Injecting more CO2 with the aid of bakeing soda!

H

Hank

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Mar 9, 2007
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I'm trying to inject as much CO2 as possible with out causing the fish to gasp for O2 at surface. My tank is a 120p ADA (65 Gallons) Tap water degassed pH is 6.8 and KH is 35.8 ppm.
This is what I'm doing, I start to inject CO2 and the pH decreases to 5.9. with in 4 hours. The fish show no signs of stress but when the pH is at 5.9 it takes longer for the CO2 to decrease the pH. I don't know why? So I decided to add Baking Soda. This of course increases the pH to 6.5 and the KH increases to 107.4 ppm. Now I'm able to decrease the pH at a faster rate. When the pH get down to 6.0 pH. It takes a very very long time to get the pH to 5.9. I observed the process of injecting the CO2 for 1 hour. I see no change in the pH? What happens the the excess CO2. I do use a double drop checker, reference is 30 ppm and the indicator get yellow. Fish are still not gasping for O2!
The reason for increasing CO2 is not to kill my fish but to get rid of bba. Tom Barr emphasize more CO2 will get rid of bba. I'm trying! How can I get the CO2 to get the fish
to gasp for O2? Then I can lower the amount of CO2 being injected.
 
Carbonic acid, which is what your making when introducing co2 into water does have a set ph. Meaning no matter how much more you make it will stay at that ph..... thats why its not going below 5.9.

So in short just keep increasing your bps until you get the result you want (if your reactor is efficient enough). Can't use ph to gauge co2 saturation after a certain point.
 
ValorG said:
Carbonic acid, which is what your making when introducing co2 into water does have a set ph. Meaning no matter how much more you make it will stay at that ph..... thats why its not going below 5.9.

So in short just keep increasing your bps until you get the result you want (if your reactor is efficient enough). Can't use ph to gauge co2 saturation after a certain point.
Click to expand...

ValorG, thank you for your post. So how do you gauge your Co2 saturation? I thought a drop checker was the way to go? To inject my Co2 I use a pollen glass 40 (ADA). I have great circulation with the 2 Eheim filters.
 
I use my fish, kinda like you right now lol. I wait till they start gasping a bit then turn down the needle valve a bit. Done. But I use a reactor not a diffuser so my dissolving rate is more efficient. I had a drop checker but found it was too much of a hassle.
 
ValorG, Thanks again. I have 2 reactors in my store room. By using these reactors I found that I lost too much flow from Eheim.

fshfanatic, thank for your post. I know Excel works but I rather use CO2..
 
If your just gonna temporarily use a reactor, just attach it to a powerhead instead so you dont have to mess with your filter.
 
You will also want to make sure there is ample surface movement, a good ripple, but not breaking the surface of the water(thus no aeration/bubbles etc).
The Adjustment of KH will do virtually nothing.

Plants want a CO2 ppm amount, dissolving is not really an issue, it will dissolve just fine in hard or soft KH's, eg, my KH is under 20ppm........I have no issues or any sort.

It's just when you have say 2ppm of KH or less, or about 1/10 th of a degree, now you are near zero and cannot use the KH/CO2 chart, assuming that the KH is all from carbonate.
I do not like DC's, I think they give many folks a false sense of what is a good ample CO2 ppm.

KH measures also give a false sense as well, since any PO4 and NH4 tannins etc also impact the KH greatly and make you think you have a lot more CO2 than you really do(never the reverse!).

Fish: if you slowly adjust the CO2 say 1/20th of a turn and wait and watch the fish for 2-4 days, then adjust progressively up etc, this is often the best way,m but requires tweaking and patience, something many hobbyists seriously lack.
CO2 is far tougher and more risky than any nutrient other than perhaps NH4.

The Ehiem clogging will greatly reduce the flow and thus the CO2.
So I often use something that's independent of the filtration system and that is steady, does not clog etc.
See Needle wheel CO2, disc, etc.

I clean the disc every 2-3 weeks good for about 10 min in Tilex, this keeps them consistent and nice and clean and likely will go well with your ADA rimless tank vs a small Rio powerhead in the corner for misting.
 
ValorG and Tom Barr,
I thank you very much. I will increase the CO2 very very slowly and keep close watch on the fish.
 
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