Losing CO2?

[Creamhorses]

Our tank @ 6 weeks is doing very well....We have both UGF and outside filtration for this 90g. With a timer, I run the lights on for 14 hours, off for 10, as it fits our viewing schedule. During this 10 hour night, the timner activates the big outside filter, but the UGF and the heaters run constantly.
From what I've read and wish to gather a bit more info on is just how much CO2 I might be losing by running those four drop tubes with air stones 24/7? I'm thinking about extending the tubes a bit above the water line, so the bubbles don't saturate the surface.

Or maybe I should leave it alone...if it ain't broke, ......

Wadda ya think?

Dave

 

[travis simonson]

I would definitely not turn off your big outside filter at all. Turning it off kills any nitrifying bacteria colonies that you might have growing in it and renders it fairly useless when it does run. Definitely run it all the time.

Are you supplementing with CO2? If so, the airstones might be driving some of it out of your water. You might consider just running them at night if that is the case. If you're not supplementing with CO2 then I wouldn't worry about it because CO2 will just equilibrate with atmospheric CO2 regardless of what you do. HTH

 

[malkore]

Just to add to Travis's comments: if you are injecting CO2, then those 4 lift tubes are likely outgassing 90% of your injected CO2. I've done some non-scientific testing of outgassing with HOB's. it doesn't take a terribly large amount of splashing from a HOB to gas out a lot of injected CO2.

 

[Creamhorses]

I don't inject CO2, and have opted to let the outside filter run constantly, except when I feed. The fish know when that turbulance stops, it's dinner time. I like the idea of having the flakes or whatever I feed have the time to be consumed before they're powered off in the propwash. I do understand the logic of interupting the flow of water through the filter media that supports the bacteria, and when it's off for 8+ hours, it kills the cycle. Thanks for that heads up!

If I had it to do again, I would have put two smaller filters - one on each end of the tank for better covereage; especially the plant mattter that I'll have to remove by hand. I can't put this PF500 in the center of the tank as recommended, due to the construction of our cover, so it sit on the far right rear. Consequently, the trust of return water leaves the far corner with a whirpool effect.

It is in the works to put a fish feeder in the program. I prefer to feed small amounts @ intervals, rather than a glut once a day. This is more natural for the fish too. As summer approaches, we'll be spending less time in the house, and I hate to see the flakes get pounded around. We have a timer with several on/off combos, so I'll look into setting that up with a feeder, and have the filter pop off for 15 min. during those dining times.

Love this forum

Dave

 

[Purrbox]

Since you aren't injecting CO2 the extra water splashing is actually helping you to maintain your CO2 levels. It's only when you are injecting CO2 that you need to avoid splashing.