CO2 Injection

[Octavarium]

Im gonna rent a CO2 tanker trailer and park it in my backyard. Will run an airline hose up through my window into my tank, should last enough in a 55 g.

 

[leocom2000]

My aquarium has pressurized system with PH monitor/controller. It shuts CO2 off during the night (ph 6.8) and turn back on during the day when ph rises. If I had it on during the night, it would go way below 6.0. If you go pressurized, get a controller.

 

[masser]

test kit recommendations?

From the original post 5 years ago:

Maintaining the appropriate amount of dissolved CO2 is an important part of a planted aquarium. Most planted aquariums require around 1 gram of dissolved CO2 for every 25 gallons of water. By comparing the pH value of the water and the carbonate hardness (KH) as determined through test kits it is easy to derive the milligrams per quart of CO2 through the use of a simple flow chart which is available from many sources, one of which is here: http://www.aquabotanic.com/charts.htm
________________________________________

I will add one comment to the above:
Before contemplating the use of CO2 in your aquarium please know your water's kH. If it is not, at minimum - 3.0dH, it should be raised before injecting gas.

Len

I am thinking about starting DIY CO2 in my 10 gal tank, but before I begin, I want to test the pH and hardness. When I started the tank, I used strips that indicated the water was slightly hard with a pH between 7.6 and 7.8. After the strips ran out, I moved to liquid tests for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate, and completely stopped testing hardness and pH.

Can anyone recommend good liquid tests for pH and kH? I am thinking about buying from Dr Foster's ans Smith's website, but the range of options is intimidating? Given the reportedly unreliable nature of the strips I used, would it be safe to get the high pH range test kit?

 

[bradlgt21]

I use the API my LFS has pretty much every test kit made by them. I always use liquid. Makes me feel cool like a chemist or something.

Now for my question

I am still on my first DIY CO2 bottle. I did 2 cups of sugar and 1/2 TSP of yeast. I have a 29 gallon planted tank with a big hang on back filter. I wasn't seeing any change at first but wasn't really diffusing it either. I created a cool DIY diffuser out of PCV, Bioballs, and a water pump. Whenever I get time I will create a walkthrough as I took pictures in the process. But anyway I put it in and my ph dropped into the range I wanted. But then it rose back up after a day or two. I have had the same bottle for over 2 weeks now and wanted to know is it empty? I mean it still has water in it obviously but you can't tell if it's all used up. If I shake it the solution starts foaming and you see tons of bubbles being dumped into the tank. But the solution isn't giving off enough CO2 on it's own to drop my PH. Should I add more yeast or put a new bottle in? It's really hard to tell how often bubbles are coming out because the diffuser works so well I only get a few tiny bubbles every so often, like the rest are broken up completely before it even gets dumped into the tank.

 

[Cluunox]

I just put a 2l bottle on my 3 gal planted same mix cept I use 3/8 tsp. Not sure how long it will last but after being on the tank for 4 days c02 has leveled off at 20-25 ppm. ph from 7.8 to 7.2.

I am using neutrafin natural plant system bubble ladder at maximum setting. With your diffuser I would think you should be much more efficient than my setup but with the larger tank I would suspect you need more bottles for starters.

I am very interested in seeing your diffuser. I have been thinking of building a diffuser for the 10gl qt I have as I qt plants as well as keep some in there for hididng places also and am just using an air stone that does almost nothing at the moment.

 

[bradlgt21]

I think I am going to add a second bottle. If it gets to be to much I can always pull the plug on it.

Yeah I tried air stones and the CO2 didn't seem strong enough to push out the air stone. Hopefully I can get around to it tomorrow. Total cost was like $15 for the pump or cheapest you can find. $15-20 on the pvc piping and hose. And how ever much it costs for what you want to use to diffuse. My box of Bioballs was $10 but I got enough to build 2 more. When you add it up it sounds like a really expensive diffuser but like the guy at the fish store said after a couple months the bioballs should do their job and you will have a really nice bacteria colony. Not to mention it adds current if you need that for stream type fish.

 

[mysticmikie]

What's needed for a 55g with Jello

This is my first post and I would like to say hello to all thoes who came before me.
I am running a 55 gal with 108w (6000k & 650nm HO T5's 54w each) of light. My KH is at about 5 dkh. And I planing on having it moderately to heavily planted, leaning more toward heavily. I would like to know how many 2L bottles do I need for my DIY CO2 system if I am running with the Jello method with a base of: 2 cups sugar, 4 cups water, 2 packages Jello mix and 1tps baking soda to a mixture of 1 cup warm water and 1/2 a tps of bakers yeast in order to reach a level of 20ppm to 25ppm?
I would also like to know many bottles I would need if I were to run the same recipe, but without the Jello, so that I may reach the same levels of CO2 in my aquarium? And what are the pro's and con's of each in relation to each other?
I just need some help in making up my mind on which method I would like to do. I know that the Jello method lasts longer, but from what I have read on line it puts out less gas then the recipe without the Jello. I also have read that the other method (without the Jello) puts out more CO2 but lasts much less time.
With all of that, I guess that it all boils down to performance vs. longevity. Which is for me?

 

[PAL]

Woah, Tom Barr lives by me. I did not know that!

 

[The Plantman]

The other helpful thing I think that's often overlooked with algae and what is really growing plants well(algae is more a symptom of a plant issue), is the light.

I can grow most plants better, easier, with less electrical cost, initial expenditure and with less chance of nutrient , Co2 or algae issues using less light, in general, 2w/gal will meet most anyone's demands if you use CO2.

Many buy CO2 and then think they now must add more and more light.
You are adding to CO2 to increase the health and growth, as well as now being able to grow many different species without them competing with one another for CO2.

You get 5-20X more growth even with lower light by adding CO2 gas.
Careful with what you wish for, it's not just light that amplifies growth, and adding more light means more CO2 demand and more nutrient demand. So the balance will be harder as you add more and more light, the corollary is you have an easier time with nutrients, algae and CO2 with less light.

Plants grow well, moderate rates, no algae to speak of, easier to tweak nutrients/CO2, fewer water changes etc with less light.

If you double the wattage on a 55 gallon tank from 2-4w/gal, you waste about 50-60$ a year on electric alone. At a high rate of water cost, doing the same 50% weekly water change even at a high rate of water, cost you 5-6$ per year, not much..........and the water change be used to water house plants, the landscape outside etc.

It is best to have light as the limiting factor for growth of the plants, this is much more stable parameter than CO2/nutrients. Which in turn makes algae control much much easier, your system will have far better resiliency and stability over time.

Since demand is lower for CO2, less is required and less stress is placed on fish with CO2. Also, if you forget to dose, less of an issue, or if you want to run the nutrients leaner, not a problem with less light, or if you want to use more % from the sediment(Say mineralized soil or ADA aqua soil etc), this is a wiser.........also.

Some like the idea of using the fish load for most of the nutrients and then dose lean, this also works well in conjunction with a nutrient rich sediment like the ADA AS or MS. However, adding more does no harm either.......it's just not needed however, better to run a bit rich and not limit those and have light as the limitation factor for growth.

So you have far more wiggle room using this approach with less light.
Also, when you go away for vacation for a week or two, lower light tanks always do much better and have less issues.

Common sense stuff, but hobbyists often get lost in the details and do not stand back and look at the big picture. So the plants grow 20-30% slower with less light, you gain 90% easier time caring for them. Patience is a virtue and rewards those using less light.

Regards,
Tom Barr

When I first heard about this method I was like “This Tom Barr guy is CRAZY!”

I already had a very successful planted tank and so started an experiment with limiting nutrients which ended in an algae outbreak that I thankfully have “mostly” recovered from by switching my setup to the EI method. I lowered light to 1.8 watts of T5 light down from 2.4. I increased my water change frequency and added more nutrients. My tank has never looked better! All hair aglae is gone, I'm left with just a bit of green spot left. I’m still low on the PO4 and NO3 but it’s always in the tank and never completely runs out.

Things are good!

Thanks Tom

 

[Slappy*McFish]

When I first heard about this method I was like “This Tom Barr guy is CRAZY!”

...and we all though you were crazy for thinking that...lol.

It's alright though, you had never heard of him at the time while many of us have been taking his advice for years. Personally, I've been reading Tom's 'spew' now for well over a decade.
Tom Barr is to planted aquariums as Stephen Hawking is to outer space. :worthy: