My CO2 bottles aren't producing anything, even though they are both fairly fresh (read: a couple of days old). When I shake them, they fizz like mad and put out CO2 for a bit, then stop. Any ideas??
I'd suspect a leak somewhere.
Sounds like the seal has loosened up from the container to the airline, maybe removing the old silicone and refit your connector? I had to do that on one pop bottle.
Cut off part of your hose that connects to your valve on your bottle cap. It tends to harden and leak.
I'm not using silicone, but rather those nifty little bulkhead fittings. I'll try cutting the hose, but what are the chances that this is happening on both bottles, with two different kinds of hose of different ages?? I thought maybe I'd just blame the weather? :D
A couple quick questions
Do both bottles share acommon check valve, if so is it connected?
Do both bottles connect to a common manifold or line.....If so how and where?
How old is the cap that holds the bulkhead fitting? could the bottle to cap/top seal be toast?
Just throwing out a few alternate variables to consider in order to aid with your trouble shooting.
No check valve, both bottles are on separate lines. One line goes to a CO2 ladder, the other to a DIY reactor that artw & Underwater made. I'm not sure how old the caps are, but one is older than the other.
I have some CO2 this morning (in the ladder, at least - it's hard to tell with that reactor) so hopefully it was just the ends of the hoses hardening as BigDaddy proposed.
Thanks for the help!
If the suggestions regarding checking the mechanical components of your systems solved your problem, great.
Some additional thoughts. In the recent warm weather we have been had your yeast systems should be working in over drive, unless you have your air conditioning going which in turn, could slow down the initial reaction depending on how cool you keep your house or if the reactors are close to a cold air outlet. If you used the same yeast to start both systems and you are still not getting good output, I would suspect a bad batch of yeast. A bad batch can fizz and appear like its reacting when shaken.
A good way to check if the yeast is still producing is just connect a foot long airline to the bottle and dip it in the top of the tank... and if it bubbles, it's still producing. just be careful not to shake it as you move it up to the tank to test it...
Air conditioning, that's a good one :D
I've been using the same batch of yeast for all of my CO2 and this is the first problem I've had. It's been in my fridge for a few months, so it should still be fine, but maybe I'll try a new batch and see how that goes.
So out of simple curiosity, I'm wondering of your problem, was it resolved and how?
As per BigDaddy's suggestion, I checked the tubing and it was a little rigid on the end closest to the bottle in both cases. I cut a couple of inches off and noticed bubbles on my ladder soon after. It was hard to determine visually whether the bottle on the DIY reactor was producing.
My CO2 levels are mediocre (18-21ppm), a bit low for having 2 bottles on, one of which is only a week old. Perhaps this is because the gas was leaking out. I have yet to mix up new batches of yeast, but maybe I'll do that today.
The plant god strikes again! ;D
Okay... I'm done tooting my own horn now.
Glad to hear that was the fix PFG
I still say its her substrate causing her low CO2 levels. I only have 3 bottles on a 90 and my plants are pearling like crazzy
How do you figure the substrate has an impact on dissolved CO2 in the water column? The only thing the substrate might impact is the kH levels from dissolving mineral content.
well does the substrate not suck up carbonic acid and dissolve it, raising the KH? and did you not say that a high KH would mean you would need more co2 present in the water to make the plants pearl?
I am not making this stuff up. I am not the Plant God