Any CO2 reactor pros???

Hi Casey - did some research and cut and paste the below for your information
credit to George Farmer for the user instructions based on his experience below


George wrote -

Here's a basic guide to using the popular Nutrafin yeast-based CO2 units, based on my own experience.

1. Fill canister with regular granulated sugar to the first line.

2. Add 1/2 teaspoon of dried yeast (available from supermarket).

3. No need for "Stabiliser" unless you have v. soft tap water.

4. Top up to second line with tepid (approx 30C) tap water.

5. Stir.

6. Fix lid tightly.

7. Attach tubing tightly.

8. Watch the bubbles appear after 10 to 30 minutes.

Ambient temp. affects bubble rate, cold = less output, warm = more output.

More yeast = more CO2 for shorter time.
Less yeast = less CO2 for longer time.

1 teaspoon of yeast will give you around 30 bubbles per min. for about 7 days. This should be good for up to a 100 l. / 30 gal. tank.

Aim for 30ppm CO2. Change mixture regularly to avoid unstable/low CO2, this causes algae. Test for CO2 using pH and KH kits and this table - http://www.tropica.c...q...stic&id=445

Clean ladders may clog bubbles up for a while. The bubbles will run up smooth after a few hours or so.

Use multiple units for larger tanks. Change mixtures alternately for stable CO2.

Enjoy your plants!

 

It's probably just yeast and some kind of sugar.

With bakers yeast its important to hit 100 degrees f to activate it.

 

100-105 degrees to activate, 110-115 kills. in the majority of baking and drinking yeasts. If you leave the mixture out in a glass for about 20 minutes you should see some bubbles, that are produced from the co2 reaction. my advice is make sure the yeast is working before setting up your canister.

 

Honestly for all the time and effort your going to put into a co2 reactor you should just look into pressurized. There is no consistency w a reactor. This is what I bought after looking into both options:

Co2 needle valve w gauges and electric solenoid: 100.00$
Co2 bottle 20oz walmart: 7$ for exchange as well or you can have it filled

That's all folks total 107$ the bottle lasts about 1 mo, you can get a 5lb bottle for 100$ that lasts 1 yr on a 55 gal.

I run mine on a timer w the lights. It runs into a sediment filter (50$) that I drilled and tapped. It completely dissolves co2 into the water column and flows in with return water from the canister.

Hope this helps

 

Have a few of that eaxt model ..

Sugar to the mark on the inside bottom, 1/2 teaspoon bakers yeast (local food store off the shelf) and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda..

Fill the water to the upper mark stir and put the lid on..

That's it..

Save your money and do not buy the 'refill packs' they sell at the LFS ..

 

This is IMO much easier:

Seachem. Flourish Excel