How To Make CO2 for Plants With Baking Soda: Steps and Tips

Learning how to make CO2 for plants with baking soda is not difficult, even for beginner gardeners. Plant growth requires adequate light, water, and, most importantly, CO2, but you may have limited resources.

If you’re looking for a long-lasting DIY CO2 solution, creating it with soda is the answer! Learn how to channel your inner scientist and make CO2 from baking soda in just a few simple steps, so keep reading, and see what wonders you uncover!

How To Make CO2 By Using Citric Acid and Baking Soda?

To make CO2 by using citric acid and baking soda, you should simply mix soda and citric acid. It can create a fizzy reaction that adds an extra boost of carbon dioxide to the environment around your plants. This is helpful for those plants that need a growth spurt.

It’s also beneficial for those kept indoors during colder months when they may not get enough natural sunlight to flourish.

1. Mix Baking Soda and Citric Acid

This DIY CO2 citric acid and baking soda recipe starts with mixing one teaspoon of baking soda with one tablespoon of citric acid powder into a small container. You can use vinegar, ice, or yeast instead of citric acid. This isn’t just a DIY CO2 citric acid recipe!

For getting homemade CO2 for plants with yeast, mix one tablespoon soda and two tablespoons of yeast, stirring quickly to avoid clumping. It’s worth considering the difference between baking soda and baking powder for CO2 generation since you can’t substitute one for the other!

2. Add Warm Water

Add ¼ cup of warm water (heated tap water will be fine) before stirring vigorously until all ingredients are fully incorporated.

The warm water would help dissolve the soda faster. Do not use cold water.

3. Put Aluminium Foil Around the Base of the Plant

Grab a set of scissors and snip off a 6-by-4-inch aluminum foil. Gently dig around the base of your plant with your fingers or a trowel to expose the roots, taking care not to damage them.

Wrapping it around the stem, affix the aluminum foil so that 3 inches is below the soil line and an equal amount above it. Firmly pat down the soil around your plant’s base, snugly covering up the lower section of foil.

4. Pour Out the Mixture

After mixing everything evenly, pour the mixture slowly onto the foil placed in the pot. The chemical reaction between these two substances should start bubbling up within minutes, producing pure CO2 for 10-15 minutes.

Suppose you want to avoid wrapping your plant base with aluminum foil or are reluctant to do it. In that case, you can place the container with the soda and citric acid mixture in the area you want to dispense additional CO2 and let it stay overnight at room temperature or warmer.

5. Change the Mixture Frequently

Keep adding a fresh mixture once every couple of weeks to maintain a continuous supply of homemade carbon dioxide for your plants’ needs throughout their growth cycles.

Remember not to use too much citric acid or vinegar at once, as this could cause root burn or even death!

How To Make a DIY CO2 Diffuser for Aquarium Plants?

To make a DIY diffuser CO2 for aquarium plants, make different bottles with mixtures of different ingredients like baking soda, water and citric acid. Set up the CO2 generator kit and diffuser in the tank and follow the instructions carefully.

1. Make Baking Soda and Water Mixture-Bottle A

Begin by labeling a 67-oz bottle with an “A” to keep track of the bottles. With a funnel in hand, pour 7 ounces (around 14 tablespoons) of baking soda into the bottle, and follow it up with 6.7 oz of water. Always keep their ratio 1:1.

2. Make Citric Acid and Water Mixture-Bottle B

Next, grab another 67-oz bottle and label it with a “B.” Insert a cleaned and dried funnel into this new vessel and slowly add 7 ounces (around 14 tablespoons) of citric acid. To accompany the citric acid, pour 20 fl oz of water, making a clear solution at the bottom of the bottle. Keep 1:3 for citric acid and water.

3. Shake Both Bottles

Grab both bottles and shake them well, twisting the caps on securely. The bottles start to come alive with bubbling activity, a sure sign that the solutions have been properly mixed. Now it’s time to uncap and see what happens next!

4. Set Up the CO2 Generator Kit

It begins with a carbon dioxide generator kit. Whether you source it from an aquarium or online, this essential equipment will have plastic tubing connecting two caps and a pressure gauge and valve. Secure the pressure gauge cap to bottle B, insert tubing into the same bottle, and fasten the cap with the valve to bottle A.

Now, you’ve connected both bottles and can begin your chemical reaction! The citric acid will slowly flow into the soda bottle, creating a bubbly concoction that will generate carbon dioxide. Please fill up the bubble counter with water and connect the end of the tubing to it. It allows you to monitor the amount of CO2 your system produces.

Carefully attach an extra tubing that is long enough to reach the bottom to the output valve at the bottom of your bubble counter, and you are ready to go! Find the perfect diffuser to help break up larger bubbles, releasing CO2 into the water for even distribution. Connect the end of the tubing to the diffuser. Your CO2 setup is just a few simple steps away!

5. Set the Diffuser in the Tank

Place the diffuser deep into the tank and watch as bubbles begin to form on the bubble counter. This is a sign that your system is running smoothly. Adjust the CO2 levels in the tank by twisting the valve clockwise to reduce or counterclockwise to increase CO2 levels.

As a general guide, ten bubbles per minute per 26 gallons will do the trick. To ensure you have the right level of CO2 in your water, use a drop checker, which is a glass device that changes color according to the levels present.

To keep your aquatic friends safe, switch off your aquarium’s system. Alternatively, purchase an air pump and attach it to a timer so it runs during the night hours, helping balance out any excess CO2 in the tank.

It’s important to switch up the CO2 mix every 20 days. Unscrew the diffuser from the water first and open the needle valve until the pressure gauge reads zero. Next, remove the bottle caps and rinse them before mixing a brand-new combination of CO2-generating chemicals. Then, set up the CO2 generator kit again.

FAQs

1. How To Produce CO2 Cheaply?

To produce CO2 cheaply, you can use a slow-release CO2 system made at home, as this approach is by far the simplest and least expensive. In your grow space, you only hang slow-release CO2 bottles or bags. Over time, carbon dioxide is gradually emitted.

2. What Are the Sources of CO2 in Nature?

The sources of CO2 in nature include the earth’s oceans, soil, plants, animals, and volcanoes. Other sources include outgassing, biomass decomposition, volcanic venting, wildfires that happen on their own, and even belching ruminants such as cows. All of these can add a lot of CO2 to the atmosphere.

Conclusion

Plants need a steady supply of CO2, and we’ve shown you a budget-friendly way to get it. Here’s a quick recap of what you just read:

• Mix soda with citric acid, then add warm water to the mixture to provide CO2 for your plants.
• Mix baking soda with dry ice, yeast, or vinegar. Then, add a splash of warm water to watch the CO2 bubbles fizz and foam!
• To give your underwater garden the ultimate CO2 boost, combine soda and water in one container and citric acid and water in another. Connect the two bottles with a CO2 generator kit to your aquarium, and voilà – you’ve just created an aquascape paradise!

You will surely find this step-by-step guide helpful if you are searching for the easiest way to add life to your plants without breaking the bank.

References

• How to Make a CO2 Reactor for an Aquarium: 15 Steps (wikihow.com)