Turbo CO₂ Bio-System

Easy and inexpensive way to safely add carbon dioxide to your planted aquarium. Unlike other yeast fermentation systems that rely on passive CO₂ diffusion, the Turbo CO₂ Bio-System features a suction cup mounted adjustable venturi powerhead. Fine bubbles of CO₂ are injected directly into the water column for maximum CO₂ supplementation. The result is vibrant plant growth and vitality. Adjustable powerhead allows controlled CO₂ diffusion into aquarium. Simply switch off the powerhead or connect to timer to prevent unwanted nighttime pH drop. Natural yeast fermentation process provides a steady supply of CO₂ for up to one month. Recommended for aquariums up to 40 gallons.

Features:

• Natural biological fermentation process provides one month supply of CO₂
• Easy to set up - No high-pressure components required.
• Diffusion Pump (powerhead) with CO₂ Venturi injector injects micro bubbles from bottom of aquarium for optimum diffusion of generated CO₂.
• Unplug or connect diffuser pump to a timer allows controlled CO₂ diffusion rate, especially at night.

Please click on "More Information" for directions for use.

Set-up and Operation

Preparing the CO₂ Reactor

1. Open the Reactor by unscrewing the Lid from the Body.
2. Pour the Media and Activator into the Reactor and add 1 liter of warm tap water (25°C/77°F).
3. Close the Reactor tightly, making sure that the O-ring seal is in place.
4. Place finger over the open hose connector on the Lid and shake Reactor gently for 2 minutes.
5. Allow 24 hours for the CO₂ generation to begin.
6. After approximately 1 month or when CO₂ generation ceases, dispose of the contents of the Reactor. Rinse thoroughly and restart the reaction using new Media and Activator (Turbo CO₂ Bio-System 30-day Refill).

Installation

1. Connect the Venturi to the outlet of the Diffusion Pump with the Turbo CO₂ inlet facing upwards (the same direction as the power cord).
2. Check that the water flow regulator on the bottom of the pump is in the fully open position.
3. Connect the Silicone Tube to the CO₂ inlet on the Venturi.
4. Place the Diffusion pump (with the Venturi and the Silicone Tube attached) inside the aquarium one inch above the substrate. Select an area where the bubble flow will have an unobstructed path to the water surface.
5. Locate the Reactor next to, under, or on top of the aquarium (or wherever convenient). In all cases, the positioning should avoid excess heat or direct sunlight exposure. A stable warmer environment will generate a higher flow of CO₂.
6. Connect the free end of the Silicone Tube to the hose barb on the Reactor Lid.
7. Plug the Power Cord of the Pump into the power socket (or household timer) making sure that the cord has a drip loop.

Notes:

1. Initially, the Diffusion Pump will inject small amounts of air from the Reactor into the aquarium, creating a slight vacuum in the Reactor. After a few minutes, this will stop and no further gas will be injected into the aquarium until CO₂ production begins. This will take approximately 24 hours after the activation has occured.
2. The addition of CO₂ to a planted aquarium will affect the hardness (a measure of the amount of dissolved minerals) in the water by changing the dissolvability of some of the minerals (in particular, the carbonate salts). To ensure a stable environment most suitable for aquatic plants, maintain a water hardness of between 7 - 15° GH (General Hardness) and at least 5° KH (Carbonate Hardness).

Turbo CO₂ Bio-System 30-day Refill

Refill Instructions

Pour the Media and Activator into the Reactor and add 1 liter of warm tap water (25°C/77°F). Close the Reactor tightly, making sure that the O-ring seal is in place. Place finger over the open hose connector on the Lid and shake Reactor gently for 2 minutes.

General Information

Carbon Dioxide for Aquatic Plants
For plants to grow, they use light as the energy source to form carbohydrates out of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and water. This process is called photosynthesis. Although they are called "aquatic plants," most aquarium plants are swamp plants that grow in their natural habitat with at least part of their leaves above the water line. They are adapted to take up gaseous CO₂ from the atmosphere. In the aquarium, placed entirely underwater, most aquatic plants are only able to use the CO₂ that is dissolved in the water. In a well-planted aquarium CO₂ is in great demand. If it is not added regularly, an insufficient level of CO₂ will become the most dominant factor limiting plant growth.

Since photosynthesis uses light as the energy source, photosynthesis takes place only during daylight. Due to the lack of light energy at night, the photosynthetic process is reversed. Plants will actually release some CO₂ into the water. While CO₂ is essential for plants, too much CO₂ can reduce the pH of the aquarium water to levels that are stressful for fish. Therefore, CO₂ diffusion into the aquarium should be reduced at night.

CO₂ Generation
In the Reactor of the Turbo CO₂ Bio-System, yeast breaks down sugar in a natural biological process to generate CO₂, which is released as a gas. The Reaction Media has been specially treated to ensure a stable production of CO₂ for approximately 30 days. After this time, the Reaction Media should be replaced. This biological process is affected by temperature. It works best at temperatures that are normal for freshwater tropical aquariums with slight variations of CO₂ generation rate and production period according to the actual conditions. At higher temperatures, CO₂ will be generated at a faster rate but the overall CO₂ generation period will be reduced. At lower temperatures, the reaction will slow down and under 15°C/59°F it may stop completely.

CO₂ Diffusion
Unlike other biological CO₂ systems, the Turbo CO₂ Bio-System includes a diffusion pump which injects CO₂ into the aquarium via a Venturi powerhead, which produces micro-bubbles of CO₂ at water depths of more than 45 cm (18"). This allows the diffusion pump to be located directly above the aquarium substrate to promote more efficient CO₂ absorption into the water column. Each CO₂ bubble is allowed more time to fully diffuse into the water as it rises to the surface. Furthermore, the diffusion pump provides additional water circulation near the substrate to assist in bringing dissolved nutrients to the roots. The gentle water flow disperses the CO₂ bubbles over a larger area of the aquarium, again improving adsorption of the CO₂ into the water. The positive sucking action of the Venturi actively injects the CO₂ into the aquarium without creating any backpressure in the reactor, significantly improving the stability of the entire system.

CO₂ Reduction at Night
CO₂ diffusion at night can be unnecessary or even harmful for fish. By switching the Diffusion Pump off at night (either manually or by using a simple household timer to automate the process), CO₂ diffusion will be significantly reduced, to improve the overall performance of the system. While it is not possible to stop the generation of CO₂ in the Reactor, switching off the Diffusion Pump will slow down the reaction to reduce diffusion of the gas into the aquarium water. Switching the diffusion pump off at night is not essential but is highly recommended.

Robert Elder
Palm Harbor, FL

I ordered this a little over a month ago, works wonderfully, even with just one liter of the mix it works noticably even in a 55 gal tank, but is easily converted to a larger bottle, the pump it comes with works well even with gravel gettin accidentally stuck within it, quite effective and a heck of a deal.