Thats the last straw!!!!

[Peyton]

Well, if you have a filter on the intake of a powerhead and you use this powerhead to mist your DIY CO2 always make sure the filter is clean and unobstructed. I have now learned this the hardway. The filter got clogged so the powerhead sucked all the air out of the DIY co2 bottles then continued to suck the mix into the tank.

I did a 70% water change and thought I had caught it in time. Fish looked ok and the water was clear. Woke up friday morning at 5am and the tank was completly cloudy (I had unhooked the co2 the night before so no more mix entered the tank?) and the fish were gasping at the surface, some where already dead. I did another 70% water change. Then I had to go to work.

At noon I got home and again the water was cloudy and the fish were gasping at the surface. Several were already dead. I netted the surviving ones into a shrimp tank. Then did about four 100% water changes. Each time the cloudyness became less and less. So I was hoping it was over. Well it might not be. The tank is looking cloudy AGAIN! Is this a bacteria outbreak?

So I've lost all my bosmani rainbows along with several SAEs and about half my serpeas. Well last night I went ahead and ordered a pressuized system. I got a 10lb bottle, regulator w/bubble counter, bubble counter liquid, and 10 ft of CO2 tubing. Is there anything else I need? I really would like to run this to two tanks eventually. Do they make a 2 outlet manifold?

 

[Purrbox]

Sounds like you've got everything you need to setup the first aquarium.

You can either get a 2 outlet manifold (they do make them) or a manifold with additional outlets and plugs for the outlets that aren't going to be used. By buying a manifold that will supply more tanks than you currently need you allow for easier expansion with less expense. In addition to the manifold you'd need another needle valve and bubble counter for each additional aquarium.

 

[SparKy697]

This has come up in the past. I have always thought that a check valve placed in a T that is inline with the tubing that connects to the co2 bottle could help stop this. If you place the check valve so that when ever there is a negative pressure in the system air would be sucked into the line from the outside instead of collapsing the bottle. This assumes that the co2 bottle is under some amount of pressure when it is operating normally.

 

[Hoovercat]

Peyton I feel your loss completely. I've had various incidents such as yours since diving headfirst into this hobby a fev years ago. Early experiment with pressurised CO2 killed all in a 10gal. Gassed a few by letting a CO2 tank run out unnoticed and some more by overdosing excel. Had a 90 gal. tank break and lost a couple more. Latest incident my wife accidentally overdosed melafix by 2 and killed a half dozen large, pretty rainbows and big green tiger barbs.

I guess it's the price we pay for trying to do the more advanced aspects of our hobby.

Good luck with the pressurised system, be sure to use either a milwaukee or a drop checker to monitor levels. Using the CO2/pH/KH chart with pressurised CO2 can be risky to regulate starting out.

Here is a link that sells a 2 way manifold that includes the needle valves. Your bubble counter may have a needle valve attached already as well. http://aquatic-store.com/en-us/dept_31.html Look well down the page for item #co2r-2m. It's a 2 way manifold with a needle valve for each output. Costs $23 plus shipping.

 

[Peyton]

Thanks for the link Hoovercat. I don't expect to have the system up and running for a few more weeks as the only place I can find to fill the tank is 45min away. Definetly want to use a drop checker, I'll have to read up on that though. I can't wait to throw this DIY stuff in the garbage!

On a side note I went to the LFS today to trade in some plants and they had some praecox rainbows for $1.99 so I traded for all 5 they had. So at least I found a good deal on some replacements. I did love my bosmanis though.