Emergency Co2 Question?

[proton]

Hi All, well, when I got up this morning, I checked on my fish as usual, they seemed hunky dory. The corries were even chasing each other and laying eggs all over the place.

I got home this late afternoon and there was the CO2 guzzling away and an incredible rate. It was set at 2 bubbles a second and was doing it at that rate in the morning. But why did it go from 2 bubbles a second till gassing my fish, I didn't touch the knob? It has killed off all my fish and apple snails? And my lovley L Plec...

Does anyone have simmilar problems? My CO2 gas doesn't seem to stay constant? Why, any help pleeeeesse as I don't want to get anymore fish until I can resolve this...

 

[rsands]

Sorry to hear about the acident. what is your hardware to help us pin point something?

 

[proton]

I have a pub bottle here is a pick,

And here is the Bubble counter and Diffuser.

 

[JamesC]

From the picture it looks like you are adjusting the bubble rate using the regulator. This may be OK for welding but for planted tanks you really need to use a needle valve for fine control. These are available from Aqua Essentials - http/www.aquaessentials.co.uk/index.php/...roducts_id/1048.

James

 

[chr15_8]

i know its a big bottle but what was the bottles pressure?

as when it gets below 50 there is a high possability it dumped it into your tank

if it was below 50 it would be the same as mine (not enough pressure for the needle valve to work)

chris
hope it makes sense

 

[proton]

It was just below 50, and now it is sitting at 5, does this mean that while I was at work most of it came out? I found one cory still alive. Moved to my breading tank, . I have ordered that needle valve. I'm really sad. I feel like just ripping out all the plants and just doing a cichlid tank, rocks only!!!!

 

[SuperColey1]

This happened to me a couple of months back.

I bought a cheap second needle valve off ebay and it obviously wasnt working properly as it dumped a whole can in one day whilst at work and killed everything. shrimps and fish alike.

I've just replaced the fish and have been using the backup Nutrafins for the last month but I do now have a nice shiny brand new Needle Valve from Lunapet in Germany and the CO2 tanks are now on order.

Hope you replace the fish and keep on going, and don't orry when you get fully stocked again you'll be soooo happy (Mine all came today and I am)

andy

 

[JamesC]

The tank pressure should be around the 50 bar mark almost until it's empty then it will start to drop quite quickly. It is impossible to say just by looking at the gauge to tell how much CO2 is inside the tank. If it is now at 5 bar then it is basically empty.

When you get the needle valve attach it inline just after the output from the regulator. Close the needle valve and adjust the regulator so you get a low side pressure of about 1.5 bar. This is a good pressure for the needle valve to work correctly. Then slowly adjust the needle valve to get your desired bubble count.

HTH
James

 

[proton]

Well, i've gone an bought the one from Aquasentials very pricey, they have some nice stuff there but pricey too. I have a CO2 monitor in my tank. I just put in new water, or wanted to test it and the CO2 is low. But I tested the O2 and that is also low. I think the CO2 drop checker is broken....

Actually Blue means too much CO2. Well for now I will not change the water... There is no fish and I'm not in the mood now. I'll wait till the weekend. Thanks for all the help guys. At least I know someone else has had the same problem....

 

[hunterm8]

I find it odd how few people with compressed gas use a ph controller, so easy to use and stop probs like this. I just set may gas between 1-2 bubs a sec and let the controller do the rest!

 

[JamesC]

I find it odd how few people with compressed gas use a ph controller, so easy to use and stop probs like this. I just set may gas between 1-2 bubs a sec and let the controller do the rest!

The main reason I think is the cost involved. I'd never use a pH controller as IMO they aren't very good in high light planted tanks. This is because you need to have a constant addition of CO2 and not a stop/start system. Also as the pH probe starts to drift then the CO2 levels will also start to drift with it.

A good idea if you do have one though is to set the bubble rate to obtain the desired CO2 level and then set the pH controller to turn off say 0.2 pH lower. This will then give you a constant feed of CO2 but will give you the safety of knowing that if something did go wrong then the controller would shut the CO2 off.

Just my 2p worth
James

 

[nry]

Well, i've gone an bought the one from Aquasentials very pricey, they have some nice stuff there but pricey too. I have a CO2 monitor in my tank. I just put in new water, or wanted to test it and the CO2 is low. But I tested the O2 and that is also low. I think the CO2 drop checker is broken....

Actually Blue means too much CO2. Well for now I will not change the water... There is no fish and I'm not in the mood now. I'll wait till the weekend. Thanks for all the help guys. At least I know someone else has had the same problem....

The said most reliable way to monitor CO2 with a drop checker is via the use of 4dkh water and bromo blue. AquaEssentials sell 4dkh water and the Hagen low range pH test kit has bromo blue as the liquid to use. Fill the drop checker with 4dkh water, add a drop or two of bromo blue and because the water is fixed at 4dkh the colour change in relation to the CO2 levels is very accurate. A blue colour for this method indicates low CO2, green is 'good' (around 30ppm) and yellow is too high.