C02 with seltzer

[Theplatymaster]

could you add C02 to a tank by pouring in seltzer? Or attatching a seltzer machine to the side of the tank or a sump?

[Chick-In-Of-TheSea]

I've seen people in videos put an airline tube in a bottle with water, sugar, & yeast. They cap the bottle (the cap has a hole in it). The airline tubing goes into the cap and the other end goes into the aquarium.  So just the CO2 goes in but none of the fluids. Haven't tried it myself.

SimplyBetta made the video I saw.

Edited June 13, 2022 by Chick-In-Of-TheSea

[Ryan F]

There was a YouTuber that has done this, it does work. But it's incredibly expensive to maintain beneficial levels of CO2. It's better to use yeast, chemical systems, or gas systems, as it's a more regular source and is cheaper in the long run. 

[Guppysnail]

Pouring seltzer in your tank is not advisable.  It has a crazy low ph and it cannot easily be a controlled source. To much accidentally could suffocate your fish quickly or alter your ph rapidly. 

[dasaltemelosguy]

On 6/14/2022 at 8:08 AM, Guppysnail said:

Pouring seltzer in your tank is not advisable.  It has a crazy low ph and it cannot easily be a controlled source. To much accidentally could suffocate your fish quickly or alter your ph rapidly. 

Thank you for bringing this up @Guppysnail. She's correct, seltzer's pH of only 3 could cause a pH crash in an aquarium depending on the amount used and tank size. It's extremely concentrated CO2 as well which as she said, could be dangerous. If you try it, try small amounts and keep an eye on the tank's pH.  

[Theplatymaster]

On 6/14/2022 at 11:18 AM, dasaltemelosguy said:

Thank you for bringing this up @Guppysnail. She's correct, seltzer's pH of only 3 could cause a pH crash in an aquarium depending on the amount used and tank size. It's extremely concentrated CO2 as well which as she said, could be dangerous. If you try it, try small amounts and keep an eye on the tank's pH.  

im not actually trying this, i was just wondering

[Bjorn]

On 6/14/2022 at 8:42 AM, Theplatymaster said:

On 6/14/2022 at 8:18 AM, dasaltemelosguy said:

Thank you for bringing this up @Guppysnail. She's correct, seltzer's pH of only 3 could cause a pH crash in an aquarium depending on the amount used and tank size. It's extremely concentrated CO2 as well which as she said, could be dangerous. If you try it, try small amounts and keep an eye on the tank's pH.  

im not actually trying this, i was just wondering

I love these hypotheticals. Assuming budget wasn't a concern, and you just had use this method - automation would be everything. I'd use a pH controller connected to a programmable auto-doser. The pH controller allows power to the pump when the pH reads above a set point and shuts it off when it reaches it. The programmable pump allows you to set the rate which it doses and it can be set to only function during your photoperiods.

Though there's still so many things that could go wrong it'd be reckless to attempt 😅