High Volume Homemade C02

[Ramius]

Ok, I'm bored so I'm heading out to lowes to do some shopping. I made a homemade co2 bottle out of a 3 liter ozarka water bottle and after a week it isn't making as many bubbles as I want (1 bubble every 3 seconds now).

The good news? I hold a 1st grade boiler operators permit, which means that I have a lot of experience with pressurized vessels, I am also a redneck, so I know how to make homemade alcohol, when you comebine those two wonderfull things can happen.

I'm going to build a high capacity homemade c02 tank today, is there any interest for picture documentation/blue prints for you all to build your own?

[Mzungu]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

Of course! But you might want to include a disclaimer, something like, "don't try this at home..." for those of us not as experienced!  

[eklikewhoa]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

on my little diy setup i can get up to 4 bps but i have figured out the mix and have mine at ~3bps and so far it has lasted 3wks and still going strong. i have java ferns pearling now.

[Ramius]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

Ok, first update


Before undertaking any project, especially a DIY moneysaver project, research is important, and you can never do too much, this will save you from going back to fix mistakes that could have been avoided, or more importantly, it saves you from spending money that you didn't have to spend.

So this is going to be a discovery process that will eventually lead to the blueprint and build of a high efficiancy c02 system. Note the name change from high volume, this is to be explained.

In my research I have learned that it's not so much the amount of bubbles you put into the tank, but about the amount of c02 you put into the water. I could blast a million bubbles per second into the water but unless you are breaking them up, all they will do is go to the top of the tank and pop into the air.

So this is going to be a multi-purpose 'machine' that will:
1. Create a large volume of c02
2. Efficiantly put this c02 into the water.


What I have in my head is the main vessel where the co2 is produced, which pushes the gas into a storage chamber, and from the storage chamber it will go into a smaller turbulance chamber where it is mixed with water and pumped into the tank.


I know this all sounds kinda crazy and complicated, but it will actually be quite simple... unless I go all out and make it part of a homemade wet/dry filtration system.. it is tempting and extremely doable but I'm going to limit myself to one project at a time.


So for my first update I really have nothing to show, I guess I am back in the planning stage at this point.

I SHOULD have something to actually show by tomorrow night, I'll keep this going until it's finished.

[Ramius]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

I should clarify when I say large volume, I mean in the storage term, the idea is to run 3-4 bubbles per second but have such a volume of c02 on hand that I only have to regenerate it on a much less frequent basis.


I am also trying to find some better c02 producing recipies.. to be honest all I've done so far is slap together some sugar/water/honey/yeast and let it go. I really don't know if there is any combination of things that will produce more c02 or if there should be a more specific ratio of ingrediants. I'll do some research into this as it all relates but for now I have nothing.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/do-it-yourself/

there are some great diy ideas for co2 reactors and diy co2 combos in the link above.

[szidlon]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

I have CO2 reactor by Plant Guild that works pretty efficiently.  It has a cylinder the CO2 feeds into.  The cylinder is capped at the bottom by a sponge and there's a powerhead on the top of the cylinder.  My understanding of how it works is the powerhead batters the CO2 into small bubbles in the cylinder which are then forced through the sponge creating even tinier bubbles enabling the infusion into the water.  At least that's how it looks like it works.  The only issue I have with it is the powerhead and sponge combination also creates a mini filter so the sponge has to cleaned regularly.  Keep us posted on your project, it sounds like it will be informative for all.

[Ramius]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

Ok, I bought all of the supplies today and began construction on what is appearing to be a 3 day project (due to needing set-up times in between certain connections.)

I actually have a few photo's too but I forgot the camera at the house so I'll have to upload them tomorrow. For the c02 setup I have a total of $22 +- broken down as follows

$2.48 -  1/2" x 10' cpvc pipe  
.36    -   two 1/2" 90d elbows
7.94   -   two 1/2" Ball Valves
.28     -   1/2" Tee
6.44   -    two cpvc union sxs 1/2"
4.14   -   Bucket Lids


What this gives me is a total of 15 gallons of alcohol producing capacity.

Here is a rough sketch of 1/2 of the system.



The basic idea is that the two outer vessels are going to brew the alcohol, and the pressurized gas will be carried over into the center vessel where it will be delivered into the c02 reactor (still in design)

The SxS unions allow me to unscrew the fermenting vessels so I can remove them for maintenance (making new brew) and the ball valve allows me to seal off the system so that once the first batch pushes all the air out and makes it pure c02, it will always remain this way. I also won't lose system pressure as I will install a pressure gauge to monitor when it begins to drop (my indication that I need to recharge the system).

I'm looking at that website now, thanks for the link!

I'll also put the 'real' pictures up tomorrow when I get home, and explain more about how this system will work.

So far everything is going great except I have not thought of one thing... where the heck am I going to keep this? I'm thinking I can leave it on my front porch and run the tubing in through the wall right to the tank, it would be easiest and least ugly looking.

For the thought process up to this point, my original idea was to use  6 inch pvc tubes for the chambers, and have a little bit more elaborate pipe-work to improve looks/maintenance but this idea was cost prohibitive, it would run me around $60 for the vessel and for that price I could go buy a c02 tank.

For me the whole purpose in doing this is to find a way to provide a cheaper more effective alternative to adding c02 into an aquarium, and since it would cost around $100 to 'do it right' I'm giving myself a budget of $50 total to complete this project.. it makes the design process... well, interesting to say the least, but, thats part of the challange, think of it like "monster aquarium" instead of "monster garage" =)

Thanks again for the link, and as always any/all feedback/opninions are welcome because this really is a (fun) learning experience and any shared ideas or comments are always appreciated.

[Ramius]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

I just had a crazy idea.. for a reactor, what if I just squirted the c02 into the intake of my filter tubing, and let the action of the pump diffuse the gas into the water?

[Ramius]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

I just had a crazier idea on how to change the water without removing the buckets, working on the connections right now.

[Ramius]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

Ok,

I took some scrap pieces of copper, and made a drainage system for the two fermentation tanks, a line goes out the bottom of the buckets, and tee off into a common drain pipe with a ball valve on the end.

Now I'm going to make another copy to attach to the top of the vessels for the purpose of refilling the vessels, so this means once set up, I will not have to bother with disconnecting the buckets ever.

Now technically this didn't cost me anything since I pulled these bits and pieces from our scrap bin, but if i had to go buy the parts I would probably be out around $10 or so.

Pics coming tomorrow night of all progress + a better walk through too.

[clw219]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

I just had a crazy idea.. for a reactor, what if I just squirted the c02 into the intake of my filter tubing, and let the action of the pump diffuse the gas into the water?

I'm no mechanical engineer but if I'm not mistaken, injecting any type of gas into your water pump would be very damaging to it and will reduce your pump's capacity.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

others do it with the eheim cannisters with little to no problems(longterm)

what you can do is build a reactor with a powerhead or something and then inject the co2 through it.

[Mzungu]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

From what I've heard, the only filter that won't be eventually damaged by CO2 is the Magnum 350, something to do with the placement of the impellor, I think.

[Ramius]

Re: High Volume Homemade C02

Ok, after a long hiatus I'm back... this project ended up being a failure. There were too many leaks and potential for leaks, in order for something like this to be a success I would say limit the number of vessels and prepare to seal like crazy, in the end, I ended up buying a 10 lb c02 bottle from the AOC company off of chimney rock and westpark on the southwest side of town and using a red sea kit to get it into the water. Now as far as co2 is concerned I am worry for the next two years or so. Sorry I couldn't make this work but thats how it goes some times.