Co2

[newfishaddict]

Hi, I have recently added co2 to my 29g tank using yeast and a 2L bottle. I have read that stopping the co2 at night is sometimes a good idea; should I stop the co2 only if I get a large pH swing? Or is it a good idea to stop co2 injection at night all the time?

I have KH of 90, and I left my co2 on during the night , last night , and my Ph went from about 7.7 to 7.4....

 

[iggy01]

It's all down to personal choice really. Some people leave their CO2 running at night, others turn it off. Either way you are likely to get a pH swing of some degree. If you're worried about the CO2 building up at night you could always run an airstone for a couple of hours or so. I used to do this with DIY CO2.

I wouldn't worry too much about pH fluctuations due to CO2, it rarely effects the fish. pH fluctuations due to total dissolved solids (salts) are much more harmful IMO.

How many bubbles per minute are you getting from your DIY CO2?

 

[Rodders]

I shut mine off over night.

 

[IovaykInD]

pH swings are inevitable. But keep in mind that most plants use oxygen at night, rather than c02. Just make sure your fish don't sufficate overnight, because that wouldn't be too good . You could leave it on, and in the morning there will be a lot of c02 for the plants to use, probably making them grow faster.

 

[newfishaddict]

It's all down to personal choice really. Some people leave their CO2 running at night, others turn it off. Either way you are likely to get a pH swing of some degree. If you're worried about the CO2 building up at night you could always run an airstone for a couple of hours or so. I used to do this with DIY CO2.

I wouldn't worry too much about pH fluctuations due to CO2, it rarely effects the fish. pH fluctuations due to total dissolved solids (salts) are much more harmful IMO.

How many bubbles per minute are you getting from your DIY CO2?

I would estimate (Ill count tonight) that I get about 15-20 bubbles per minute.....I am glad you asked because I have been given the advice to "take it easy" when starting co2 for the first time in a tank, however, how do I "take it easy" when all I have is bubbles to count, Ph levels, and KH levels; seems like alot of guesswork......?

I like the idea of running an airstore at night with a timer on it.....automation is good
Thanks

 

[iggy01]

You appear to be struggling to get a decent level of CO2 into your tank. A KH of 90 ( 5dKH ) and a ph of 7.7 only gives you around 3 mg/l CO2. That's what you would expect in a tank without CO2 injection. Even when your pH drops to 7.4 at night, this still only gives you around 6 mg/l which is nowhere near enough.

Ideally you need to get CO2 up around the 25-30 mg/l level. Otherwise you could find yourself with algae problems. What are you using to diffuse the CO2 into the water?

 

[newfishaddict]

You appear to be struggling to get a decent level of CO2 into your tank. A KH of 90 ( 5dKH ) and a ph of 7.7 only gives you around 3 mg/l CO2. That's what you would expect in a tank without CO2 injection. Even when your pH drops to 7.4 at night, this still only gives you around 6 mg/l which is nowhere near enough.

Ideally you need to get CO2 up around the 25-30 mg/l level. Otherwise you could find yourself with algae problems. What are you using to diffuse the CO2 into the water?

I have been injecting co2 for about 4 days now. I thought it took some time when KH is as high as mine to get co2 levels up.....is this true?

In my 29g I have a nutrafin bubble counter (ladder type thing), at it seems to be working to slowly lower the pH, (Ph has changed from 7.7-7.8 to 7.3-7.4.)

In my 21g and 55g I only have small airstones which are not working to well , and I am going to add one nutrafin bubble counter to my 21g, and add two bubble counters to my 55g....

Also, I am very nervous about adding to much co2 and killing my fish, so I have been adding it slowly and running the co2 for only about 12 hours during daylight. Perhaps I should add 24hrs and run a airstone at night?

 

[smithrc]

how are you stopping the CO2 at night?

Are the bubbles getting to the surface?

 

[danski]

i have two nutrafin units on my 29gal and let it run 24/7 i also use diy mixture of 1/2 tsp yeast to the reccomended level of sugar.

 

[iggy01]

I have been injecting co2 for about 4 days now. I thought it took some time when KH is as high as mine to get co2 levels up.....is this true?

In my 29g I have a nutrafin bubble counter (ladder type thing), at it seems to be working to slowly lower the pH, (Ph has changed from 7.7-7.8 to 7.3-7.4.)

In my 21g and 55g I only have small airstones which are not working to well , and I am going to add one nutrafin bubble counter to my 21g, and add two bubble counters to my 55g....

Also, I am very nervous about adding to much co2 and killing my fish, so I have been adding it slowly and running the co2 for only about 12 hours during daylight. Perhaps I should add 24hrs and run a airstone at night?

Newfishaddict, you don't have a high KH. 3-5 dKH is generally regarded as being the ideal range for CO2 injection. I would definitely run the CO2 for 24 hrs if I were you. No need to worry about the CO2 killing your fish at the moment. With your KH, the pH level would have to drop to around 6.8 before that becomes an issue.

You could still run an airstone for a couple of hours at night if you think low oxygen levels could be an issue.

Good luck!

 

[newfishaddict]

how are you stopping the CO2 at night?

Are the bubbles getting to the surface?

simply unscrewing the cap of the 2L bottle....

I have been injecting co2 for about 4 days now. I thought it took some time when KH is as high as mine to get co2 levels up.....is this true?

In my 29g I have a nutrafin bubble counter (ladder type thing), at it seems to be working to slowly lower the pH, (Ph has changed from 7.7-7.8 to 7.3-7.4.)

In my 21g and 55g I only have small airstones which are not working to well , and I am going to add one nutrafin bubble counter to my 21g, and add two bubble counters to my 55g....

Also, I am very nervous about adding to much co2 and killing my fish, so I have been adding it slowly and running the co2 for only about 12 hours during daylight. Perhaps I should add 24hrs and run a airstone at night?

Newfishaddict, you don't have a high KH. 3-5 dKH is generally regarded as being the ideal range for CO2 injection. I would definitely run the CO2 for 24 hrs if I were you. No need to worry about the CO2 killing your fish at the moment. With your KH, the pH level would have to drop to around 6.8 before that becomes an issue.

You could still run an airstone for a couple of hours at night if you think low oxygen levels could be an issue.

Good luck!

Thanks for the help, being a newbie with co2 I am nervous about my fish, sounds like I have little to be nervous about, thanks again.