Help me set up a CO2 System

[Grass_Lover]

I've been searching the forums and I have been unable to find anything.

Heres the deal: I need to saturate a small room 10x5x10' with CO2. I know I need a tank, regulator, and then some sort of controller/reader...

I was hoping to do this for under 350 shipped... maybe minus tank costs, might just rent one locally.

Help?

Also, the room I'm doing it in have its climate control vary from exhaust fans to A/C depending on what kind of outside temp. there is/what season it is... so I need a controller that will work for both

 

[Guest]

I would use a green air cd-6 for that sized room,it would be perfect.If you're worried about heat it adds very little hung high where it should be and you want temps around 85 -90 anyway

 

[Neptune]

have you considered a CO2 generator?

They are more efficient, and cheaper than bottled CO2.
It will pay for itself.

 

[Grass_Lover]

I dont really want to cut a hole in teh wall for an A/C unit... hence going with tank-supplied CO2

 

[Guest]

Yeast CO2

Yeast CO2

Grass,
I know I am going to catch shit for this but I am going to ask anyway. Have you thought of yeast for a source. I have a 3x5x9 room and 2-5gal bucket bring it up right where I need it. Change out once a week and no hassle or exposure from replacing tanks. Just a thought.

Peace

 

[Grass_Lover]

Grass,
I know I am going to catch shit for this but I am going to ask anyway. Have you thought of yeast for a source. I have a 3x5x9 room and 2-5gal bucket bring it up right where I need it. Change out once a week and no hassle or exposure from replacing tanks. Just a thought.

Peace

I had sugar+yeast co2 but the temps rose one night due to a faulty cool tube and the yeast died... never made another batch, I read that sugar+yeast may not bring co2 saturation up to an accetable level, plus its a hastle

 

[Grass_Lover]

so tank isnt a really good idea, even without A/C and just fans for heat extraction once a critical temp is met? I'm worried about heat with the burner..

 

[Guest]

Grass ....... Check this out just one min.....

Grass ....... Check this out just one min.....

I keep my CO2 levels in the 1500-2000 range with the way I do my yeast. It has taken awhile for me to develop my method and it is quite advanced if you can say that about yeast for CO2. I have actually been preparing to do a thread on it. If you are interested, just give a minute for me to explain the way I do it and let me know what you think. I have taken pictures for the thread.

I buy yeast at Sams for next to nothing for a bag that has 1lb in it. This lasts me about six months. I buy the sugar at Walmart for $10 for 25lb bag and this lasts about a month. I get two new 5gal buckets with lids and a role of duct tape. I love that shit. (duct tape) I get some of that swamp cooler tubing and a couple of empty gatorade bottles. I also bought 2 heating pads without auto off.

I use liquid nails to secure some tubing from the lid of 5gal bucket through the lid of the gatorade bottle to the bottom of the bottle. Make connections air tight. I then run a tube from just 1in below the top to the same gatorade bottle and run it into the air intake to the rooms. I put about 1/2in of h2o in the bottom of the gatorade bottle. This performs two functions: if the yeast boils out of the tube it gets caught in the gatorade container, as the co2 is pushed out the 5gal bucket it bubbles and you see how active the culture is. (I now have a co2 monitor but it still tells me which bucket is dying out.) I place each bucket on the heating pad and place it on low. Each bucket lasts about 1 week. At the end of the week I dump out the bucket...put 2-3 pounds sugar and a table spoon of yeast and fill 5in below top of bucket with warm water then tape lid air tight shut. Once you get the hang of it, it only takes 8 min per week. And like I said my room stays 1500-2000ppm all week.

Pros is that there is no exposure... no tanks to change and make excuses for, no timing for vents and regulator, no testing except occassionally to make sure you are staying in limits. It is really simple and not time consuming at all.

I use to have a much larger room and used a 55gal drum on a dolly and used a 5gal bucket to be the catcher and bubbler chamber. Worked great... costed less... and not all the equip and hassle of changing timing all the time with change of seasons and temps.

Do you think a thread would be of any use out there?????????

Peace

 

[Guest]

Bree how are you checking the ppm's in your room?This interests me I really didnt think you'd be able to hold a steady PPm's using yeast and sugar,I'm sure that you are the first to be able to do it.What type of ppm monitor are you using?

 

[Guest]

SKELETOR....... Not totally steady but good enough for results.....

SKELETOR....... Not totally steady but good enough for results.....

My room ranges in 1500-2000 ppm not an exact steady state and I have to admit it has gone over or under a time or two like when I lost a vent fan and also have had a couple of times with the cheap heating pads... they are the only ones I can find that don't go off automatically. I have a CEA 144, it is an infrared tester that I bought used. I don't use it all the time because unless something changes I can tell by the bubbling. I do check it occassionally to make sure I am staying good. I use to have a lot of trouble at first but have been basically using the same stuff and room for quite some time now. I changed fans awhile back and that took some getting use to. I used a unipolar dimmer to control it but have recently found out on one of these threads that that is a no no so am looking at doing something else.

Have any ideas?

Peace

 

[een]

I would be very interested to see your CO2 by fermentation experiment results Bree.

 

[Guest]

Een we have another thread going over across the way that may interest to also...

Een we have another thread going over across the way that may interest to also...

Shows some results in picture form. I am going to do a detailed thread very soon with pics of the set up and maintenance. This thread will probably show you a little. The whole thing is really pretty simple. Will get some good explanatory pics set up and then type a thread out. Some think the whole yeast thing is a bit ghetto but... hell I like ghetto and like results too. ;0)

Peace and here is the thread.....

http://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=44447

 

[mrwags]

Here is what I did:







Once completed go to green air's website punch in your numbers of the room and the calculator will give ya the proper flood time unless you plan on using a monitor.



Mr.Wags

 

[Grass_Lover]

Bree, your system sounds good. I cant wait for a detailed thread (pics, etc) on how to build one. I'm just sitting on the co2 idea right now; busy with other things.

 

[sticky icky]

the cheapest set up i found out side of the home remedies was a cap 3 ppm monitor for around 300, regulator with 120 volt plug in 75, look on ebay. and for the tank look in area for used one. so money you have now is close but for probably 100 bucks more no problem. you don't need new tank because you trade them out anyway. where you get tanks they maybe even have regulators or help build one. just tell them you are a home brewer, and tank and reg. for beer they hear it all the time. tell them you need 120v plug for measuring the optimum co2 in your beer. have one right now works great no problems. good luck SI

 

[Guest]

Have to agree with Sticky........

Have to agree with Sticky........

I did a little research also on the tank and controller thing.... Those were exactly what I came up with also. The cpp 3 has great reviews and is offered on many sites. Look around for the best price but Sticky stated the best I could find too.

My CO2 tester is getting old..... think I have had it about 4 years and bought it used at that. The price was right though. Have been contemplating the cpp 3 myself but not the optional controller cause I use another way for CO2 but would go that route if I didn't.

Good research and advice Sticky.

Peace