# What Could I Do With This?



## Garrity828 (May 13, 2008)

My mother just bought me this Aquarium Air Pump. I was hoping to make a DIY CO2 'machine' for my 20g planted tank. How would I go about doing this? I know I would need tubing that fits. Also, what are these "check valves"(small blue things in the pics)? Could someone give me step by step instructions on how to make DIY CO2 that would be good for the plants?

Pics:


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## fish_4_all (Nov 13, 2006)

DIY CO2 doesn't use an airpump. Al it uses is the force from the bottles to pump in CO2 from 2 liter bottles. The only way I could see an airpump even being used for it would be fi you had the airpump contained in a box where the CO2 was being pumped in and have a really good and large diffusor.

Unfortunately the only thnig the pump is good for is to put air in tank by causing a lot of surface agitation. Really good thing to have on hand if you need to treat for parasites or have a quarantine tank.


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## Flashygrrl (Jan 18, 2008)

Check valves keep water from siphoning from the tank to the pump (thus ruining your pump and possibly draining your tank).

You need silicon tubing for DIY CO2 anyways, regular airline would bust very quickly. Here's what seems like a really good website on a DIY CO2, I don't do CO2 myself at least not yet but I probably will eventually and go with this method. http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html


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## iamntbatman (Jan 3, 2008)

You could use it to run an undergravel filter or DIY sponge filter. They also make bubble wands for your tank, which are basically plastic tubes with holes along the length. You attach the hose from the air pump to one end, toss it in the water, and you get a cool bubble curtain effect. There are also lots of decorations that are "animated" by an air pump, like the treasure chest that fills with air until the air forces the lid open, letting a bubble up to the surface.


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## herefishy (Dec 14, 2006)

You could use it to operate one of those diver dog ornaments.


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