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Cannister CO2 vs. Yeast CO2
I found this post on the internet in one of the aquaria groups. Sounds
like a great idea for DIY CO2, although I haven't tried it.
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I have been watching people describe their version of a yeast system on
the newsgroups for some time and have yet to see the system I have put
together described. So here it is for those of you out there that are
looking for a cheap easy to setup, no maintenance system that works
great and keeps on working.
Visit a local wine making supply store. (check yellow pages)
Purchase:
5 gallon Glass Carboy (10-13 dollars)
Rubber air lock stopper size 6.5
a few packet's of champagne yeast (very important to use this type) (1
dollar a packet)
A packet of yeast energizer (2-4 dollars)
Steps
1-Fill the carboy with warm water 1/2 full.
2- Add 10lbs of sugar
3- Add Yeast Energizer and mix well
4- Top up carboy with water to 3/4 full
5- Dissolve the yeast in a cup of warm water, let it sit for 1/2 hour
6- Pour yeast into carboy, DO NOT STIR.
7- Install rubber stopper
8- Insert a length of plastic airline into the hole in the rubber
stopper and silicone in place.
9- Drain the aquarium water a couple of inches below your powerheads.
10- With a red hot piece of metal melt a hole in one of your UG filter
lift tubes 2" below your powerhead the size of the OD of the plastic
airline.
11- Insert the end of the airline coming from the carboy into the hole
in the lift tube and glue in place if necessary.
12- Put the carboy behind the tank or under your stand and leave it
alone.
13- Fill your tank
After about 6 hours the yeast will begin fermentation on the sugar and
carbon dioxide formation will begin. As the pressure in the carboy
builds bubbles will be released into the water stream before the
powerhead. The powerhead will bust these bubbles into millions of tiny
bubbles that will allow the water to absorb the co2 faster than a single
bubble line would have. Because you used champagne yeast the
fermentation process will continue longer after the sugar is consumed.
These yeast will stay active in high alcohol levels unlike other yeast's
that die off rapidly. This one batch will produce bubbles for 4-6
months. If the action slows dump a cup of sugar into the carboy at any
time and it is off and running again at full steam. I have been using
this set up for years, basically because i make homemade wine and have
the supply's laying around the house. My water sparkles from the oxygen
coming off the thriving plants. The only drawback is you cannot
restrict the flow of c02 unless you vent it to the air with a bleed
valve, and this may smell yeasty in a confined area. I let mine run
unrestricted and have no complaints. I did however lower my co2 power
head 3" from the gravel and let it spray a wall of tiny bubbles, looks
like a mist across the back of the tank. It looks like an air stone
across the back of the tank and keeps the c02 in contact with the water
longer.
Hope this helps those of you out there planning to build a bubbler.
Good Luck
Mike
I forgot to mention for all those worried about exploding
bottles.....relax!!!! This system does not use an airstone, you should
NEVER use an airstone for dispersing co2 under pressure. Think about it
for a second....an airstone has small pores like a filter, filters
plug. Knowing this why would you ever put something at the end of a
line that produces pressure knowing someday it is going to plug and
build up pressure? It is a tragedy waiting to happen. I have seen
people make such a simple thing so complicated, and dangerous.
My system uses a vacuum to pull the co2 from the fermentation bottle as
it is produced, there is never any pressure in the line. I don't care
if you use a paper carton to ferment yeast in it will not explode using
the procedure I explained in my post.
Also I see people are using bakers yeast, this is wrong. You must use a
wine or champagne yeast that is capable of living in alcohol. yeast
consume sugar and create alcohol, bakers yeast will die very fast before
10% of the sugar is consumed. Champagne yeast will continue longer in
higher alcohol concentrations, I prefer it for this use.
Good Luck
Mike
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