O2 & CO2 Test Questions

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Roan Art

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Oct 7, 2005
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Last night I pulled out my new "Red Sea Deluxe Fresh Lab" and ran tests on my 36gallon planted tank. The test results look wack to me, but then again I don't know what I'm doing or what levels I should be looking at. Can someone explain to me? Here are the test results:

Results:
KH - 4
GH - dunno yet, I lost the color card on my desk and I have to perform an excavation to find it. I'm a messy person :)
O2 - 11
Fe - .2
CO2 - 5
Calc 02 - 1.784


O2 Questions:

1. My test resulted in an O2 of 11 mg/l and my software has a default min of 0 and a max of 2.0. That puts me up and over in the red big time. I'm not sure if I did the test correctly. Is 11 even possible?

2. IS it possible for a tank to be oversaturated with O2? If yes, then my bubble wand could be the culprit and I should turn it off, no? If yes, how long should I wait before I retest?

3. Would oversaturation of O2 affect fish? Some fish? Which fish? :)

CO2 Questions:

1. Result was 5. My software's min is 20 and max 40. Assuming I did the test correctly and assuming that I have "oversaturated" my tank with O2 via the bubble wand, then turning that off should lessen the gas exchange rate and up the CO2 levels, no?

Calc 02 Questions:

1. I assume that Calc 02 is what I need based on what I have entered in the software for that tank? What parameters are used to do this calculation? What is the formula -- in layman's terms? I'm not going to get a good calc if I don't have the right numbers in there to begin with :)

General Questions
My 36g is lit with a single Life Glo 2 (6,700K, High Noon Density 20W) light. Not even 1 w per gallon :) I'm not very consistant with my lights and I don't have them on a timer. My tank lights are usually off between 11:30pm and 7-8am, about 9 hours which leaves 15 hours of light.

With my current lighting, should I leave them on longer?
Does the length of time the lights are on affect the O2 and CO2 levels and if so, how?
Does this affect my fishes and if yes, how?

Thanks for taking the time and, hopefully, answering my many questions!

Roan
 

Aries

"Umm...., what is that!!??"
Jan 19, 2003
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This is really a plants questions but....

CO2
Go to Chuck Gadds Webpage to calculate CO2.

In my experience the easiest way to calculate CO2 is the relation between PH and KH. I have never used a CO2 test and did not even know they existed. What is your PH??

What software are you using for CO2. What are the units? If they are ppm, it seems like 20 is too high for a min.

Surface agitation is a good way to release CO2 gas - if you want to keep CO2, reduce surface agitation. In general, bubble wands (if you are not using it to inject CO2) are not good for planted tanks - imo.

For calculating CO2, I do not know the equation but the above webpage will explain that. It is the relationship between PH and KH. Just understand adjusting either PH or KH will not increase/decrease CO2. If one is adjusted, the other will adjust as well thus keeping the same amount of CO2.

GENERAL
What plants do you have?? Your WPG is really low - hopefully you only have plants such as Java Fern, Anubias etc....

I would buy a $6 timer just to make your life easier and make variables more consistant. I would also reduce the amount of light time on to 12H. Plants need sleeping time too - i think. Fish need their sleeping time as well.

O2
I dont think an over saturation of O2 will hurt anything - at least that I am aware of. Just because there is too much O2 does not mean there will be a resulting less CO2. My 30G has about 20PPM of CO2 and is very saturated in O2 (have never tested but the O2 bubbles build up at the surface.

I have never used O2 tests before and have never tested for O2. What test are you using - maybe someone can help if you mention the brand.

Notes
I would test for (these are the main ones I would do - no particular order):
1. FE (your levels seem just a snick low - but still fine)
2. Nitrate
3. Phosphate
4. KH
5. PH
6. CO2 (KH and PH gives CO2)

What do you dose for ferts - if any?

Good Luck

Aries
 
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