New to CO2! 2 questions.....

[sallyjano]

Just added my new Ray2 and pressurized co2 yesterday and am very excited!! Can't wait to see how my plants grow now. 2 questions....

1. In doing reading about measuring co2 ppm I am confused. Some people seem to say just measure the KH/PH and use that chart and that tells you the co2 ppm but I've seen other posts saying that's not accurate (something to do with phosphate buffers in the water - I forget the exact explanation but I'm you pros know what I'm referencing!).

So I am wondering - do I really need to get my head around making a KH reference solution and using a drop checker? Or can I just meansure KH/PH and although it's not a perfect measurement......is it good enough?

Thoughts?

2. The tank is 48 inches long and I have a fluval diffuser at one end of the tank. Does that mean that plants at that end get way more co2? Do you just strategically put the plants that need more near the diffuser? Or does the HOB provide enough movement for the c02 to go around the tank?

 

[Mebbid]

1 - drop checkers are very important. They give you a real time measurement of co2 in the water which means you can catch a problem way before you test for it (unless youre testing every hour or so) i would invest in one.

2 - with proper circulation in the tank this shouldnt be an issue. Think of it like a heater, if theres no circulation then the water around it gets aarm. If you apply even a little circulation then it spreads quite evenly.

 

[sallyjano]

1 - drop checkers are very important. They give you a real time measurement of co2 in the water which means you can catch a problem way before you test for it (unless youre testing every hour or so) i would invest in one.

2 - with proper circulation in the tank this shouldnt be an issue. Think of it like a heater, if theres no circulation then the water around it gets aarm. If you apply even a little circulation then it spreads quite evenly.

Ok thanks Mebbid! Just ordered a drop checker online

One more question. I am reading that I need to either use an air stone at night, OR let my HOB splash a little so that they fishies get enough O2. I'm trying to decide which - would you agree maybe keeping the water level high (so no splash from HOB) and running an airstone is better because that way it's consistent. If I rely on the HOB splashing, if the water is not always the same level the amount of splash will vary so the amount of available CO2 will vary.

So do you think the airstone is better for that reason (or any other) - or am I over thinking it!! I'd rather not have yet another cord plugged into a timer unless it's the better option. (Not too worried about getting through more co2 unless it makes a huge difference).

 

[Brookster123]

If you turn the co2 off an hour before lights out and dc is still showing saturation in the morning than off gassing with an airstone at night would be a good plan.

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[sallyjano]

If you turn the co2 off an hour before lights out and dc is still showing saturation in the morning than off gassing with an airstone at night would be a good plan.

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OK thanks. I'll do that when the drop checker arrives. (though I'm a bit confused about the whole KH reference solution thing but I'll read the instructions again and hopefully it will become clear!!).

On another note - from your pic I see you have 2 Ray2s on your tanks. If I have just one 48" one on a 60g do you think that gives me at least medium light? Or am I still in the low to medium range?

 

[Brookster123]

OK thanks. I'll do that when the drop checker arrives. (though I'm a bit confused about the whole KH reference solution thing but I'll read the instructions again and hopefully it will become clear!!).

On another note - from your pic I see you have 2 Ray2s on your tanks. If I have just one 48" one on a 60g do you think that gives me at least medium light? Or am I still in the low to medium range?

Have you tested your kh? So long as your in the normal range you can use 4dkh solution with 2-4 drops of ph reagent. If your kh is off the charts you'll need appropriate reference solution. I *had 2 planted plus on a 20 tall and it was too much.. not saying it's impossible but I wasn't into it. You won't be dissapointed with the results, you could add a stingray or sat plus for color poppage

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[sallyjano]

Have you tested your kh? So long as your in the normal range you can use 4dkh solution with 2-4 drops of ph reagent. If your kh is off the charts you'll need appropriate reference solution. I *had 2 planted plus on a 20 tall and it was too much.. not saying it's impossible but I wasn't into it. You won't be dissapointed with the results, you could add a stingray or sat plus for color poppage

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The only KH test I have currently is just strips (ordered the liquid version which should arrive tomorrow). From the strips it's hard to tell as the color I see isn't really on the chart! It's definitely high. But when you say 'normal range' - what's normal?

Ok good to know re the lights! Thanks, I actually do already have a couple of additional lights for color

 

[sallyjano]

I just realized the drop checker I was ordering comes from outside the US and won't arrive until May 14th. NOT GOOD. I can't seem to find one that is cheap (they are expensive on the greenleaf site) and available to be shipped from the US so not a wait of several weeks (by which time I'll no doubt have either gassed my fish or grown a beautiful colony of algae).

Anyone got a tip on what website I can get one that ships from the US without it being expensive?

 

[jrizza]

I had the same problem. I wanted a nice bell drop glass one ASAP but all of those seem to be from outside of the U.S.

I went and ordered the weird looking fluval one from Amazon. It's an add on item, which means you have to buy something else too


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[sallyjano]

I had the same problem. I wanted a nice bell drop glass one ASAP but all of those seem to be from outside of the U.S.

I went and ordered the weird looking fluval one from Amazon. It's an add on item, which means you have to buy something else too


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Ok I see the fluval one and actually it's not an add on now - it's on Prime for 11 bucks. BUT the reviews say you have to top up the liquid every 2-3 weeks which sounds like a pain but are they all like that?

 

[Brookster123]

You'll be changing the liquid every 3 weeks anyways. I use the fluval in my nano. It's just reagent so no big thing.. you could... just wait out the glass dc from China (have 2!) And treat this as an acclimation period. Start at 2 bps and up it 1 bps a week until your glass gets there. In the meantime, find a water report and see where your gh/kh is at. Where does it fall on test strip? Post a pic if possible.

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[NigelK8485]

Just spend the extra cash on the greenleaf ones. They're well worth it. I tried cheaping out with the fluval one and various others from eBay and Amazon and they would all leak the solution out, not be accurate, it was way more hassle than it was worth. I finally got the pearl drop checker on greenleaf and love it. The reference solution inside is amazing.

The $50 more that the pearl drop checker costs is well worth it as opposed to the headaches from a leaking drop checker, the extra bottles of solution you're having to buy to keep refilling, and the fish that you run the risk of gassing out.


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[Brookster123]

Just spend the extra cash on the greenleaf ones. They're well worth it. I tried cheaping out with the fluval one and various others from eBay and Amazon and they would all leak the solution out, not be accurate, it was way more hassle than it was worth. I finally got the pearl drop checker on greenleaf and love it. The reference solution inside is amazing.

The $50 more that the pearl drop checker costs is well worth it as opposed to the headaches from a leaking drop checker, the extra bottles of solution you're having to buy to keep refilling, and the fish that you run the risk of gassing out.


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Nahhhh my $3 Chinese glass dc works just fine....

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[NigelK8485]

Nahhhh my $3 Chinese glass dc works just fine....

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I was never patient enough to wait that long for one so all mine were cheap plastic American ones. I'd fill it up every day.


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[sallyjano]

You'll be changing the liquid every 3 weeks anyways. I use the fluval in my nano. It's just reagent so no big thing.. you could... just wait out the glass dc from China (have 2!) And treat this as an acclimation period. Start at 2 bps and up it 1 bps a week until your glass gets there. In the meantime, find a water report and see where your gh/kh is at. Where does it fall on test strip? Post a pic if possible.

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Ok thanks Brookster. I just ordered the fluval one so we'll see.

Re my readings now - I find it hard to tell as the colors aren't the same on the strips! The KH on the strip it goes up to dark green - I see dark green but with blue tones. It's definitely very high. PH I am guessing around 8.

I'll post a pic of the test results when I get home (and in case you didn't see my earlier comment I have ordered the liquid tests.....).

Just spend the extra cash on the greenleaf ones. They're well worth it. I tried cheaping out with the fluval one and various others from eBay and Amazon and they would all leak the solution out, not be accurate, it was way more hassle than it was worth. I finally got the pearl drop checker on greenleaf and love it. The reference solution inside is amazing.

The $50 more that the pearl drop checker costs is well worth it as opposed to the headaches from a leaking drop checker, the extra bottles of solution you're having to buy to keep refilling, and the fish that you run the risk of gassing out.


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Thanks.....I am sure you're right but being cheap I think I'll try the cheapie first! I just ordered the fluval one.

 

[Delapool]

I had seen reports on the fluval dc leaking. Was hoping that they had fixed but sounded like they can still have issues? I have the one below.

http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-A7551-CO2-Indicator-Kit/dp/B0052M9886

 

[NigelK8485]

I had seen reports on the fluval dc leaking. Was hoping that they had fixed but sounded like they can still have issues? I have the one below.

http://www.amazon.com/Fluval-A7551-CO2-Indicator-Kit/dp/B0052M9886

That's the one I had that I had to fill every day because the solution would leak.


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[Delapool]

Darn it

I had a look and it may have lost a bit. Evaporation?! Sigh.

I don't look at it that much or replace the solution as often as I should as it is backup to the ph controller. So not sure if gradual loss or starting to go.

Oh well, one for the parcel list I'll look into a glass one, some of the shapes look nice. Thanks for the info.

 

[Brookster123]

Trick to the fluval is wetting the o ring prior to closure. Works every time!

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[NigelK8485]

Darn it

I had a look and it may have lost a bit. Evaporation?! Sigh.

I don't look at it that much or replace the solution as often as I should as it is backup to the ph controller. So not sure if gradual loss or starting to go.

Oh well, one for the parcel list I'll look into a glass one, some of the shapes look nice. Thanks for the info.

Haha yours might be fine. I was having to refill mine every day because all of the solution would leak out every 24 hours. I think I just had a really messed up one. I tried wetting the oring, replacing the oring, twisting it on..I'd come back a few hours later and the entire drop checker was empty.



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