might hook up
another bottle to my 20 g tank and see if doubling the co2 makes a
difference. Right now I'm tearing my hair out trying to figure out why I get
nothing out of my two glass jugs joined with a T fitting. I have checked and
rechecked all the fittings, used some duct tape around all the joints at the
T and the anti siphon value, silconed around where the tubes enter via the
rubber stopper and little if anything. If I remove the line and put it in a
pail of water and then vigorously shake the bottle I get a few bubbles but
they quickly fade out so obviously there is very little pressure being built
up in that mixture. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

Rick