C02 Surface Agitation

[Posiden]

Hey guys, although I have 10 Gallon im running Aqua Clear, recommended for 30 to 70 Gallons. I have the water filled to the brim but there is quite a signification amount of surface movement. Do you think that this is depleting my planted aquarium of the necessary c02.

Im running a DIY c02 reactor a well as adding 1 ml of Flourish Excel everyday...

I have a feeling my c02 is low...reads at about 17 ppm after checking kh(9) and ph(7.2) from charts...should i add in another diy reactor?? What are the effects of too much c02? can i use the EI method, give the tank an excess amount of c02 and just water change to stabilize the c02 amount every week...

also have 5 small fishes in there

 

[calivivarium1]

If you have the money, just get pressurized CO2. I run a small setup(paintball tank) on my 10gal filtered by an AC50 and have no problems with CO2 provided a adequately mix the CO2 in the water. How do you add CO2 to the water? stone/reactor/powerhead/etc? I just built a reactor using a small powerhead and a $1 birdfeeder from Dollar Tree. Works fantastic

 

[tyler79durdan]

Hey guys, although I have 10 Gallon im running Aqua Clear, recommended for 30 to 70 Gallons. I have the water filled to the brim but there is quite a signification amount of surface movement. Do you think that this is depleting my planted aquarium of the necessary c02.
YES!
Im running a DIY c02 reactor a well as adding 1 ml of Flourish Excel everyday...

I have a feeling my c02 is low...reads at about 17 ppm after checking kh(9) and ph(7.2) from charts...should i add in another diy reactor?? What are the effects of too much c02?
NIL, other than the effect on fauna
can i use the EI method, give the tank an excess amount of c02 and just water change to stabilize the c02 amount every week...
Weekly water changes are based on a fert buildup reduction.

also have 5 small fishes in there
Higher CO2 level will asphyxiate fish

...

 

[Posiden]

im using an airstone to dispense the c02...

 

[Izzy2]

How many bubbles per minute are you seeing from the airstone?

Unless you're seeing about 1 a second then very little is really saturating the water column. The surface agitation will quickly gas off that co2.

You may want to use a small powerhead to inject the co2. Place the co2 tube into the inflow, the propeller will chop the co2 into a fine mist.

 

[mmm_unit]

surface agitation will deplete your CO2 levels severely.
I had my powerhead point down to not have any surface agitation and saw improvement in the plant growth, but when i limited the flow outwards, the very next day, i saw an explosive growth of my plants. they literally grew everyday.

I just put a sponge over my powerhead to limit the water coming out, and make sure there is little to no surface agitation.

 

[jpappy789]

The whole point of injecting CO2 is to gain levels beyond the normal atmospheric concentration (which I think is around 3 ppm) so having surface agitation completely defeats the purpose...there are no drawbacks other than fish suffer at too high of CO2 levels. The plants could care less. Using a HOB and CO2 is not going to work. I doubt you have even 17 ppm of CO2 because as Izzy said the gas exchange is happening quickly and it's unlikely you're getting any excess CO2 at all. Those charts are not a reliable way of measuring.

 

[Posiden]

should i replace my hob with say like a internal filter...

 

[Izzy2]

Get an internal and maybe just run the HOB as mechanical filtration at night opposite of the lights being on using two timers. Have the hob turn off 2 hours before the lights come on to build up on co2. Put the co2 in the inflow of the internal for difusing.

 

[tyler79durdan]

Most times HOB's require a "prime" to start flow... I would check this by turning off your filter overnight, then plugging in - in the morning. If water flows, timers may work. If not...

I would think of an internal as another form of powerhead, if I were you. think about how to redirect the flow away from the surface if you go this route.

Most planted aquarists will employ canisters. These a second best for filtration next to W/D, and they have the ability to severely reduce surface movement, and increase tension, thereby reducing outgassing .