To truly boost plant growth, Carbon dioxide is an essential factor.
Unfortunately for the unknowing aquarist, many shops will try to force
Co2 reactors onto you, often, although high quality.. can be prohibitively
expensive. For the beginner aquarist, i recommend the DIY method, as
either a long term, or experimental method.
I personally intend to inject via a tank as soon as i can afford it.
The current reactor as shown, has been by and large, extremely efficient
and adequate.
As you can see, it is constructed from 2 litre soda drink bottles.
The lids have a hole made, where the air line tube is inserted. and
this is plugged in with silicone (available from any hardware/general
store). Inside the bottle is a yeast/sugar solution. The yeast eats
the sugar, and respires to form Co2. The resulting gas is produced in
such a quantity that pressure is produced in the air line tubing. the
recipe i use .. is as follows
- 2 cups sugar
- enough water to fill it up near top
- 1/4 to 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast.
It should be noted that any yeast can be used, as long as it is fresh
and still "alive". People have noted that using brewing yeast
can in fact elongate the life time of the reactor. Mine usually last
2 weeks and use bakers yeast.
The resulting gas will bubble into the tank.. however this is not useful
as it eventually reaches the surface. In my tank, I inject the air line
tubing directly to my canister filter, whose impeller beats up the bubbles
until they are extremely fine, thereby dissolving into the tank water.
However those without a canister filter can use diffusers such as those
shown at the www.thekrib.com or here
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