Does anyone use a ph controller for Co2?

T

thebigshh

Jerk
Mar 22, 2008
45
0
0
Portland, Or
Does everyone rely on a timer with their lights to turn off and on the regulator? Wouldn't a controller mean less monkeying around? How else would you know the proper ph/ Co2 levels are maintained?

What are some of your routines as far as administering Co2?

New to Co2, help me out please, all opinions welcome?
 
Typically you would use a timer to coincide with the lights because the plants will not be photosynthesizing when there is no light, ergo the co2 levels will spike. I think the pH controller will probably have the same effect, but lag behind a little. I've looked into both and IMO are probably equally good options. Another way to keep an eye on the co2 levels is a drop checker (LINK) which is probably the route I will go.
 
I use a controller which is driven by pH. My water supply has very consistent parameters so I feel comfortable using a kh/ph chart to calculate where to set my desirde pH level. I feel this requires more work on the front end as well as some calibration of the meter from time to time.

I have never seen a list of pros/cons comparing controllers and timers that made me think, "Huh, I should really do it that way!" In the end, with careful observation, both a timer and a controller should achieve the same results...

Keep in mind that people with DIY yeast style CO2 systems seldom use any timers or controllers and the fish survive. Sure they may not have the capacity to cause a catastrophic CO2 spike but I rarely hear about disasters with yeast.
 
Hey thanks for the responses. Here's a question maybe you could help me with. How do you calibrate your controller / how often?

I got to admit, i just want to be lazy. If a controller will save me time and money by not having to test the ph all the time, with spendy sometimes inaccurate test kits, I'm getting one. If, however you still end up messing around with calibration solutions and the like, I don't see alot of benefit from them.

I like the idea of a fail safe type of system. So the co2 is never on if the water fails to meet a certain ph.

And I Agree with AJordan. I've never seen or heard of a DIY Co2 system ever causing problems and they are on all the time.
 
I calibrate it about every 6 months (come to think of it, I think its about due). I use one point calibration with a 7.0 control solution. To increase accuracy you can use two point calibration with a 4.0 and 7.0 control (or 10.0 if for saltwater). When I first set things up I asked about the calibration. I understand that because readings are typically fairly close to 7.0 for our uses that the second point isn't really needed.

The only thing you need to consider is source water stability. When I said I had no problems I should have said the controller has had no problems. I had been pH obsessive and was using a mix of bottled and tap water for some time after I set up the system. I then came to realize what pH really means and switched to just tap water. W
My controlled did an awesome job of keeping the pH where I set it... the problem is that the source water had jumped in pH meaning extra CO2 was getting dumped in the tank. I don't fault the controller for that hence why I say I've never had a problem.
 
So there really is no way around ph testing (tap water anyhow). I guess a drop checker, some 4dk water,a steady hand at your needle valve, and a timer to turn off the co2 at lights out would probably save me about 80 bucks.
 
You don't need a pH contoller - a good drop checker will do just fine.

What I was running CO2, I let it run 24x7 - it is not an issue.
 
If your current Ph level is stable after basic water changes without needing to buffer the water up or down adding CO2 should not be any problem.

A solenoid is a component you can add to the regulator (or comes in combo)that will turn the regulator off the same time the lights go off hooked up to a power bar.

Research "CO2 charts"this will show how to figure the CO2 levels using Ph and Kh.Over 35ppm is stressful to fish.( Note Kh should be stable.)

First month you do plenty of Ph test to make sure everything is stable.You can buy a thing that goes inside the tank and changes colour to indicate the ph level.
 
I use controllers on both my tanks and think they are great. I find it to be much easier than playing with a bubble count. I turn the Co2 on as high as it can be disolved into the water and the controller does the rest.
 
I would in vest in a drop checker and some 4 dKH solution which is very cheap. The pH/KH charts give you a decent idea of where you are at but are subject to a lot of factors that can throw off that relationship.
 
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