Couple Of Questions About Pressurized Co2

[aaronnorth]

i use the cheap glass bubble counters off ebay, comes complete with a glass check valve too.

 

[kcharley]

OO a question on bubble counters.
Which is a good kind to get?
We're using the one we got w/ the regulator and it's complete crap.
It fills up w/ tank water even w/ those things that are supposed to prevent that in place.. check valves. Don't know what to do to prevent that from happening. Probably occuring b/c of the filter we're using as the diffuser being on when the CO2 is off at night.
Might try shutting that off as well when the CO2 turns off.. *shrugs* Any advice would be great

Also.... getting brown algae in the tank. Now the tank is still pretty much new... so is the brown algae inevitable? Even with co2 and all the plants?

Hi Amunet,

Sorry, I 've been crazy busy this weekend so I'm just now checking the board.

I'm not having any problem with my bubble counter back filling with water. Weird. I use a reactor and was concerned about backfill but I haven't experienced it. As I think about it, I don't see how it could backfill if all the connections are sealed. Think about it. The water can't possibly be outdoing the pressure from the CO2 as long as there are bubbles coming in. When the solenoid shuts the CO2 down, the water pressure can only compress the gas in the lines so much. If your bubble counter is filling with water, I suspect you have a leak. You might try spraying it with soapy water (a little liquid dish soap with water in a spray bottle) to check. I would start with connections, then the bubble counter and finally the lines. Any leak should show as small bubbles forming, sometimes very slowly. HTH.

Greg

Hi WD,

My experience with the CO2 is great. Plant growth really takes off and algae is virtually non-existent. (I retrofitted my light with an AH Supply 38 watt kit. I really need to position it higher but I don't have the canopy to do that yet. For now I have added a few strips of white electrical tape to tone down the light a bit.) It is a balancing act and things change as the plants grow. My filter originally provided enough flow to adequately circulate the tank. As the Sword plant grew, from a few inches when purchased to full of 20 inch long leaves it blocked the circulation so that I was having dead spots. I added a Koralia 1 powerhead. It is maybe a little strong in a 22 gal aquarium but the fish are able to swim against the current where it is strong and there are some calmer spots where they can get a break. My rotala is also doing well. About every three weeks or so, I have to trim several stalks that outgrow the depth of the tank. I have a Mexican Oak that started from a small single leaf. It must have hitchhiked in from another plant purchase. After a 6 weeks or so, it is about 12 inches tall. I suspect it will become a long term problem as it must be a weed. I suspect the Sword, the rotala and the Mexican Oak are hogging the CO2. The shorter plants look good (except for the java fern I "burnt" with excel but it is starting to come back) but they aren't taking over like the taller ones. I'm glad I added the CO2 but I am still learning. Later.

Greg

 

[kcharley]

Hey Amunet,

I just went back and noticed your tubing. Is that regular air line tubing? High density tubing is generally recommended with CO2. I've heard different reasons from the CO2 degrades regular tubing causing it to leak to the CO2 is actually able to bleed through the lower density normal tubing. I don't know which if either is right.

Also, I'm anal so I added clamps to every connection. The clamps are probably overkill but I did it anyway. If you do add clamps be careful tightening them to avoid cracking the plastic.

I placed my bubble counter inside the cabinet by the CO2. It isn't convenient to check but it keeps it out of eyesite.

LOL about the killifish begging for food. Our fish are such beggars that they all head to the top whenever anybody walks by, the little gluttons practically riot.

Greg

 

[Amunet]

It's silicon tubing. Just stuff we got from the petstore. Not the normal regular air line stuff though. Thought I had read somewhere that that was ok to use? *shrugs*

Just googling up some info, and came upon someone else that's having the same problem as myself. I think we just need to invest in a couple of metal check valves. I'll see if I can get hubby to take me to home depot tomorrow. I see they have some on their website, so just hope they have them instore.

Did you ever get brown algae? It seems to be getting worse in our tank. I think we may need to turn the CO2 up? *shrugs* I'm not sure though.

Anywho! Will def check for leaks tomorrow!

 

[aaronnorth]

diatoms are caused by ammonia, doing 2 x 50% water changes per week helps along with running zeolite and/ or purigen in the filter to help remove ammonia

 

[Amunet]

Caused by ammonia? Hrmm.. well all water stats have been fine..
Could be b/c that area seems to accumulate a lot of poop. Did a good cleaning in that area yesterday during a water change, moved the piece of wood out of the way and ton of fishy doodoo underneath it (there are grooves and such under the wood that the fish can go in to and often do apparently).
Hopefully that helps w/ the algae. If it continues to get worse, I'll do another water change in a couple of days.

 

[aaronnorth]

undetectable ammonia i should of written which will be coming from the waste.

 

[Amunet]

Ah okedoke then, it probably is being caused by the poop in that area then Might have to invest in a small gravel vac that I can use during the week to clean up certain areas such as that.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, I have read many times that you should use special tubing for CO2 but I don't know what material those special lines are made out of and mostly I've heard the "CO2 causes deterioration of normal airline" story but I don't know how seriously that's taken. (?)

~~waterdrop~~

 

[aaronnorth]

Yes, I have read many times that you should use special tubing for CO2 but I don't know what material those special lines are made out of and mostly I've heard the "CO2 causes deterioration of normal airline" story but I don't know how seriously that's taken. (?)

~~waterdrop~~

it does deteriorate, and CO2 leaks.

 

[Amunet]

Question.... where can I get a metal check valve?
Went to home depot and they didn't have any.
Stopped by another hardware store, and they only had huge ones.
Looked on ebay, and didn't really see much. What size should we be getting anyway lol. All the ones I see, seem to be too large.

 

[killudead]

So i have started this thread in the do it yourself forum, but i have already started in here about it as well. So i want to add my .02.
I have had to refill my 10lb tank every 17 days. This will be my 3rd time. As far as I know i have no leaks, but them again it is tough to find them with electric pieces in the mix.
If i have to fill it up all the darn thing all the time, i am going to see about getting a bigger tank!!

My bubble count does not seem excessive, 2-3 bps but i think that i need a new needle valve. The one i got in my kit seems inconsistent.
Whats a normal time line for a 10lb tank?

 

[Amunet]

I'm surprised our 5lb didn't even last a month. Must have a leak somewhere.
I'm just a bit hesitant on using soapy water anywhere near the fishtank lol.
All tubes and such seem pretty airtight.
And for most of the time.. we only were using about 1bps and had it turned off at night as well.. *shrugs*

DH went and got a 20lb canister today, so woot

 

[kcharley]

I suspect you both have a leak or leaks somewhere. My 5 lb cylinder is still going at 2 months with a 2 bps rate for 10 hrs per day.

I am using the high density CO2 tubing and I have clamps on all connections.

HTH.

Greg

 

[aaronnorth]

i haven't seen a metal check valve, i have seen glass ones though. You want 4-6mm dpending on hose size (although it is probably 6mm)