So upset with myself right now!!!! Please help!

Hurley

Hurley

aka Bunny13
Oct 2, 2005
1,644
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Baltimore, Maryland
www.freewebs.com
Ugh...I just came back and I went over to look at my tank and I noticed that my two bamboo shrimp were a funny color and not moving and I started freaking out! I am not sure what is wrong but I think it is my CO2.

I have just started dosing my tank with ferts this week and I just put a fresh batch of yeast in my CO2 container today! I can't imagine that it was my ferts becuase I have been dosing for a couple days without any problems. I am thinking it was my CO2 that caused the problem. Unfortunantly I dont have anyway to test my CO2 levels other then pH. It is usually around 7 and right now it is at 6.6.

I have definantly lost the one shrimp but I moved the female to a different tank and I am hoping I can save her. None of my other fish are gasping and my ghost shrimp is fine. The only thing else I noticed is that my snail has its air tube up(that is what actually grabed my attention first and what made me come over and check out the tank!)

Do you think it was the CO2 (which I have disconnected and I have the filter aggitating the water just incase) or do you think it is something else in the tank? Please help....I am so scared I am going to lose more of my fish!
 
Bunny13,

You really need to pick up a KH test kit so that you can measure your CO2 levels.

I've had a couple of "accidents" in the past with excessive CO2 levels and the invertebrates were unaffected. They don't use as much O2 as fish do. So, I really doubt that the problem is lack of oxygen.

What it could be, however, is yeast in the tank. Do you have a bubble counter/wash bottle/check valve between the CO2 solution and the tank?

Roan
 
Roan,

Unfortunantly I don't have a bubble counter/wash bottle/check valve between my tank and the CO2. I tried to make one in the past but I wasn't able to get it to work. I will start shopping around for one now. I connected my CO2 back up this morning and I was watching the bubble ladder. I am getting a bubble about every 2 seconds. This is much faster then I have ever gotten in the past but I have read post where people get up to 4 bubbles/sec without and problems.

I was looking at my tank for anything that looked unusual and I could find nothing. If there is yeast in my tank is there anyway to tell by looking at it or by testing the tank?

On a good note, I was able to save the female. She is doing great and seems to be happily filtering in her new tank.
 
Bunny, do as RoanArt said and try to get a KH test ASAP. You can not tell CO2 content be Ph alone.

I started dosing CO2 to my tank last week and my ph whent from 7.4 to an stable 7.0. My Kh is 3,5º, which turns into a good 10.5 CO2 concentration.
 
There has been some discussions going on about measuring CO2 content based on the pH drop when injecting. No KH required in the calculation. I'd still like to stress that a stable KH of at least 3 degrees is needed if using CO2.

Alternative CO2 calcs
 
I have a "red sea" realtime CO2 indicator, a little acrylic bubble of gas with an indicator solution to monitor CO2. Would one of these help, or is it useless tripe I was suckered into at LFS?

As a newb question, how does KH relate to CO2? How do I use it to measure?
 
and glad your shrimp is okay...
 
Abilor said:
As a newb question, how does KH relate to CO2? How do I use it to measure?
Click to expand...


Check out Chuck's Calculator at:
Measuring CO2 levels in a Planted Tank

Please note that the page says CO2 levels of 20 or so, but now that should be 30 PPM. Has a great calculator included as well as alot of great info regarding the balance & relationship of KH, pH, & CO2.
 
I get the feeling my little widget operates on this principle, since it's "green" now, and by the calculation I have 15ppm CO2. Thanks for bringing this page to my attention!
 
Thank you for the responses.

I will have to run to the store tonight and get a kH test. If my CO2 is the problem should I do water changes to bring it down or just increase surface aggitation. Still, none of my other fish are expressing any signs of distress so I am still wondering if yeast in the tank is the problem. Does anyone know if there is a way to tell if there is yeast in the tank?
 
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