cgcaver
Aquarium Advice Regular
Hey guys, I'm really hoping some of you can help me out here. Here's what Im working with:
-55g
-3.75wpg bright kits
-AC500 filter
-No fish currently in tank
-Plants: 4 Amazon swords, some java moss, corkscrew val, anacharis, some -new glosso clumps
-Substrate: large rock and flourite
-Pressurized CO2 w/ CO2 "proof" tubing (the expensive stuff)
-Homemade diffusor (rio200 pushing water through a gravel vac tube with bubbles in it - i.e. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50905 )
-Tap water is about pH 7.8
First I tried having the CO2 diffused by my AC500 impeller (I just stuck the hose in the intake). I knew this wasn't optimal, but CO2 is cheap and I figured it was worth a shot a first. That didn't produce much at all in the way of CO2 ppm, so I decided to go ahead and build the diffusor I have now. I cannot seem to get my C02 levels above like 3-5ppm. Here are some numbers for you:
June 12 - Tanked CO2 had been going into tank for about 24 hours, into the AC500 intake to be dissolved by the impeller. Very high bubbles per second (was trying to saturate the tank).
pH: 7.4 (as you can see, my water pH dropped .4 from the usual 7.8)
GH: 3 degrees
KH: 5 degrees (6ppm CO2)
PO4: 1.5
NO3: 20
NO2: 0
NH4: 2.0 (I have no freakin idea where this Ammo came from... my snails?!)
June 23 - I have had homemade diffusor up and running for about 24 hours now. Running between 1-2 bubbles per second. I had a big algae issue going on (prolly due to PO4 levels), with very hazy water - tried a 3.5 day full blackout, which didn't clear up the hazy water (usually does) - so I did a 90% water change today.
Before water change:
pH: 7.4 (pH was obviously holding steady)
GH: 4 degrees
KH: 3 degrees (3.5ppm CO2)
PO4: .5
NO3: 7
NO2: 0
NH4: 0 (Something obviously took care of my ammonia mystery)
After 90% water change:
pH: 7.9 (ouch - pH jump :\ )
GH: 3 degrees
KH: 5 degrees (1.8ppm CO2)
PO4: .5 (Im starting to think something is wrong with my Phosphate test kit - it never looks very colored like the match card)
NO3: 0
So... big pH jumps... not good. Very little CO2 in my water, after spending insane amounts of money on this ... very not good. And glosso not growing fast ... worst of all! OK, so thats a side note and Im impatient... but I seriously pray every night before bed that my glosso will not die and actually spread But anyways, I could really use input from yall, as it seems I will never achieve 20ppm CO2. I've spent a lot of money and I am gettin no results... this is so depressing. What should I do to increase my CO2 to that level?!
Also, 2 more quick questions, then I'll sit back and hope for replies:
1) I notice a fair number of small bubbles coming out of the bottom of my reactor tube that just float right up to the top... should i put some sponge in the bottom? Will this help diffuse more gas?
2) My tank has a ton of tiny bubbles all in it... seriously it looks like my tank is filled with Sprite. There are tons of bubbles coming from all of my plants, and even on the side of my tank. There are tons of bubbles especially after a big water change. Is this normal? What am I seeing... oxygen?
-55g
-3.75wpg bright kits
-AC500 filter
-No fish currently in tank
-Plants: 4 Amazon swords, some java moss, corkscrew val, anacharis, some -new glosso clumps
-Substrate: large rock and flourite
-Pressurized CO2 w/ CO2 "proof" tubing (the expensive stuff)
-Homemade diffusor (rio200 pushing water through a gravel vac tube with bubbles in it - i.e. http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50905 )
-Tap water is about pH 7.8
First I tried having the CO2 diffused by my AC500 impeller (I just stuck the hose in the intake). I knew this wasn't optimal, but CO2 is cheap and I figured it was worth a shot a first. That didn't produce much at all in the way of CO2 ppm, so I decided to go ahead and build the diffusor I have now. I cannot seem to get my C02 levels above like 3-5ppm. Here are some numbers for you:
June 12 - Tanked CO2 had been going into tank for about 24 hours, into the AC500 intake to be dissolved by the impeller. Very high bubbles per second (was trying to saturate the tank).
pH: 7.4 (as you can see, my water pH dropped .4 from the usual 7.8)
GH: 3 degrees
KH: 5 degrees (6ppm CO2)
PO4: 1.5
NO3: 20
NO2: 0
NH4: 2.0 (I have no freakin idea where this Ammo came from... my snails?!)
June 23 - I have had homemade diffusor up and running for about 24 hours now. Running between 1-2 bubbles per second. I had a big algae issue going on (prolly due to PO4 levels), with very hazy water - tried a 3.5 day full blackout, which didn't clear up the hazy water (usually does) - so I did a 90% water change today.
Before water change:
pH: 7.4 (pH was obviously holding steady)
GH: 4 degrees
KH: 3 degrees (3.5ppm CO2)
PO4: .5
NO3: 7
NO2: 0
NH4: 0 (Something obviously took care of my ammonia mystery)
After 90% water change:
pH: 7.9 (ouch - pH jump :\ )
GH: 3 degrees
KH: 5 degrees (1.8ppm CO2)
PO4: .5 (Im starting to think something is wrong with my Phosphate test kit - it never looks very colored like the match card)
NO3: 0
So... big pH jumps... not good. Very little CO2 in my water, after spending insane amounts of money on this ... very not good. And glosso not growing fast ... worst of all! OK, so thats a side note and Im impatient... but I seriously pray every night before bed that my glosso will not die and actually spread But anyways, I could really use input from yall, as it seems I will never achieve 20ppm CO2. I've spent a lot of money and I am gettin no results... this is so depressing. What should I do to increase my CO2 to that level?!
Also, 2 more quick questions, then I'll sit back and hope for replies:
1) I notice a fair number of small bubbles coming out of the bottom of my reactor tube that just float right up to the top... should i put some sponge in the bottom? Will this help diffuse more gas?
2) My tank has a ton of tiny bubbles all in it... seriously it looks like my tank is filled with Sprite. There are tons of bubbles coming from all of my plants, and even on the side of my tank. There are tons of bubbles especially after a big water change. Is this normal? What am I seeing... oxygen?