ive got one of these http
/www.arkpetsonline.co.uk/nutrafin-co2-natural-plant-system-p-992.html?gclid=CIu274axxrwCFSvHtAodG1oAVg
Not familiar, but from what I gather it's a fairly safe bet as a first co2 system as you can't increase the amount of co2 going into the tank. I would still recommend liquid for a while, based purely on my own disaster, but if you're going ahead with it then get yourself a drop checker and a pH, GH and KH test kit. Test the parameters of your tap and tank for these and then test them in your tank again after your co2 has settled in. The danger is when you perform large water changes and your KH tap is much higher/lower than your tank. I live in an area with very hard water so high KH. Co2 reduces KH, and therfor pH. When I dumped a load of tap water in my tank the KH and pH went up very quickly and I woke up in the morning to a nasty wipe out. I'd recently cranked up my co2 for my plants, but this had lowered KH/pH too much against my tap parameters. I hope that all makes sense.
I went liquid for a while and did some more research and got my head around it all. I still don't reallt get it, I think a degree in chemistry might suffice, but I think I have a basic grasp. I think...
Back to pressurised now, but I always do water changes before my lights and co2 come on, and I test these parameters before doing it.Large swings in pH will kill your fish if KH swings with it, so crucially it's down to your tap water v's tank water hardness/alkalinity. The problem with the system you have, I think, is that the co2 is on 24/7 therefor your pH/KH will not swing at safe levels as the co2 comes on and off, so your tank parameters will remain consistently different to your tap. How much I can't say obviously, but this is why jumping in with co2 ends up in disaster on rather devistating levels.
Ramble over. There's so much info on it out there. Google 'pH KH relationship in aquariums' or similar, 'co2 in aquariums', ''liquid v's pressurised co2 in aquariums', 'planted tank and co2 KH pH'... Tonnes of info to melt your brain. It's awesome when it clicks and you get it though
/www.arkpetsonline.co.uk/nutrafin-co2-natural-plant-system-p-992.html?gclid=CIu274axxrwCFSvHtAodG1oAVgNot familiar, but from what I gather it's a fairly safe bet as a first co2 system as you can't increase the amount of co2 going into the tank. I would still recommend liquid for a while, based purely on my own disaster, but if you're going ahead with it then get yourself a drop checker and a pH, GH and KH test kit. Test the parameters of your tap and tank for these and then test them in your tank again after your co2 has settled in. The danger is when you perform large water changes and your KH tap is much higher/lower than your tank. I live in an area with very hard water so high KH. Co2 reduces KH, and therfor pH. When I dumped a load of tap water in my tank the KH and pH went up very quickly and I woke up in the morning to a nasty wipe out. I'd recently cranked up my co2 for my plants, but this had lowered KH/pH too much against my tap parameters. I hope that all makes sense.
I went liquid for a while and did some more research and got my head around it all. I still don't reallt get it, I think a degree in chemistry might suffice, but I think I have a basic grasp. I think...
Back to pressurised now, but I always do water changes before my lights and co2 come on, and I test these parameters before doing it.Large swings in pH will kill your fish if KH swings with it, so crucially it's down to your tap water v's tank water hardness/alkalinity. The problem with the system you have, I think, is that the co2 is on 24/7 therefor your pH/KH will not swing at safe levels as the co2 comes on and off, so your tank parameters will remain consistently different to your tap. How much I can't say obviously, but this is why jumping in with co2 ends up in disaster on rather devistating levels.
Ramble over. There's so much info on it out there. Google 'pH KH relationship in aquariums' or similar, 'co2 in aquariums', ''liquid v's pressurised co2 in aquariums', 'planted tank and co2 KH pH'... Tonnes of info to melt your brain. It's awesome when it clicks and you get it though
