C02 and Powerheads for Noobs

[LiQuiD]

Hi Everyone! Had a few questions about C02 as I am a novice with it, but just got a nice rig set up to use. I have a 5lb tank with a Milwaukee regulator for my 55 gallon tank. I have been using it for almost 2 months, and my overall growth hasnt been that impressive. I also noticed that my drop checker always seems to slowly turn yellow which is telling me that its not enough C02. Im currently doing 1-2bps. I also added 2 Hydor 425 power heads on the side with the diffuser to help push the C02 around. I have pool filter sand for substrate, and I dose potassium and Iron twice a week. I also use home made osmocote root tabs. Still, some of my swords leaves are turning translucent and yellow. My crypts and jungle val are doing well though.


Questions

1) I also have a sponge filter along with a canister filter on this tank. Is surface agitation from my Aquaclear 110 taking away from my C02 distribution? Am I over killing my filtration by adding this with my Fluval 406?

2) Are the power heads necessary to help with Co2? I feel that it may be too much, but the fish seem to like it. Is having them both on one side too much?

3) Should I consider changing my substrate to something better for the plants? I have lots of cory cats, so would prefer to use sand if possible.

I am looking into an in-line diffuser for my Fluval filter as I read that it does a better job distributing the C02. Think this will help my problem?

Thanks again for helping me out!

 

[Ziggy953]

I am by no means an expert in this arena, but I believe that your drop checker turning yellow means you have too much CO2 in the tank. You want it to turn from blue to Green and stay green to almost yellow.

With CO2 injection you want very little surface agitation to keep the CO2 in the tank to dissolve. I have a power head in my 40b to move water around but it does not agitate the surface. Flow is important in a tank but you don't need a lot, just enough to keep the water and nutrients circulated throughout the tank.

Filtration is a question mark for me as well. I am new to the high tech planted world I am formally a reef guy and I used mostly natural filtration in my systems. The planted world is similar but different. I have a canister on my tank with a sponge, filter pad and filter floss. I'm adding ceramic noodle looking things to the canister as soon as they arrive to provide more biological surface area in the filter for bacteria to colonize.

Not sure if that helps a lot but that's about all I know or at least think I know.

 

[coralbandit]

+ 1 on yellow being heavy with co2(risky for fish).
Is your DC using 4dkh solution???

 

[irdajoh]

If the drop checker is yellow and the fish are comfortable then you're golden. If they are hanging out at the surfice gasping you have a slight problem.

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