Q&A for How to Make a CO2 Reactor for an Aquarium

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Is CO2 good for aquarium plants?

Marshall Stephens
Aquarium Specialist
Marshall Stephens is an Aquarium Expert at Private Oceans Aquariums in West Palm Beach, Florida. Marshall has over 20 years of experience in the aquarium industry and focuses on captive-bred animals. They specialize in tropical and marine aquariums and are a contributor to the Loggerhead Marine life center in Jupiter Florida.

Marshall Stephens

Aquarium Specialist

Expert Answer

Absolutely! Plants require a certain amount of CO2 to grow; if there's not enough, they won't grow well and will slowly die off. So, making sure that you have the right CO2 levels is very important to keeping live plants in your tank.

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Question

I saw on YouTube where peoples used two bottles for CO2 system, but wikiHow advises one bottle. Why?

Táibhsé Gaeilge

Community Answer

The first bottle would be for the reactants, like in the same way you would do an oxygen/hydrogen generator. The first would be the reaction vessel, the second would be the collection container, where the gas can be suitably filtered from any potentially organic materials that most wouldn't want passing through the system. Not only that, the second could act as a pressurization vessel to keep the gas flow at a steady psi flow rate.

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Question

How often do I have to replace the sugar/yeast mixture?

Community Answer

The mixture will last about 10 days, but it's better to add 1 tsp of baking soda to the mixture to help keep it stable and make it last about 3 weeks. Please note that this mixture creates alcohol, so the more yeast that you add, the faster it produces CO2. The baking soda also helps as a buffer to stabilize the pH levels.

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Question

How do I release the excess pressure?

Babak Jalilzadeh

Community Answer

Just remove the top of the dispenser and release the excess pressure. Then, attach the top of the dispenser again.

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Question

What is a CO2 reactor?

Community Answer

It is one of the live tank accessories for aquatic plants, which releases carbon dioxide for respiration of the plants.

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