Diy Co2 Questions

[DoubleJ]

I have my Co2 set up like this:

The water from the spraybar helps to circulate the Co2 infused water out into the tank. My questions are:

1. As long as there is Co2 in the difuser, it is constantly being defused correct? I'm assuming that, if there is no more supply of Co2 into the difuser, the difuser will eventually fill with water when all of the Co2 is absorbed.
Is this line of thinking correct?


2. If the principals in question #1 are correct, can I just keep my difuser filled with Co2 until it all disolves and then fill it again?

3. If #1 and #2 are correct, does human exhaling contain enough Co2 to be effective? They say that talking to your houseplants will help them because of the Co2 in your exhaling.

Thanks again.

 

[DoubleJ]

Any ideas???

 

[DoubleJ]

I think I may have answered my own questions. Water from my tap is registering 130ppm kH and 7.6Ph for a conversion of 5.5ppm of Co2. I have the above set up and just used my own lungs to blow into the tube and fill the bell with air. I have the above mentioned tube flowing water through the bell and circulating the water. Tests from the tank indicate a kH of 130ppm and Ph of 6.9 for a conversion of 27.5ppm of Co2!!!

What are the other factors in my tank that could be lowering the Ph other than the Co2?

 

[DoubleJ]

This is turning into a research thread. More testing is needed though and I'll post results. Here's what I have so far. Can someone please interpret this for me?

55gl U.S. tank size with top soil substrate ala Diana Walstad
Co2 method mentioned above
3 chunks of driftwood
1 sword plant
2 corkscrew vals
some wisteria
some hornwort
7 Rasboras
6 blackskirt tetras
2 phantom tetras
3 otto cats
1 mystery snail


Tap water: KH 130ppm
PH 7.6

tank water not exposed to any Co2: KH 100ppm (Softness probably due to the substrate and driftwood)
PH 7.6

Morning reading of Co2 tank water with air stone bubling all night: KH 100ppm
PH 6.7


I'll do a nighttime reading when I can. We are supposed to go to the hospital for the birth of our child today but, that keeps getting pushed back. I'll keep posting results as I get them. It does appear to my uneducated brain that, Co2 from my lungs is sufficient to infuse a 55gl tank.

 

[DoubleJ]

Midday test:

KH 100
Ph 6.4

May be working TOO good!!! This equates to 66.5ppm of Co2. I may have to run the air stone full time to compensate for the excess Co2. The fish are not gasping for air but, they are noticably lethargic. The Rasbora's are sitting suspended instead of their normal lap swimming.

 

[Spinal]

Exhaling will not contain anywhere near enough CO2 to be diffused effectively in the water... Your breath is something like 80% Nitrogen, a little CO2 and a little O2. The level of CO2 is minimal compared to the other stuff you are injecting into the tank (mostly Nitrogen...)

Michele

 

[vic]

http/www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumap...mp;d=1099597504

In-line on the return side of a cannister filter. Out of sight, easy to build and not taking up room in your tank.
Cheers;