DIY CO2- the good, the bad, the ugly

i read a few forums that gave the recipe as 2 cups sugar, 1/2 tsp yeast, less yeast is a slower reaction, but lasts a very long time

 

Sorry Ferryman... you are right... 2 cups sugar, 1/2 teaspoon yeast. That is the original recipe according to net. I use to use 2 cups sugar, 1/3 teaspoon yeast... I remember it was a little less than recommended.

 

heh, rite

Oddly enough, my lighting sucks at present, its a 90cm/3ft tank, but all i have is a wooden box/picture frame with two old 2ft T12 Osram cool whites in, lying on top of the tank, and an 18W sylvania grolux underneath it, and the bit of the tank that doesn't get tube-light, has a CFL in one of those camping light square boxes laying on top of the tank, under a ZZ2 tomato crate...

Yet my plants are growing awesomely. the elodea keeps making new shoots, the bacopa is sprouting new twigs at every leaf node, the ambulia has actually grown a cm or so since i planted it less than a week ago, a piece og nymphea i cutt off my dad's koi pond rizome is shootin out roots and has a new leaf soaring to the surface, and another just coming out (less than a week planted) the only thing that isn't thriving is some of the alternanthera as its red and the leaves have gone a bit green now due to low light...

And all i have in the tank are fish and borehole water...

 

You might find that the current light is just enough for those particular plants Ferryman. I've seen pics of your set up.. and I seem to remember the lighting being rather sufficient. Obviously we all want to go with the best of the best.... but our budgets never allow for it...

Go have a look at my set up... you will LAUGH at the lighting I have in there!!!

1 standard 18W Builder's Warehouse 2 foot flourecent.
1 Growlux 20W globe from LPS that only cost me R80.00.

That's it... and the plants grow!

Then again, I am also adding CO2 as well as plant fertz!