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Retirement and forum shutdown (17 Jan 2022)

Hi,

John Howell who has managed the forum for years is getting on and wishes to retire from the role of managing it.
Over the years, he has managed the forum through good days and bad days and he has always been fair.
He has managed to bring his passion for fish keeping to the forum and keep it going for so long.

I wish to thank John for his hard work in keeping the forum going.

With John wishing to "retire" from the role of managing the forum and the forum receiving very little traffic, I think we must agree that forum has come to a natural conclusion and it's time to put it to rest.

I am proposing that the forum be made read-only from March 2022 onwards and that no new users or content be created. The website is still registered for several more years, so the content will still be accessible but no new topics or replies will be allowed.

If there is interest from the ITFS or other fish keeping clubs, we may redirect traffic to them or to a Facebook group but will not actively manage it.

I'd like to thank everyone over the years who helped with forum, posted a reply, started a new topic, ask a question and helped a newbie in fish keeping. And thank you to the sponsors who helped us along the away. Hopefully it made the hobby stronger.

I'd especially like to thank John Howell and Valerie Rousseau for all of their contributions, without them the forum would have never been has successful.

Thank you
Darragh Sherwin

Citric acid/bread soda CO2 any good?

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02 Feb 2016 12:55 #1 by Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
Hi

I know someone here mentioned they are running one of these systems. My yeast/sugar started off ok but I had trouble recently getting the yeast I started with and I think it is time for a different approach.

If you use this method how is it working for you?

Thx
Dec

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02 Feb 2016 13:00 #2 by robert (robert carter)
hi ,I wondered about a diy co2 system but went with a fe and reg must less hassle and don't think its any more expensive once you have the reg and cylinder . reckon I should get at least 6 months out of my 2kg cylinder on my 350 l tank

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02 Feb 2016 16:43 #3 by Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
My wife is very familiar with my mechanical/DIY skills and therefore would justifiably have a small heart attack if she sees me handling a fire extinguisher. Also 2 fizz bottles should fit in the cabinet handy enough.

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02 Feb 2016 18:00 #4 by robert (robert carter)
believe you me ,you cant go wrong its very simple and totally safe . any of the videos are just over the top on the safety thing

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02 Feb 2016 22:19 #5 by lectru (Lech)
Hi Dec
I did use citric acid and baking soda for about 4 months and was able to get pretty good effects with it. Tank was 54l with approximately 1bps rate set for 8 hours. With a mixture of 200g of citric acid and 200g baking soda it would last around a month. Good thing about it it can be shut off for night which stops the reaction of cytric acid and baking soda and then restarted in the morning without hassle. Pressure stays pretty stable at around 1 bar but because of that you are pretty limited to diffusers you can use (I had basic ceramic diffuser). You won't be able to use any bazooka type or inline diffusers but to increase diffusion rate of co2 you could use external reactor and extend time of use on each portion of cytric acid and baking soda. In my opinion it is an upgrade comparing to yeast based systems but only on a tanks up to certain size. If you need more info regarding technical side of it please check this link
fishyjoe.com/2014/08/17/hands-diy-co2-baking-soda-citric-acid/
If you have any more questions just ask.
Good luck
Lech

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03 Feb 2016 06:33 #6 by Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
@robert Thx I know it is tried, tested and safe but it looks a bit scary so getting it OKed for the dinning room would be an issue.

I also like the idea of trying this out and comparing to sugar/yeast.

&ale try

Thx a month sounds good, I have a JBL spiral diffuser so pressure isn't an issue.

Gonna order the hardware today may take a while to get delivered.

Did you experiment with different mix amounts?

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03 Feb 2016 08:59 #7 by robert (robert carter)
very new to co2 and am sure there a more knowledgable people on this forum . I have a co2 level checker in the tank ,started with I bubble a second but increased it too two in order to get the checker to go green. using a solenoid so it only runs one hour before and turns off one hour before lights one . my cylinder is in the front room without any issues . people just seem to make this subject more scary than it is .

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03 Feb 2016 10:11 - 03 Feb 2016 11:03 #8 by lectru (Lech)

Did you experiment with different mix amounts?


I didn't but i read it can be done and it will extend time of use before need of reloading.

As for ordering from some of the Chinese webs (which i did myself) You can shorten waiting time for a parcel by getting it from co2art
That's a set
www.co2art.co.uk/collections/complete-co...-for-tank-up-to-500l

And that's a kit only
www.co2art.co.uk/collections/regulators-...e-and-pressure-guage

What i didn't know (or i didn't noticed) at the time was the fact that needle valve in set from co2art is at 90° so it gives You option to screw on bubble counter - Chinese version have straight one.

Whatever You will decide - consider system based on fire extinguisher - it gives You much more option to play with co2.

Cheers
Last edit: 03 Feb 2016 11:03 by lectru (Lech).

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04 Feb 2016 18:48 #9 by Homer (Kevin)
I sell Fire extinguishers to many many people for their planted tanks, not once have I heard any reports of even the smaest accidents with them, if you have opposable thumbs, you should be able to set up a FE CO2 system, it really is simple.
.kev.

The Glass is always greener on the other side.


It's NOT "Chee lick", NOT "Chee Chee Licks"!!! Cichlids is pronounced as "Sick Lids"!!!!!

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04 Feb 2016 18:57 #10 by ted30 (Damo Mac an Bhaird)
I've used a fire extinguisher co2 system for the best part of 10 years with little annoyance. If you get the right regulator it will last you a life time

Location: Carrickmacross, County Monaghan

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04 Feb 2016 20:32 #11 by Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
I know FE is safe and even I could set it up and probably safer than Pepsi bottles but my knowing it and my wife ecepting it are two very different things :blink:

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23 Feb 2016 19:45 #12 by Q_Comets (Declan Chambers)
Well day one of this setup running at about 1bps we'll see how it lasts.

So far I have found in favour
easier to prepare than sugar/yeast
ready to go immediately
control of output

giving the drop checker a while to give a reading will know roughly where I am tomorrow.

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