strange Co2 drop checker issue

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bullyboy

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
Oct 21, 2016
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Location
Seattle area
Hey all im having a Co2 issue and im not sure why its happening.

So i look at my drop checker in the morning and its almost yellow even though the Co2 has been off all night.

When i do have the Co2 going its only 1bps.
I thought at first that perhaps the soulution was old but after changung it i have the same results.

Ive lost 1 Nerite and 1 TDS thus morning to what im assuming is Co2 poisoning

Info:
Open top 10gal tank
DIY Co2
High light
mosses and a couple Nerite snails
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 10
Ph 6.5
Temp-75
 
Hm, my first thought is perhaps theres a leak somewhere within the hosing of the Co2 allowing for larger amounts to be seeping out however the 1bps read out curves that a little bit.
What kind of hose are you using? It may also be possible whatever youre using to count the bubbles could be incorrect....
 
Just regular aqua hose on a DIY setup. Nothing comming out of the diffuser after i shut it off at night either.

I have an air stone i could run to displace the Co2 with Oxygen but still...
 
You said moss what else do you have in the tank for flora ? How long before photo period is it coming on? How long is the photo period?
 
You said moss what else do you have in the tank for flora ? How long before photo period is it coming on? How long is the photo period?
Thats it
Flame, java, Fissidens mosses and some mini pellia and Subwassertang.

Lights and Co2 on at the same time about 8am and Co2 off an hour before lights out.
Photo period is 12 hrs
 
Only moss ive owned has been java. Flow, diffuser, placement ive noticed in my 10g make big difference. I can get yellow at about 1.5 bps. Im at 35 par no pearling ever. But 1bps keeps me lime green. So id say its certainly possible.
 
Only moss ive owned has been java. Flow, diffuser, placement ive noticed in my 10g make big difference. I can get yellow at about 1.5 bps. Im at 35 par no pearling ever. But 1bps keeps me lime green. So id say its certainly possible.
Ya ive got my diffuser placed low center of the back side with a small pump over it taking in bubbles and sending them out.
 
Id say its possible. If solution is good? Check it pull checker out of tank for an hour.
 
Ya it may take more than an hour but ill check it out.
I did turn it off for a while (3hrs) with no change
 
Ya the whole set up, that might show if theres a leak, i marked the bottle every night and no change.
It may just be surface diffusion issues as well. Since adding the Subwassertang (a sandwich bag full) ive noticed a film on the water surface.

Its kind of a holding tank for stuff till i get around to the projects at hand
 
I must be missing something. Your pH is 6.5. That is well below the green you're looking for with the drop checker.
The solutions I've seen always change at 7.2.
 
So i took out the Subwassertang and ran a skimmer for a while.

Everything is good now and theres no more film on the surface.
The excess is exchanging per normal now.
Unfortunately all that Co2 was gassing a Scud population into submission...not any more.

What eats em?
 
My tank ph is 6.5 pre Co2 use
Compare the pH in the morning then. Even if the drop checker is yellow, I can guarantee it's back to baseline pH by morning, meaning the problem is with the drop checker. Co2 gasses off very easily and quickly, so there's really no chance it's staying in the water overnight after being turned off.

You mentioned surface film, but a surface film will not stop gas exchange over such a large surface area. Co2 will off-gas fairly quickly regardless. The issue is likely that the same surface film is building up inside the drop checker, which comparatively has a very small amount of water surface area inside.

EDIT: Wait, what are you putting in your drop checker? Are you using 4dkh solution and ph drops, or just tank water with ph drops?
 
Compare the pH in the morning then. Even if the drop checker is yellow, I can guarantee it's back to baseline pH by morning, meaning the problem is with the drop checker. Co2 gasses off very easily and quickly, so there's really no chance it's staying in the water overnight after being turned off.

You mentioned surface film, but a surface film will not stop gas exchange over such a large surface area. Co2 will off-gas fairly quickly regardless. The issue is likely that the same surface film is building up inside the drop checker, which comparatively has a very small amount of water surface area inside.

EDIT: Wait, what are you putting in your drop checker? Are you using 4dkh solution and ph drops, or just tank water with ph drops?
The 4dkh soulution

The drop checker qas a dark green this morning vs waking up to it being yellow
 
Heres the tank last nite after i took out the Subwassertang and hat some serious gigawatts goin to use up Co2
 

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