Cheap alternatives to a CO2 system?

isobel-stewart_60aa8830a85e0isobel-stewart_60aa8830a85e0
in Pets

I have a 29 gallon tank with Coralife T5 lighting. it has val, ludwigia, crypts, a red lily, and some floating surface plants. I've noticed that the growth has slowed down quite a bit. my gravel is mature, but standard aquarium gravel. I fertilize it weekly with the Flourish line, but my plants seemed to stop growing. there are currently 15 green flame tetras and 4 otos in it, and im hoping to add 2 pearl gouramis when the plants fill out... any tips for quick growing without spending over $50?

Comments

  • edward-thompson_60aa88316c286edward-thompson_60aa88316c286

    DIY co2 generator.

    2L soda bottle (Basically free)

    Airline tubing ($5 for 25ft, you will only need maybe 3-5 ft)

    Silicone or krazy glue (depends)

    Airstone / Diffuser (5-8 dollars) (ceramic diffusers are better due to the bubbles coming out being much smaller which means more bubble surface area and longer submersion which adds up to more CO2 making it into water, but in lack of one a regular airstone will do).

    Sugar

    Yeast (wine making yeast is best as it can stand much higher alcohol levels, but regular baking ones will do).

    Optional: gag valve

    Punch a hole in the cap of the bottle and pull the airline through. Use silicone or krazy glue to seal any gaps between tubing and the cap. Put water, sugar and yeast into the bottle. Close bottle, attach other end of the tubing to an airstone or diffuser and put it in the tank (best if you put it in a place where bubbles will get moved around by current). Keep the bottle over the tank, do not shake (you don't want the solution getting into the water) the bottle. If you have to keep it under the tank then you'll have to put a gag valve somewhere along the tubing (so water won't flow from the tank to the bottle).

    When changing the solution inside the bottle do not leave the cap below the tank (unless you have a gag valve installed) as the water will flow out from the tank that way.

    Plenty of DIY videos of this on youtube.

    If that doesn't help you'll probably have to change the substrate for one that's designed for growing plants.

    Also word of warning, this might give you more algae.

  • shannon-davies_60aa883261307shannon-davies_60aa883261307

    There are simpler c02 systems which ustilize gas released from yeast cells... I've seen these systems, I've never tried them but they're like 20-30 dollars, which isn't too bad. I'm pretty sure they can be refilled. The one downside is you can't control how much is put out as well, and you'd have to disconnect it at night and waste gas.

  • i-heart-beetsi-heart-beets

    if you google DIY co2 aqarium, you'll find ways to build one for under 20 bucks.

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