[APD] DIY CO2 on the cheap

[Stuart Halliday <stuart at mytriops_com>]

I've a small 20litre tank with plants and I opted for the CO2 via a small
aerosol type canister that with a squirt of CO2 fills a underwater plastic
cylinder with a CO2 soluble membrane at the top.

It's made by tetra - http://mytriops.com/mypics/tetra_co2.jpg

But the refill cans are kind of expensive and I have to order them onlineso
I bought some Sera CO2 tablets and made a bottle of water and CO2 tubing
that I can drop a tablet in and the gas fills up the cylinder and lasts for
2-3 days.

Then I discovered Denture tablets!

Cost of the CO2 can - £6 (US$11.80)

Cost of Sera CO2 tablets - £4 (US$7.87)

Cost of my denture tube? - 30p (US 59 cents) :-))

Next I'm thinking of using Sodium bicarbonate and cream of TarTar (potassium
hydrogen tartrate) or vinegar.

A colleague thinks that will do as well and may be cheaper still.
Seemingly I need to mix sodium bicarbonate and a light acid in water to
produce the CO2.

It's fun discovering these alternatives. :-))

-- 
Stuart Halliday
http://mytriops.com/
200 Million years in the making...

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