[aquamancanada]

I have been using co2 for about a month now, and i use the nutrafin packets in one of their little co2 systems, I have had the tank going for about a month and noticed that at the opening where the bubbles enter the "ladder" that there appears to be a white milky looking buildup. Im not sure what it is, can anybody help me???

 

[bgzbgz]

Im pretty sure that would be the gunk you get from using yeast for making co2.

 

[Bert H]

Yeah, it's the yeast 'snot'. Clean it when it gets thick. You've reminded me of another reason I went pressurized.

 

[jmontee]

As a former hold out on pressurized because it was "too expensive" I can say that it is the easiest and most cost reducing thing I have done. I got a complete system for around $160 from a few different (Aquariumguys.com, ebay, FS forum) sources. I have had it going for about a month and have not even looked at it or touched it except to stop when changing water. I absolutely love it and if you can I would say go for it.

 

[aquamancanada]

Thanks guys I am definitely looking into going pressurized sometime in the near future. I was just worried that it was something abnormal but i guess not.

 

[freshyleif]

just a thought but if the yeast was working for you and the foam in you tank is the only problem then you might consider just putting a bubble counter in between the hagen reactor and the ladder this will trap any yeast waste before it gets into the tank. I do have to admit that after only a few months of using yeast I have now gone to pressurized and it is simple and easy. My reasons were because I have large tanks 50g and 80g and even the little work of making yeast solutions every 10 to 15 days was to much up keep. Then like you I started to look at the actual cost of pressurized co2 and after the initial cost it is actually a lot cheaper.

 

[Sterling919]

There is a way I have saw on the net where you take two bottles and use one to just hold the gas. If you were using 2 liter bottles you'd just piggy-back another one to the first bottle. In your case you could just do the method of one bottle but use it for just gas. That would be an easy way to keep that gunk out of your tank or lines.

I do the DIY thing right now too and so far I haven't had the gunk get into my tank. I've had an issue where my water got kinda cloudy but it wasn't from the CO2 gunk. Also keep it up above your tank...that helped me I believe.

I will agree to an extent about cost and time. But at the same time...isn't this whole hobby time consuming in the first place? I too want to go with a real system and toss the drink bottle method. Truthfully the only thing I really dislike about the DIY method is not being able to control the CO2. At night if you want to turn it off you have to disconnect it...which to me means wasting it. This is where a real system is better.

I wonder how much it really cost a year to do DIY. Counting the sugar and yeast and baking soda if you use it, along with actual water cost if you have to pay for water. And factor in the bottle and other stuff and airline if you have some go bad from the CO2. I'd guess that in a year or a year and a half you'd probably have spent enough to buy a real system...

 

[Castaic Fisherman]

I am setting up a small tank in my young son's room and I'm a bit nervous putting pressurized cylinders in there. I found the Turbo CO2 system on the Drs. Foster & Smith site that looked promising. Anyone have experience with it?