Get the best results from CO2 Soda Bottle Kits 

Happy to help! 👍

Thanks so much, really appreciate it. I've actually got a shrimp project in the works too, so keep your eyes peeled! 👍

No problem at all, glad it was useful and thanks for subscribing! 👍

No problem at all, happy to help! 👍

Thanks Andy. I've recently started using the steel cylinders that contain the same reaction of citric acid and bicarb. I'm wondering if the sugar and yeast method might be really effective in these too! Thanks for watching! 👍

This technique is definitely one of the best I’ve gotten about a month and half of co2 per mix!

No problem at all. Thanks for watching!

Thanks, really appreciate it. Got a whole bunch of tutorials in the pipeline! 👍

No problem at all. Thanks for watching! 👍

🤣 Feeling privileged!

Excellent. Good luck with everything, hope the video helped! 👍

@@AquariumShed got the co2 up and running using the same kit and even put vasoline on the threads! So far it holds pressure just fine and gives me perfect flow! Running about 1 bubble per ~8 seconds on my 5 gal heavy planted neo tank.

@@hugacreeper69110 fantastic. Really pleased it's working well for you! 👍

@@hugacreeper69110 … I can understand lubricating the seals but what do you use the Vaseline for on the thread?

@@andyxox4168 sorry for the late reply but basically it helps with preventing leaks!

I used white Teflon tape for threads seems fine

Depends on the tank. You get rougly 105g of Co2 from the combination of citric acid and baking soda. At around one bubble every 2-3 seconds my system tends to last me about a month.

Hmm 🤔, that does sound a little strange. When you use the magnet to pull the tube out of the solution in bottle A the reaction should start to slow down because it's not siphoning any more citric acid into the reaction chamber. But obvs what's already in bottle B will continue to react with the bicarb until the citric in there depletes. So this will be why the pressure continues for a bit, but it shouldn't last ages. In terms of the length of time, it's totally variable on bubble rate and use. It's been a while since I've used this system because I've changed to the steel generators, but if you check out this video - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tU5kuxJ_6Bs.html - you'll see how much co2 is created by the ingredients. It could just be that you using the co2 in your tank really quickly because of your required bubble rate. These systems are best used for small Nano tanks really. Hope that all makes sense, good luck working out the solution! 👍

@@AquariumShed thanks. I think I'm going to Steele container or the ista professional co2 system. Thanks again.

Hiya. For one night it should be fine. When you turn off the valve it stops the syphon, so the reaction will slowly stop. That said, you will still see the pressure rise so I wouldn't switch it off for days at a time just to be on the safe side!

@@AquariumShed Thanks for the info. Just need it off for no more than eight hours a day. Will give this a try. Cheers.

Hi. There is an adjustment valve on the output, and then I have added an inline bubble counter to the tubing that goes to the tank.

Ooh that's strange, I'd have thought that bottle lids were fairly standard. The ones I use are old sparkling water bottles and the thread on the bottle is about 24mm. It's the same as most coca cola bottles I think. Hope that helps and you are able to sort it out! 👍

@@AquariumShed Yep, bought coke for the first time in years. Used the liquid to clean the toilet and other things (it works!) and the tops fit the bottles. Now to try the kit out when next able to. Thanks!

No problem at all, glad you worked it out! Cheers. 👍

Hi Calvin. That sounds to me like the system isn't fully sealed so the syphon between the two bottles just continues and continues. Check the seals and make sure the bottles are in good condition. It should take significantly longer to use up the ingredients, unless of course you have a really high bubble rate which I'm guessing is not the case. Fingers crossed you can sort it out. These systems do require a bit of tinkering I'm afraid. Good luck. 👍

Hi Jenlyn. It will take about two hours and then you will have sufficient pressure! 👍

Hi. I believe citric acid will be a more reliable reactant, but that vinegar will still work with this system! 👍

Hiya. Mine didn't come with one either, I think these DIY soda bottle kits generally don't. You'll want to get an in-line one which is sometimes called "double head" and then cut the outflow pipe and insert in between. This is a good example: amzn.to/3MNvLIa

Good advice, thanks for sharing! 👍

I haven't had any issues with mine as the baking soda settles. Because the weighted line puts the acid output right into or on top of the settled soda it still provokes a reaction. I do like to give mine a little shake every few days when I think of it, but I haven't noticed that I've needed to.

Hi. I mean completely shut so that the pressure can build up. Hope that helps. 👍

Yup. The limiting factor is just the amount of co2 produced by the system. With 200g bicarb and 200g Citric acid you will produce 105g co2. There are calculators online that will tell you how long this will last at different bubble rates, and tell you what bubble rate is right for your setup. My guess is that this system would last about two weeks. Good luck! 👍

Thank you so much I really neaded this info

@@dopeghost7258 no problem at all. Happy to help!

Yup, absolutely. When you switch the valve off the syphon between the bottles also stops so the reaction slows down and its definitely fine to leave off overnight. I actually used a solenoid with my kit. 👍

@@AquariumShed fantastic. Thanks for the help!

😂Haha. You'll be calling in the fireman I'm afraid. The initial reaction has to be started by some really strong squeezing of the bottle. After that you shouldn't need to squeeze it again as the pressure sustains the syphon, but getting the initial reaction started does require a strong squeeze 😂. I know the metal bar models you are talking about - I've never used that model, but as far as I can tell they are essentially the same just more sturdy in terms of how they keep the bottles together. I'm wondering if for your purposes, a yeast and sugar reactor would be the best option. I've never tried them, but they are basically just a "shove the ingredients together and wait" scenario and pretty simple to operate by the looks of it. JBL do a product called ProFlora Bio that might be suitable. Hope that helps!

@@AquariumShed Well as nice as a couple of hunky firemen hanging around to give my bottles a squeeze - knowing my luck they would end up being Shrek's older brother!! So i'll have a look at the yeast and also the ProFlora Bio stuff!! Thanks again. Have to say - feeling a bit stalkerish - but i just love the simple way you explain things - being a simple person myself (or is that senile - not sure) i find your cids brilliant!! x

@@debbiefinch7445 aah thank you. That's very kind of you to say. To be honest, I'm still getting my head around what content works best, and what I'm best at. So feedback like this is great!! 👌👍

@@AquariumShed Hi honey - so commented earlier, I have gone ahead with the JBL ProFlora Bio 160. Have to say - 24hrs and still no sign of bubbles. Have watched other RU-vidrs ( who said that? How RUDE!!! lol!) who do not rate the diffuser with it so thinking of swapping it out for something else - diffuser-wise. Any recommendations - and were you maybe gonna do a review on this system - would like to run a comparison alongside yours. Hope you are keeping well x

Hi Debbie, good to hear from you. I'll definitely try and do a comparison video one day, but it's not top of the list I'm afraid as I'm in the middle of an epic (read expensive) aquascape in my new tank. I am going to be experimenting with yeast and sugar in my steel canister tho. In terms of diffuser, I'd imagine my advice won't be that helpful since I've never had pressure issues so have the cheapest unbranded diffusers from Ebay and they work just fine. I did actually have a JBL Taifun like you get with the Proflora Bio kit which I found great until I snapped it by mistake. Again, not very useful if you are struggling with this one. My only bad experience with diffusers are the acrylic 3in1 types that Colombo and Tropica make. I got one in the LFS bargain bin and the co2 leaked out of the side of the ceramic disk. So, my guess for your predicament is you need to wait for the kit to get up to pressure. The reaction will be slower in lower temperatures so that might be playing a part. I'd be surprised if the diffuser supplied didn't start to be functional once you have the right pressure. Sorry I can't be of more help. 👍

Ooosh, I'm not 100% sure tbf. I know that ppl in this community have experimented with vinegar as a replacement for citric acid and it worked fine. But carbonate instead of bi carbonate is a new one on me. r/Chemistry on Reddit would be your best bet.

Hiya. No, just the one with the little metal ball at the end that you can move up and down with a magnet. The bottle B tube sits about halfway down the bottle and slowly drips solution from bottle A via the syphon effect created by the build up of pressure! Hope that helps. 👍

Hi, it can vary a bit dependent on the quality of ingredients etc. But it's a good sign that you are building pressure. If there was a leak you wouldn't see anything. My advice is to wait a little longer, it can take up to 10 hours. 👍

@@AquariumShed thanks I'll leave it overnight and check it again 👍

@@AquariumShed it went as far as 0.75 and stopped. I wonder if my ingredients are not good quality, if I used extra citric acid would that help, maybe 250 grams?

It doesn't matter. Just be sure to put a non return valve on the outflow pipe! 👍

@@AquariumShed thank you. Non return valves arriving Friday so I can finally get it set up :)

Fantastic. Glad I could help! 👍

@@AquariumShed me again. I honestly have no clue when it comes to CO2. I bought a kit that claimed to come with a solenoid valve and bubble check counter but it didn't. I've since bought a bubble counter but I haven't bought a solenoid valve yet because they are ober budget for me right now. I'm becoming very disheartened. Do I absolutely need a solenoid valve. What is it's purpose? I've probably spent about one hundred million thousand pound setting this damn tank up so far (I haven't even got a fish yet). If I do need one could you suggest something low cost but efficient enough for my needs? Thanks in advance :(

@@donnamorgan803 Solenoid is only necessary for automatic on/off switching (and only works as such if you have some sort of timer switch that will turn it off and on - I use a smart plug that connects to my google home system). Without the solenoid it will output co2 constantly unless you manually close the control valve. The advantage to turning it off and on is that plants don't use co2 at night (or when it's dark depending on your lighting timings) so if you continue to pump large amounts of extra co2 into the water 24/7 you can accidentally suffocate your fish at night when the plants are not pulling it from the water. You can solve this by either remembering to manually turn the co2 control valve off and on each day, or by purchasing an air pump/bubbler system that can run at night (though this will have the same requirement of either some sort of timer switch, or manually turning off and on). I got my air pump on amazon for $18 Canadian. Remember for the air pump the bubble requirements are different from co2 - co2 you want a diffuser/atomizer that will create the smallest bubbles possible as you want them to rise slowly and not burst at the surface so that the gas exchange occurs in the water. The air pump you want lots of bigger bubbles to break the surface of the water, this forces a gas exchange with the air and essentially equalizes the oxygen/co2 levels between the water and the air we breath. In my setup I do however have a solenoid system running on a timer - I have it set up so that when the lights turn off, my solenoid goes off and my air pump turns on. Then in the morning an hour before my lights turn on it turns off the air pump and turns on the solenoid to give it a bit for the co2 to saturate the water before the lights turn on and tell the plants to start using co2 again. So far it's worked great for me and I haven't noticed any suffocation behavior from my fish, but the same thing can be achieved manually it'll just take diligence on your part to remember to turn everything off and on every day!

2 x 2L Plastic Bottles Bottle A: 200g Citric Acid Powder with 600ml Water Bottle B: 200g Baking Soda with 200ml Water. 👍👍

@@AquariumShed so thats mean if i use 1.5 liter bottle ,150g for citric and soda?

If you reduce the water proportionally too then I think you'll be OK. But I'd still recommend just sticking with the manufacturers instructions! 👍

@@AquariumShed tq

@@AquariumShed can i use 1.5 liter bottle for 200g citric & soda?

Haha. Ydw. Ond dw'in dysgu! Very slowly..... 🤣

@@AquariumShed A fi! Americanwr dw i. Dw i'n dysgu gyda llyfr Sylfaen nawr-- a tiwtor yng Nghymru gyda Skype. Pob lwc gyda'ch dysgu chi!

Also i should mention (in English!) that this video has been THE BEST tutorial with CO2. I didnt realize it would take a few hours for the needle to move and I disconnected the whole thing last night thinking that the gauge was broken. Still waiting for the gauge to move right now though lol

Diolch. Eich llawer gwell na fi ac rwy'n byw yng Caerdydd. Chwe deg chwech diwrnod ar Duolingo hyd yn hyn! So I googled at least 75% of that..... But we'll get there eventually! Haha.

@@AquariumShed neis!! Mae DuoLingo yn ddefnyddiol! Hey, if you're online right now--my bottle A is starting to show striae like its stretching too far... Im so worried it's going to blow up! Do you think I should stop? pressure is at around 0.9 so far, not in the green yet... So nervous!

No, there's nothing different about the Co2 produced by this chemical reaction.

Aah that's a great tip, thanks so much for sharing! 👍

How does this work? Thanks

@@manufacturer3602 As you run hot water over the acid bottle the air inside expands and forces the acid mix into the other bottle. No squeezing needed.

Hiya. I get a kilo for a fiver on Ebay, which is enough for 5 refills. Can't remember specifically what I said in this video, sorry if I caused any confusion. 👍

@@AquariumShed No problem thanks for putting me right .

🤣🤣🤣

You can because the siphon will stop when there's no pressure being released. However this doesn't account for the additional pressure created from the continuing reaction so it is far from ideal and there is definitely a risk of the soda bottle exploding/cracking. A better solution is this - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-tU5kuxJ_6Bs.html - if you want to switch off or attach a solenoid it's a much better option! 👍

So if I stop the siphon from going from one bottle to the other it won’t explode?

@@dopeghost7258 there's just no way to guarantee that. There will still be a reaction taking place in the second bottle so altho it's less likely, its not guaranteed. The steel canisters are rated to a much higher pressure. 👍

@@AquariumShed what if I open the lid at night and then start the siphon in the morning? Couldn’t I leave it on at night or would that kill my fish. (Its a 110l planted aquarium)

If you open the lid you'll just lose loads of co2. Like I said, you can switch it off but it's just not as safe as the steel canisters because even with the siphon stopped the reaction will continue for a little bit. I'd just give it a go and experiment a little, it's unlikely to go wrong but it is possible. But if you want something more straightforward then the steel canisters are awesome! 👍