CO2 help

[Millerman]

How many bps do I want for my 55 gallon aquarium? This is my first co2 system and I'm not positive everything is set up right( the co2 tubbing is hard to work with). It's the aquatech mini with a 24oz paintball tank. I'm having a hard time adjusting it. It seems that if I barely move the nob it will drastically adjust it.

 

[fort384]

Yes, unfortunately that isn't the best setup for fine tuning. How many BPS depends on what your tank is using. Do you have a drop checker? How are you dissolving the CO2 into the tank?

 

[Fresh2o]

What are you setting the working pressure at? I think I keep mine around 40. I believe that if you keep the working pressure lower, the fine tuning knob will be less sensitive. Also, allows make sure that you monitor the bps well after adjusting the fine tuning knob. Meaning, don't make an adjustment and leave for the day. You may end up with floaters in the tank I did a slight adjustment once, went downstairs for dinner, came back and all the fish were gasping at the surface. The ceramic diffuser looked like an air stone and the drop checker was bright yellow. I shut off the CO2 and did a few big WCs to the correct the situation. Thankfully no fatalities.


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[Brookster123]

That's not a great setup for that size tank, it's very limited in fine tuning. You're probably wanting to hit 7-9 bps in a tank that size. You'd be better off with a 5# tank and premium reg.

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[Fresh2o]

That's not a great setup for that size tank, it's very limited in fine tuning. You're probably wanting to hit 7-9 bps in a tank that size. You'd be better off with a 5# tank and premium reg.

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Would a more efficient distribution method (CO2 reactor) compensate for this?


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[Brookster123]

Would a more efficient distribution method (CO2 reactor) compensate for this?


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Yah, less gas needed to saturate the tank with adequate levels.

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[Millerman]

I'm not using a drop checker and only a fluval ceramic diffuser. I'm not sure how to adjust the working pressure either I'm also concerned it might be leaking also but I don't hear any gas escaping.

 

[Brookster123]

Do you use a bubble counter? Lighting? Plants? Ferts? Substrate?

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[Millerman]

Sorry, I'm using the bubble counter/check valve it came with. I'm using flourish comprehensive and oscmote plus root tabs for ferts I also occasionally dose excel. My lights are two 48" t8 shop lights and 1 24" t5ho light in the back all with 6500k bulbs. My plants are just some water wisteria, anubias, Java fern, dhg, and some Amazon swords I'm ordering more soon.

 

[Millerman]

Oh and substrate is Eco complete capped with sand

 

[fort384]

Basically two ways to tell how much CO2 you have in the water:

A drop checker using 4dKH reference solution

or

Testing KH and pH and calculating the ppm CO2 (or using a reference chart like here: CO2/pH/KH table - Aquarium Plants - Barr Report )

You can get a drop checker very economically on eBay. You can make 4dKH reference solution, or buy a small bottle on ebay economically.

We can estimate on BPS, but if you are injecting CO2, you don't want to estimate - you want to get it right. Too much can kill your fish, too little and it can actually cause algae growth.

 

[Caliban07]

Basically two ways to tell how much CO2 you have in the water:

A drop checker using 4dKH reference solution

or

Testing KH and pH and calculating the ppm CO2 (or using a reference chart like here: CO2/pH/KH table - Aquarium Plants - Barr Report )

You can get a drop checker very economically on eBay. You can make 4dKH reference solution, or buy a small bottle on ebay economically.

We can estimate on BPS, but if you are injecting CO2, you don't want to estimate - you want to get it right. Too much can kill your fish, too little and it can actually cause algae growth.

Unfortunately both of those methods are estimates. But the drop checker is better than nothing.


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[fort384]

Yes, they are, but accurate enough for the purposes of an aquarium. Certainly the ionic composition of the particular water in question can slightly skew the results. Water chemistry discussion aside, I have never heard of anyone who had CO2 overdose issues when they were using 4dKH in a drop checker, and the drop checker was reading green.

 

[Millerman]

My ph is around 7.5 and kh is 180 If that helps

 

[Caliban07]

My ph is around 7.5 and kh is 180 If that helps

The co2 chart that was referred to earlier is based on a scientific calculation which negates all other sources that influence ph other than carbonic acid. This means that theoretically the co2 value when ph is X and dkh is Y is bang on unfortunately this can't be used in our aquarium's because there are too many variables acting on ph.

The drop checker although an approximation or a real time figure is your best bet when purchased from a reputable manufacturer.


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[fort384]

...if you use 4dKH reference solution.

The chart is not perfect, but better than nothing in the absence of a drop checker. Given your values, I'd say your tank is close to equilibrium with air, you aren't getting much dissolved into the water.

 

[Millerman]

...if you use 4dKH reference solution.

The chart is not perfect, but better than nothing in the absence of a drop checker. Given your values, I'd say your tank is close to equilibrium with air, you aren't getting much dissolved into the water.

I'm sorry this is all fairly new to me, I'm not getting very much co2 dissolved because my diffuser isn't very good or I don't have enough bps. I guess I'll get a drop checker also but planted aquariums sure are expensive I couldn't imagine the cost if I were to get a even bigger tank.

 

[Millerman]

I currently only have it set to 2 bps right now also. I didn't know that to little of co2 could cause algae either my plan was to run it at only 2bps and make each tank last. I thought that some co2 would be better than none but I guess that's not the case. I'm also supplementing with excel if that matters.

 

[fort384]

In my experience, low and fluctuating levels tend to spur some nuisance algae growth, where as high (30ppm) and consistent CO2 levels acts as a prophylaxis against nuisance algae and kicks plants into high gear, assuming you have other nutrients (light, N, P, K, trace elements) in balance.

 

[Brookster123]

In my experience, low and fluctuating levels tend to spur some nuisance algae growth, where as high (30ppm) and consistent CO2 levels acts as a prophylaxis against nuisance algae and kicks plants into high gear, assuming you have other nutrients (light, N, P, K, trace elements) in balance.

Truth...

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