DIY Yeast Setup

To: aquatic-plants at actwin_com
Subject: DIY Yeast Setup
From: tmarch at earthlink_net (Todd March)
Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 15:55:14 -0700

Erik said,

>I have been trying to make a co2  setup. I am not
>having any luck. It will start to bubble after a little time
>then it just stops. I am using:
>
>2 liter bottle
>2 cups sugar
>6 cups water
>1 tsp. baking soda
>1 package of yeast.

Erik--

I think you are using too much yeast. Try the following recipe:

5-7 cups water (roughly 3/4 of a 2 L soda bottle)
2 cups sugar
1/2-3/4 teaspoon dry activated yeast.

I find the mixture bubbles faster when I dissolve the yeast in a cup of
warm water (aprox.. 80F) first, let it "marinate" for a few minutes (while
I shake the sugar and water in the soda bottle), and then add this
yeast/water mixture to the fully dissolved sugar water. It is often
bubbling (1 bubble per minute) after 3-6 hours, and after 18-24 hours is
always going full steam at 1 bubble per second. It seems to carbonate
faster  when the temperature is warmer out.

I have tried using the baking soda (for it's buffering and therefore
extending capabilities) but have seen little if any difference and so omit
it at present.

Also I suggest forgetting about valves with DYI mixtures--it is just too
hard to regulate, though you can try where I gave up, and if something
works for you, let the rest of us know!


Todd March
tmarch at earthlink_net

Los Angeles, CA