HI Guys, today I bought a CO2 system and planted my aquarium. Now all my fish are gaspong for air at the surface and I am worried what is going to happen to them. Can someone please advise me??
If your fish are gasping for air, then I'd remove the CO2 system until you get it figured out. Do you happen to know your pH and kH? We can calculate the amount of CO2 present with those two readings.
If your tank is small, between 5 and 35 gallons, then adding CO2 to the water will have an immediate and drastic impact on your pH. The pH most likely dropped to a low 6 as soon as you added it. The oxygen in the water will remain the same no matter how much CO2 you add, they are INDEPENDENT. It's the pH or high level of carbonic acid in the water that's doing the damage. To prevent this in the future, find ways to raise your kH so that your pH doesn't drop so low. HTH.
or you can also make a CO2 mixture that is right for the size of ur tank. and this can be learned from experience. I had the same trouble and I tried different quantities of yeast and sugar, and I think I got the right combo.
Also, add more plants..I'm pretty sure it would help.
somewhere in one of these links there is a do it yourself CO2 pump It omits a safe amount of co2 you might want to check it out if you are having problems you make a pump with yeast and sugar and tubing and bottles. you should find the recipe/directions on one of the sites: here are the links :
www.plantedtank.net
www.aquabotanic.com
www.aquaticplantcentral.com
the forums will teach you everthing from do it yourself co2 to just everything
I don't know if we have it here on this forum or not I don't seem to need co2 for my tanks must have overcrowding???
