Hi Ed, what you mentioned isn't comparable to CO2-production in a bottle. I personal don't even use blackwater extracts for my fish-why should i drink it - beer is much cheaper. We're using biological processes in filters - this isn't natural too but necessary. We keep to many fish in little tank volumes -also not natural compared to habitats. Biofilters, peat, ro devices, ion exchange resins and some more sophisticated devices are substitutes a way to make it practical. Why not using biogas to produce carbon dioxide-just one more artificial method.