Bizarre PH Co2 Behaviour

[ricardo48]

Anyone have any idea whats going on with my DIY co2?

I run two 2ltr bottles on my 14 gallon tank. They are connected to an internal reactor and for several months have given me a drop checker of yellow/green and PH of 7.2 KH 16.

I change each bottle every week, 1 on a wednesday and 1 on a saturday.


All of a sudden my drop checker started going darker green and my Ph has gone up to 7.9!!

I immediately changed BOTH bottles but after 2 days my drop checker is still darkish green and the PH still 7.9

Weirder still is that my plants are still pearling well so far ( not sure if this is due to the fact my reactor does spurt out alot of bubbles when it gets too full of co2 so the misting effect on plants could be causing pearling and not dissolved co2 concentration?


Any ideas why all of a sudden my ph has gone up yet diy co2 bottles have both been changed etc.

 

[timwag2001]

a leak in you diy co2 system. check it over with very soapy water

 

[ricardo48]

No leak as the bubbles are still coming out the tubing and entering the reactor as per usual.

My PH has gone back to 7.3 now and my aquarium water de-gassed is 8.3 so im back to 30ppm.

Best thing is, im misting co2 into my powerhead intake which then fires the mist into the reactor.... The output of the reactor is also giving off a fine mist so im getting benefit of 30ppm "dissolved" co2 and misting.

The amount of pearling is astonishing.

 

[timwag2001]

pics?

 

[timwag2001]

the benefit of misting is that the tiny bubbles land under the leaves and you get pure co2 bubbles under the leaves for the plants to absorb. instead of the plants having to remove it from the water. i'm curious why you are having bubbles coming out of your reactor. you shouldnt get any bubbles out of your reactor at all.

 

[ricardo48]

Flow rate is so high the misted bubbles that are sent into reactor only mix inside for a little bit and then as they whirl around they get drawn towards the bottom where the output is and sent out across the tank.

I see it as a plus as im getting 30ppm co2 and misting