DIY CO2 - bad?

K House · 04-17-2007, 12:02 PM

I have a yeast/sugar CO2 unit on my tank.

I wonder if something in the yeast or sugar is causing/helping algae to grow. I've tried the thing 3 times now and every time I try it the tank becomes covered in algae and the plants don't grow any better and some even die. Then I take the CO2 off and the algae stops growing. I have a larger tank on pressurized CO2 and I don't have any problems with algae at all. Anyone else had bad luck with these CO2 kits?

**JustOneMore20** · 04-17-2007, 01:00 PM

What size tank do you have?

Unstable CO2 levels can lead to algae and this can be a problem with DIY CO2 systems as they don't provide consistent CO2 production, so the levels fluctuate.

How much light is over the tank? And do you know what type of algae you are having with the CO2?

K House · 04-17-2007, 01:33 PM

It's a 20 gallon long. 55 Watt CF. The light is on 10 hours a day. Hair algae and maybe beard algae? There is a coating of bright green algae on the glass and there is this stringy darker green algae that grows on the plants. Mostly it grows off the edges of the plants. I can pull a handful out and in a week it has grown back. It is disgusting. It even grows off the substrate.

K House · 04-17-2007, 07:46 PM

Here are pics of each algae. I've let the tank go because I am getting ready to take it down. Between the algae and the MTS, it's just easier to start over.

Slime algae:

Algae on the glass:

Gritty/rough algae:

Hair algae:

04-17-2007, 12:02 PM	#1
K House Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Age: 34 Posts: 110	DIY CO2 - bad? I have a yeast/sugar CO2 unit on my tank. I wonder if something in the yeast or sugar is causing/helping algae to grow. I've tried the thing 3 times now and every time I try it the tank becomes covered in algae and the plants don't grow any better and some even die. Then I take the CO2 off and the algae stops growing. I have a larger tank on pressurized CO2 and I don't have any problems with algae at all. Anyone else had bad luck with these CO2 kits?

04-17-2007, 01:00 PM	#2
JustOneMore20 Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Alabama, US Age: 22 Posts: 3,492	What size tank do you have? Unstable CO2 levels can lead to algae and this can be a problem with DIY CO2 systems as they don't provide consistent CO2 production, so the levels fluctuate. How much light is over the tank? And do you know what type of algae you are having with the CO2? __________________ *Kristin* 5 Planted tanks: 55g, 40g, 29g, 10g, 5.5g 10g N. multifasciatus tank, 5.5g Platy fry

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04-17-2007, 01:33 PM	#3
K House Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Age: 34 Posts: 110	It's a 20 gallon long. 55 Watt CF. The light is on 10 hours a day. Hair algae and maybe beard algae? There is a coating of bright green algae on the glass and there is this stringy darker green algae that grows on the plants. Mostly it grows off the edges of the plants. I can pull a handful out and in a week it has grown back. It is disgusting. It even grows off the substrate.

04-17-2007, 07:46 PM	#4
K House Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Age: 34 Posts: 110	Here are pics of each algae. I've let the tank go because I am getting ready to take it down. Between the algae and the MTS, it's just easier to start over. Slime algae: Algae on the glass: Gritty/rough algae: Hair algae:

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