co2 66.5ppm

[jimbooo]

Hi Everyone,

i just worked out how to read my co2 test kit (been reading it wrong for 6 months)

my KH is 14, PH 7 meaning co2 is at 66.5ppm

the PH is fine and the fish aren't gasping but are there any other side effects to the fish of such high levels of co2. it's been at that level for at least 6 months.

i'm a little concerned at the moment but cant see any obvious problems with the fish.

 

[zig]

Hiya jimbooo

I work out at those readings your co2 is at 42ppm, how are you measureing it, and personally i wouldnt worry at 42ppm.

 

[paulioo]

Yeah i make your Co2 levels to be around 40 ppm too.

I like to use this calculator to work my CO2 out.
http/www.aquarix.com/en/co2calc.asp

paul.

edit: unless your ph is 6.8 which would then give you 60 ppm, sounds crazy to me how 0.2 change in pH can alter your CO2 levels that much

 

[jimbooo]

oh yeah. oops.

the ph fluctuates between 6.8 / 7 so 66.5 is worst case scenario. never above 7 though.

sorry brain not quite on track today

 

[@ombomb]

Are using the Nutrafin kits? Mine's getting no where near that level, although my tapwater is about 8pH and very hard.

Your plants really are looking well on it, are the fish showing any signs of being unhealhy?

EDIT:

Just read your first post properly and if there has been no sign of them being unhealthy for 6 months, I'd say that it's not doing them too much harm.

 

[zig]

Yeah ok i just read the other thread, and if the Ph is at 6.8 you get 66ppm, i dont know this is a difficult one to answer, ive been reading up about this quite a lot as i was wondering this myself.

I have run my co2 at 50ppm for for about 3 weeks with absolutly no visable ill effects on my fish, at the moment i have it at about 35ppm and will try and keep it there.

From what i can gather from reading other boards, this is a widespread practice to run the co2 at much higher levels than the normal recommended 30ppm alot of people will run their co2 at levels of between 40 and 50ppm, and they do this mainly to keep algae at bay (im only talking about heavily planted tanks) or if they get an outbreak of algae they will up the levels of co2 into this range.

I have not read in any of these boards about the ill effects on the fish, and its something im trying to find information about, from what i can gather once you have enough oxygen in the water your fish will be ok, they will not be gasping at the surface, but i do not know the long term effects of this.

But basically its widespread i read of one guy who runs his co2 at 80ppm with no visable ill effects on the fish and i know hes still doing it, as i read his posts.

I personally would bring your level down, i try and target 30+ ppm so when it does flucuate a bit i should still be near enough to 30ppm on the low side.

But you should have no algae at 66ppm thats for sure

But i dont know the definative answer maybe gf or iggy could give us a better idea.

 

[jimbooo]

Thanks Zig. i've been trying to up the levels by trapping an inverted plastic cup above the nutrafin ladders (like the bell method). i've pulled these out so the levels should drop a bit hopefully.

on the algae front thats a myth i'm afraid i'm never free of algae totally. theres always the odd clump growing on the bogwood etc.. i like the lived in look though so it's not a problem unless it starts to grow out of control.

thanks for your help and keep me informed of your findings on other forums. i'd be very interested to hear more on this topic.

 

[iggy01]

I agree with what you've said Zig.

I've also seen reports of people keeping their CO2 at very high levels, without allegedly affecting their fish. However, there is no way I would personally keep my CO2 at 80 mg/l. I don't think my Bristlenose would be too chuffed. I think hovering between 30-40 mg/l should be ok, but I wouldn't want to keep it much higher than that long term.

Jimbooo, I think Zig's advice about not letting it fluctuate below 30 mg/l is spot on. As long as your fish appear to be acting normal, no gasping or lethargy etc, I think you should be ok.

Good luck!

 

[zig]

Like i say ive never found a definitive answer and ive done a lot of reading about it, in the link you found in the other thread to Chuck Gadds site he says keep levels at 10-25ppm, now i know this will clearly give you trouble if you are useing a highlight tank, personally i dont worry about it to much as long as i dont go over 40ppm if i do i try and correct it, but at this stage i have it pretty well pinned down through trial and error, and i usually get it near enough to 30ppm.

You should start thinking about the Ei method jimbooo, save you a fortune in liquid ferts, its really quite easy when you get into it, about £20 would probably get you enough dry ferts for about 6 months or something, and all you would have to supplement is the trace through Kent botanic grow and maybe iron as well, worth thinking about, a good few of us are useing it now, it gives you absolutly loads of control over what you are doseing.

Be interesting to see what gf says about the co2 levels.

Btw thanks jimboo and iggy for replying to the thread in chit chat i still dont know how that figure came into my head, silly mistake, anyway thanks for the support when i needed it, i very much appreciated it at the time.

Cheers guys.

 

[jimbooo]

thanks iggy, i'll leave it be then and stop trying to dissolve every last bubble.

on the other hand i really dont want my ph above 7 (cardinals etc..) so if i lower the input too much i'll have a bigger problem. hmmmm lets see what happens, that seems to be the easiest option at the moment.

edit: no worries zig, i'm sure you'll return the favour when i get myself in a pickle..

as to the EI stuff you've lost me there i keep seeing it mentioned half way through threads, i've yet to find the beginning bit yet.

what is EI??

 

[nodding_dino]

whats the Ei method zig?

 

[zig]

Ill post some stuff on EI in a little while, bit busy right now.....20 minutes or so...k

 

[nodding_dino]

no rush Zig, just curious, I'll see if Google can help me out in the meantime

 

[nodding_dino]

found this...you gotta love google

 

[iggy01]

on the algae front thats a myth i'm afraid i'm never free of algae totally. theres always the odd clump growing on the bogwood etc.. i like the lived in look though so it's not a problem unless it starts to grow out of control.

I think that depends on your fertilising regime Jimboo. 30 mg/l CO2 is virtually a necessity if you use the E.I.

I can induce beard/hair type algaes just by letting my CO2 drop below this level................not a wise thing to do, I might add. )


Edit As jimbooo said.......no worries. We're only here to help each other anyway!