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Saudi Arabia, Riyadh
1 Level
510 Review
3 Karma

Review on ๐ŸŒฟ Enhanced DIY CO2 Generator System Kit: Pressure Gauge, Air Flow Valve and CO2 Diffuser for Optimal Water Plant Growth in Aquariums by Michelle Sanders

Revainrating 5 out of 5

If you don't have success at first read the instructions

I've had this for a while now so I'll post an update if my mind changes but for now I'm enjoying my DIY CO2 setup. I use anhydrous citric acid and baking soda. The recipe I used is the following: 1.75 cups of citric acid to 5 cups of water in Bottle A, and 1.5 cups of baking soda to 2 cups of water in Bottle B. When you start mixing, you may need to use Bottle B shake a little after squeezing out some of the solution. there from Bottle A, but that's in the instructions. The recipe he came with wasn't that helpful for me as it requires a weight measurement, so I found the recipe above online which seems to work fine. Don't forget to buy a bubble counter and diffuser as these are required for the CO2 installation. I would also suggest using a check valve to avoid back flow problems. ** Updated 12/02/2015. It's been about a month and a half since I installed my first homemade CO2 20 Long Kit. I love this facility! I kept it at about 1 bubble per second and a half or so 24 hours a day and it maintains a fairly constant pressure throughout the day. I check it in the morning before I go to work if I remember. Every few days or so I shake Bottle B. The original mix I started in mid-October has almost completely sucked into Bottle B by this point, but it's still producing CO2. I was so pleased with the setup that shortly after writing this review I bought a second set for another ยฃ20. It has been working for several weeks now and there is still a lot of solution left in bottle A. I even bought a third kit that I have yet to install on a 10 gallon tank. I think these DIY kits are a great solution for the hobbyist who wants to add CO2 to a small planted aquarium. When researching DIY CO2, I saw many posts on the internet mocking DIY and saying skip it and go to pressurized CO2. I imagine shaking and adjusting the needle valve will be rather annoying for some, but I enjoy spending time with my reservoirs and don't see this as a problem. I really like the DIY aspect and the mixed solutions. I haven't been monitoring the CO2 levels in the aquarium but I plan to start soon and will post another update in the future. Solution with a recipe I found online. This system keeps my 20 long tanks of citric acid and baking soda recipe I used at the correct CO2 level for over a month. I won't be using very high levels of CO2 as I don't want to harm my fish, but I keep the drip test fluid green at around 1 bps.

Pros
  • Certified
Cons
  • Cable is shorter than others