Holy Co2!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jay-Stew]

does your tank have a lot of surface aggitation? if not then the CO2 is probably unnesisary, the fish should provide enough CO2 for the plants.

I have a powerhead spitting o2 out ,but its set low, I will turn it up a bit tonight though. Would buffering my ph change anything? When I test it it looks like 6.4 - 6.6 it is hard to read, I am using the AP Ph test kit.

 

[justintoxicated]

does your tank have a lot of surface aggitation? if not then the CO2 is probably unnesisary, the fish should provide enough CO2 for the plants.

Thats funny I read the opposite,

If you have alot of surface agitation, then there is no point in doing DIY CO2 because it will just outgas from the surface of the water. :huh: Without injecting CO2 I just get a bunch of algea. unless I does Excel

 

[Jay-Stew]

take a glass of tank water and let it sit overnight. Compare the pH of the glass's water to the pH of the tank water. If the PH is 1.0 lower, the amount of CO2 is 30-40 ppm. If it is .7 lower, the amount of CO2 is 15 to 20 ppm, and if it is 1.3 lower, it is 60-80 ppm. The kH/pH test is not completely accurate so this is another method to determine what CO2 numbers are. If you are into doing pages of math, look up the kA value for H2CO3 and HCO3- and you can work out more accurate numbers. With CO2 yeilding a diprotic acid in water, the math becomes more complex but is doable. If you are not into complex math and reading, here is a the pH - pH method formula

ppmCO2=degassed ppm CO2*10exp(degassed PH-PH)

degassed ppm CO2 would range from 2-5 ppm depending on where you live. If you are sea level use 5. If you an the rocky mountains use 2 otherwise pick a number in between. Degassed pH is the pH of the water you let sit overnight.

Ok, Ijust tested the degassed ph and it read 7.2 Which is a diffrence of about .8 more ph, My new kh read is 4 from the tank. I just unhooked the co2 , the fish don't look good I have to do something here.I might try a lower yeast mix I was using 1 tsp in this one ,maybe try half.

 

[wickerman]

I would be very worried about them Discus.
Ive seen them go jet black and die in no time at all.
Maybe turn your tank back to low tech...then start again slowly.
get your levels for the low tech,then start with the c02,high lights etc ...take it slow.good luck

 

[Slappy*McFish]

I agree with gassing off the co2 at night since plants don't use it then. A powerhead on a timer would work fine for this.

 

[Jay-Stew]

I agree with gassing off the co2 at night since plants don't use it then. A powerhead on a timer would work fine for this.

Hi Slappy, I seen you turned into a monkey now!! Abyways I have the co2 off right now, I think I will put it back on only when the light are on. How do i comprehend this ph diffrence of 6.4 to 7.2. When I test at the 7.2 degassed method I am fine. also surely 1 yeast reactor in a 65 g tank is not overkill. My bad on the fish color I think I am overreacting , the lights have been off all night and the cards now have there glow back with the lights off, I think i am beeing one og those overbearing parents... any more thoughts??

 

[Slappy*McFish]

CO2 lowers pH.