Co2 Help Please

[Hels]

Hi All

I'm wanting to try out using CO2 but i was wondering how it would effect my water chemistry?? My local water is hard and i've heard that this could make it softer... i dont mind this and it would probably be more suitable for my fish but i wanted to make sure that i did it safely. I was thinking i would go with the DIY option. I'm not 100% on which option to go with for the diffuser?

Is it okay just to go ahead and assume that the water chemistry will be changed gradually? Also if i was to introduce more fish in the future what would be the best way to go about it??

Thanks for all your help!

Hels

 

[netcode]

Hi All

I'm wanting to try out using CO2 but i was wondering how it would effect my water chemistry?? My local water is hard and i've heard that this could make it softer... i dont mind this and it would probably be more suitable for my fish but i wanted to make sure that i did it safely. I was thinking i would go with the DIY option. I'm not 100% on which option to go with for the diffuser?

Is it okay just to go ahead and assume that the water chemistry will be changed gradually? Also if i was to introduce more fish in the future what would be the best way to go about it??

Thanks for all your help!

Hels

If your going the DIY route then when you hook your bottle up it takes time to get to full pressure so the change would be pretty gradual. Now if it were pressurized I think that change might be faster, not to sure I have no experience with pressurized. Also pH swings happen in nature all the time that are much larger then anything you will experience, so your fish should be fine either way.

As for the diffuser, I would say go for the co2 glass bell diffuser. Its pretty cheap and apparently it is one of the best methods of diffusing co2 into the water. This is my conclusion after reading about many peoples experience with them. Plus they are glass and don't look so bad in your tank.

If your going to introduce more fish always remember to put your most agressive fish in last. I am not really sure why you are concerned about how to go about it, but if your thinking that it might add more co2 I don't think adding a few more fish will have dramatic results on co2 levels.

 

[BHornsey]

I'm wanting to try out using CO2 but i was wondering how it would effect my water chemistry?? My local water is hard and i've heard that this could make it softer... i dont mind this and it would probably be more suitable for my fish but i wanted to make sure that i did it safely. I was thinking i would go with the DIY option. I'm not 100% on which option to go with for the diffuser?

Just a small point but CO2 doesn't make your water softer. It will lower pH.

There is a set correlation between carbonate hardness (kH) and CO2 levels which determine your pH. If you need more info there is a wealth of it in the pinned topics of the various forums.

Brian

 

[Hels]

Thanks for the great help!

Sorry I havent replied sooner...Its been a v busy week!

Yeah I hadnt realised that it would only lower the PH, i was thinking it would soften the water..... my concern about adding new fish in the future was because i was thinking the tank water would be a lot softer than the local water around here!!

I'm definatley going think about going the DIY route and will take a look into the glass bell diffuser.

Thanks again for the help!

Hels