Gas exchange question

[flitabout]

I understand about dosing and injecting co2. My question is if you have a bubbler of some type that helps to agitate the surface, I heard that it will cause more co2 to leave the system? Is that true? So I should or shouldn't have a regular bubbler with the plants.

 

[aqua_chem]

Yes, if you have an airstone running, you're cause a lot of CO2 to be loss. This is only a problem if you're injecting CO2 (NOTE: Excel is not CO2, so it doesn't apply here)

 

[bsantucci]

How does this relate if you use a spray bar slightly aimed up? I never thought of this, but my spray bar just gently moves the surface, no bubbles. Does that cause excess co2 to leave as well?

 

[BBradbury]

Hello flit...

If you have a filtration system in place that turns over roughly 4 times the volume of the tank every hour and you perform large water changes regularly, you don't need extra aeration to move the water's surface.

Movement of the surface water mixes oxygen into the water and allows carbon dioxide (CO2) to escape (gas exchange). More water movement adds O2 and releases more CO2. Since plants give off O2 and take in CO2, you don't want a lot of surface movement or you remove the CO2 the plants need for good growth.

Does that make any sense?

B

 

[flitabout]

That does make sense. I had originally added the air stones when I thought I had ich so I cranked the temp and to compensate for the lower oxygen in the hotter water. Then I read that it can lower the co2 in the water. There is such a balancing act to learn!!!!! Airstones are off!

 

[jwh0818]

That does make sense. I had originally added the air stones when I thought I had ich so I cranked the temp and to compensate for the lower oxygen in the hotter water. Then I read that it can lower the co2 in the water. There is such a balancing act to learn!!!!! Airstones are off!

Make sure you run the airstones at night to help the plants release co2

 

[flitabout]

I can do that!

 

[jwh0818]

I can do that!

Timers really help. Set your airpump to turn on 1 hour after you have your lights and co2 set to turn off then have the airpump turn off and the co2 turn on 1 hour before lights turn on

 

[Rivercats]

Timers really help. Set your airpump to turn on 1 hour after you have your lights and co2 set to turn off then have the airpump turn off and the co2 turn on 1 hour before lights turn on

This is what I do except I use a small powerhead. Timers are great because a couple times before I added a timer for this I forgot to turn the PH on and one time in the beginning I actually had fish at the surface in the morning.

 

[jwh0818]

This is what I do except I use a small powerhead. Timers are great because a couple times before I added a timer for this I forgot to turn the PH on and one time in the beginning I actually had fish at the surface in the morning.

By turn the ph on you mean ph controller?

 

[Rivercats]

PH= powerhead, much shorter to write.

 

[jwh0818]

PH= powerhead, much shorter to write.

Okay that makes more sense to me. I got a bit confused there