What is the best ingredient for DIY CO2?

[kolite]

Rice??? That's new to me. Cook it first?
Will the tank smells like a ricecooker by end of the day?

[tawauboy]

rice can be used. have you seen rice wine? rice ferments and gives out co2.

[valice]

The tank wouldn't smell like a rice cooker... But your cabinet will smell like a sake factory after 1 week when the smell of fermentation escapes from the bottle through any small holes in the connection...

Whether to cook or not cook, think it depends on you. I would believe that cooking might speed up the fermentation process since the outer layer would be softer and hence easier for the yeast to work on.

What I did in the past was to add sugar and rice together, where the sugar was used to get the yeast up alive first, and in the mean time, soak the rice in the sugar+yeast concoction...

[kolite]

Ohhh..thanks. Sure gonna smells nice! heh

Agreed with the cooking or maybe steam the rice(sounds logical).

Does this mix does longer or just the same as sugar mixture? Guess it is just more work involved.

[valice]

I can't really say if it would last longer... But from my past experience, I only need to change my concoction after 1 month (when it is bubbling rate is like less than 1bps) instead of the 2 weeks when I used purely sugar... That is my experience.. Not sure about others though...

I think, the length depends very much on whether the alcohol in the mixture has become strong enough to kill the yeast.. Read somewhere that if you want stronger yeast, use beer yeast instead of baking yeast...

[kolite]

It lasted a month!? Great, I will give it a try!

Do you remember the recipe? Thanks in advance! I always hear that beer yeast is better, but unlikely it is selling anywhere in singapore (unless u work in a brewery ).

[taz_boy]

Taz Secret Receipe is....

1)water level till 3 inch below cap
2) 2 cups of sugar (those used for partyand buffet type of cups)
3)1/2 tsp of yeast
4)1/2tsp of baking soda(optional)

alternate btw 2 bottles...each mixture can last +-1wk..
BPS = 2-3.

[valice]

Do you remember the recipe? Thanks in advance! I always hear that beer yeast is better, but unlikely it is selling anywhere in singapore (unless u work in a brewery ).

If I didn't remember it wrongly, my receipe was 1 cup of uncooked rice, half cup of sugar, yeast and baking soda...

Think the yeast and baking soda part can follow taz's receipe...

[|squee|]

Mine is:
1) Pour sugar to a 1cm layer.
2) Fill with tap water till top of label.
3) Sprinkle yeast in until top surface area of water is covered by yeast.
4) Swirl the bottle slightly and connect to setup.

[dc88]

Hi there,

I read about this in www.answers.com on the topic of Yeast :

http://www.answers.com/topic/yeast?method=22

"...A common medium used for the cultivation of yeasts is called potato dextrose agar (PDA) or potato dextrose broth. Potato extract is made by autoclaving cut-up potatoes with water for 5 to 10 minutes and then decanting off the broth. Dextrose (glucose) is then added (10 g/L) and the medium is sterilized by autoclaving."

And the details on "potato dextrose broth" is quoted as :

http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?...xtrose%20broth

"Potato dextrose broth (abbreviated as "PDB") and potato dextrose agar (abbreviated as "PDA") are common microbiological media for culturing both yeast and mold, but usually not bacteria. (2)

Common organisms that can be cultured on PDA are yeasts such as Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae and molds such as Aspergillus niger. (3)

Preparation
PDB can be prepared by boiling a mixture of :

peeled, finely chopped potatos (200g)
dextrose (20g) {I think this means add 20g of sugar?}
In 300ml of water for 30 minutes. The supernatant is then decanted and strained through cloth to remove particles from the broth. The final solution is a light yellow translucent broth. Because it is not sterile the broth may then need to be sterilized in an autoclave."

.....
Well, if this potato soup thingy is the in-thing for bio-labs to cultivate yeats may be it can also do wonder in our DIY CO2 power plant ? Think I shall give it a try this week end.....

[Kev0055]

I did my DIY CO2 by using a 5L empty, washed detergent bottle, set level or above the fish tank so check valve is not needed (which in my experience, are completely useless), add 1Kg sugar (so ratio is 1:5) and spoonful of normal baking yeast.

Situate the hose outlet at the overhead filter water outlet underwater so that a constant stream of CO2 gets 'pull' down in a conical shape by the current. Very effective reactor with zero cost and zero CO2 wastage.

Overhead filter causes no water surface movement. Filter compartment sealed airtight.

Last measurement of PH 6 and KH 5 gives over 140+ CO2 ppm reading. But as discussed in another thread, that may not be accurate.

The neon tetras are thriving with no apparent stress. Hairgrass is finally starting to put out shoots and grow after 1 week.

will measure again using extracted tank water left overnight.

[CacaManiac]

i use 1 pack of rock sugar in mine.. cost a dollar per pack

[dc88]

I tried the uncooked rice plus some uncooked barley and 3 table spoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon yeast. But it stopped bubble after 3 days. May be need to cooked the rice and barley first ?

Also anyone try the Jello method ? I couldn't get it to work because the weather is too hot that the Jello melted and really messy.

For now is just 2 cups sugar, a pinch of baking soda, a pinch of milk powder and 1/4 teaspoon yeast in a 1.5 L bottle. Running 2 bottles connect in a T-joint and alternately refresh one of them every week while each bottle last 2 weeks.

Oh, and there's the potato method (PDB) as I mentioned above ! Dare to try ?

[Betta Almighty]

Mine is:
1) Pour sugar to a 1cm layer.
2) Fill with tap water till top of label.
3) Sprinkle yeast in until top surface area of water is covered by yeast.
4) Swirl the bottle slightly and connect to setup.

can i use this method on my Nutrafin CO2?

[|squee|]

I'm sure you can. It's just the container anyway

[Freakin' Fraud]

Just to let ya all know, beer yeast is available readily in Singapore (NTUC! ) Hint: Go search for the Health Food section (aka organic food section) But they are not cheap. 3 dollars plus for 250g if I remember correctly.

[dc88]

Just to let ya all know, beer yeast is available readily in Singapore (NTUC! ) Hint: Go search for the Health Food section (aka organic food section) But they are not cheap. 3 dollars plus for 250g if I remember correctly.

Thanks !
Just got myself a pack from NTUC today.
Will see if it lasts longer than the baker yeast. May be I should add it with wheat germ.....

Rgds
DC

[tawauboy]

concoction made with beer yeast should last longer than baker yeast. beer yeast can tolerate higher alcohol levels.

[dannyfish]

I tried the uncooked rice plus some uncooked barley and 3 table spoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon yeast. But it stopped bubble after 3 days. May be need to cooked the rice and barley first ?

Also anyone try the Jello method ? I couldn't get it to work because the weather is too hot that the Jello melted and really messy.

For now is just 2 cups sugar, a pinch of baking soda, a pinch of milk powder and 1/4 teaspoon yeast in a 1.5 L bottle. Running 2 bottles connect in a T-joint and alternately refresh one of them every week while each bottle last 2 weeks.

Oh, and there's the potato method (PDB) as I mentioned above ! Dare to try ?

Hi there

i also try using uncooked rice + baking yeast + baking powder to make co2...
just make it an hour ago, still no bubble yet. will monitor how long can this method can last me..

[coryfav]

can i use this method on my Nutrafin CO2?

Mine are all Nutrafin containers. Water, sugar, yeast and baking soda.

Wow, you guys are serious! Rice, barley, milk powder, wheatgerm, beer yeast, potato!

DIY co2 sure is getting really interesting these days.