drop check

[Dr. Scroggins..]

I've had my cal aqua drop checker in my tank for a few (2-3) days now (today is 3rd week since set up). I'm having trouble getting it to go from blue to green.. my bubble counter is going at juuuust over 1 bubble per second. it's at like 5 bubbles every three seconds... what can you guys recommend, just slowly turn it up, maybe twice a day until i get the reading i want? the manufacturer suggests waiting 2 hours for the checker to acclimate to any adjustments with the CO2.. but i've seen no color change yet..

thanks in advance!

 

[JustOneMore20]

I would slowly increase the bubble count...like try 2 bubbles per sec today....and if you don't see a change tomorrow...increase it again....and so on until you get green. If you wanted to go faster, you could...I'd wait more than 2 hours for a change though...maybe more like 4 hours to be safe.

 

[Dr. Scroggins..]

not too worried about immediate results or anything, i'm waiting for my ammonia levels to drop, aquasoil substrate so... i think i got time before my cycle even starts. thanks

 

[happygirl65]

Are you using a diffuser on your CO2? And is the water you used in your drop checker the right dKH? Those things can both make a difference.

 

[Dr. Scroggins..]

For diffusion i'm running my CO2 through a small airstone. It fits nicely into the intake of my powerhead. Pretty small bubbles, like maybe the size of a period at the end of a sentence..

For the drop checker i am using the fluid that came with it, and on their website it says "The indicator solution is a combination of KH Standard / 4 degree KH (4 dKH) and pH indicator (Bromothymol Blue)." Drop checker is from Cal Aqua Labs...

It's a 55gal tank, with canister filter. I've been running oxygen during the "light off" period. I'm guessing the surface agitation from that would dissipate some of the CO2, but shouldn't i be able to stabilize it eventually? Everything is on a day/night timer, On 5, off 4, on 5, off 10 over night.

thanks for lending some knowledge here!

 

[timwag2001]

how big is the tank?

 

[Dr. Scroggins..]

55 gal

 

[timwag2001]

oh jeez. thats why you arent getting anywhere. i would start at about 4 or 5 bubbles a second. and if you dont have fish yet then go for it.

 

[Dr. Scroggins..]

okay, nice. i guess i had always just read to shoot for 1 -2 bps.. turning it up first thing tomorrow! and thank you.

 

[timwag2001]

1-2 bps is a pretty good starting point but that is really more for tanks with fish. it works for smaller tanks but you got a bigger one.

 

[Dr. Scroggins..]

so i'm planning on adding fish once i finish my cycle.. is 4-5bps going to be too high for them?

 

[timwag2001]

jump to 4-5 bps and see where it puts your drop checker.

 

[mgamer20o0]

bumping it up 2-4 times a day would be the way i would do it.

 

[Dr. Scroggins..]

great. thanks guys. seriously, this is an amazing source of information.

 

[Dr. Scroggins..]

well it's more green than blue, so were getting closer! thanks everyone.

 

[timwag2001]

awesome. glad it's working for you