Pressurized co2
- Thread starter goosej13
- Start date
I would recommend one of the micro bubble diffusers rather than the old bubbler types which release larger bubbles...
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
wait, do you have a drop checker? I go by a general rule of no more than 4 bps, but it all depends on the color of that drop checker being a nice solid green.
I wouldn't worry about the ph. If your plants don't start producing oxygen by mid day then I would add more co2 or maybe your lights are not bright enough. The amount of co2 really depends on how bright your lights are. High lighted tanks need more co2 low lighted tank need less. Also I would mention how is your co2 dissolved into the water. What type or method diffuser are you using to get co2 into the water. You can't go by someone else's Bubble Per Second as a measure. In my tanks I only inject 1-2 BPS using Atomic inline diffusers.
I have 324 watts of t5 HO lighting(6x 54w HO bulbs) on a 75g open top tank with lighting it is pretty heavily planted with multiple different species. I run roughly 6.9-7.0 ph according to my Milwaukee controller. My bps is probably 5 bps its really hard to count after 3 bps. I dropped my ph from 7.7-7.8 to 7.0 in about 10 days with no issues I just had to increase my bps to see ph drop. My plants are pearling INCREDIBLY like never before! Don't be scared to do 5-7 bps for your size tank to see ph fluctuations
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Sent from my iPhone using MonsterAquariaNetwork app
Now I gotta fill my Co2 tank... I had it as a stream of bubbles in my bubble checker...no drop in PH
How large is your co2 tank? On a 125 with a proper reactor or a atomizer (not to be confused with a diffuser.) A 5lb co2 tank should last more then a month. You could have a leak.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
The issues of dialing in co2 are relevant to several factors. Bubble count is a very inaccurate way to measure. Why? Because not all equipment is able to create the same sized bubble. So using other people's bubble rates is inaccurate. Other things also effect as well. The pressure of the tank and how full, the quality of regulator, even regulators of the same brand vary. Quality of needle valve. How heavily planted the tank is, current and flow through out the tank itself. What method your using to introduce the co2 and water, is it a reactor? Is it diffuser? Or is it atomizer? Even the quality of those make a difference. Then there is Lighting quality and quantities as light will dictate co2 need by the plants. Even equipment such as ph regulators and drop checkers are far from accurate as other things effect them as well. The best co2 indicators you have in the tank are your fish and your plants. They must be your guide.
To properly set up your co2 levels you really need to make a full day of it. Adjusting a little at a time. More and more. Til you see the first signs of stress in your fish. From there look at your bubble counter. See what you have for bubbles. Then back it off just a little so the fish are doing good. This is your max level.
If you have poor circulation in the tank or partial circulation it can make a difference at what concentrations are in various areas.
Pearling plants are not a quality indicator that things are right either. Ive seen many tanks that dont pearl and have plenty of co2 saturation. Pearling is a means showing the plants are bleeding off more o2 then the water can hold due to over saturation.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
To properly set up your co2 levels you really need to make a full day of it. Adjusting a little at a time. More and more. Til you see the first signs of stress in your fish. From there look at your bubble counter. See what you have for bubbles. Then back it off just a little so the fish are doing good. This is your max level.
If you have poor circulation in the tank or partial circulation it can make a difference at what concentrations are in various areas.
Pearling plants are not a quality indicator that things are right either. Ive seen many tanks that dont pearl and have plenty of co2 saturation. Pearling is a means showing the plants are bleeding off more o2 then the water can hold due to over saturation.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
For your tank I would be curious of the following.
What is your co2 tank pressure? Have you done a leak check on your co2 system to check for leaks? What means are you introducing the co2 into the water? If reactor, which one? How large? Whats the flow of water through it? If your using a diffuser, is it a regular in tank or is it an inline atomizer? Whats your in tank circulation like? What all do you have to move the water around?
Personally I would forget the ph meter and drop checkers. To many influences that make them inaccurate. A 125 gallon tank will take some doing to get the water and co2 levels right. Water circulation inside the tank needs to be everywhere. Regular little in tank diffusion will not work. If using a reactor, you will need to make sure the water has good contact time with the co2. To much flow kills that to little flow not enough mix to bring tje levels up. With a tank this size you may need more then one reactor. My 125 planted uses 2 of them with 2 returns from each reactor. Gives me more ability to flow and saturate the water in the tank. Remember the fish and plants are your best tools to determine how much co2 you need.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
What is your co2 tank pressure? Have you done a leak check on your co2 system to check for leaks? What means are you introducing the co2 into the water? If reactor, which one? How large? Whats the flow of water through it? If your using a diffuser, is it a regular in tank or is it an inline atomizer? Whats your in tank circulation like? What all do you have to move the water around?
Personally I would forget the ph meter and drop checkers. To many influences that make them inaccurate. A 125 gallon tank will take some doing to get the water and co2 levels right. Water circulation inside the tank needs to be everywhere. Regular little in tank diffusion will not work. If using a reactor, you will need to make sure the water has good contact time with the co2. To much flow kills that to little flow not enough mix to bring tje levels up. With a tank this size you may need more then one reactor. My 125 planted uses 2 of them with 2 returns from each reactor. Gives me more ability to flow and saturate the water in the tank. Remember the fish and plants are your best tools to determine how much co2 you need.
Sent from my SPH-L710 using MonsterAquariaNetwork App
