Co2 mishap!

[chrisrm]

So about 2 weeks ago I thought I’d have a go at a diy co2 system. The results were to say the least amazing! However….. last night I must have knocked the bottle over whilst trimming the plants and I came down this morning to all the fish gasping at the surface (normally I’ve been taking the diffuser out at night but forgot ) it was only murky at this point, so I did a bit of a water change and moved the spray bar to ad more o2 which helped, and then I saw the bottle on its side which had been obviously pushing the liquid into the tank overnight. Removed it, but when I came home it was bad, pretty cloudy, and it’s got worse. Fish seem fine so I’m thinking bacterial bloom and should clear? I’ve cleaned the filter and done a small water change. On a side note definitely going proper co2 injection any tips or suggestions very welcome

 

[MattW]

Is this a yeast & sugar kit? Cause if that leaks into your tank, you will have some drunk fish! Hopefully, it is just a bloom. If it happened to me, I would do large water changes to dilute anything bad in the water and monitor parameters

Do you have this CO2 above the tank then? I never have anything going into the tank above it after some incidents a few years back

 

[chrisrm]

Is this a yeast & sugar kit? Cause if that leaks into your tank, you will have some drunk fish! Hopefully, it is just a bloom. If it happened to me, I would do large water changes to dilute anything bad in the water and monitor parameters

Yeah it is. The tetras were literally gasping at the surface this morning so I initially thought co2 levels too high so did like 20% and increase d surface agitation. It was all fine when I left for work but came home to milk. Fish are fine so I cleaned canister and they are still good but I read sugar can feed a bacteria bloom so I’m hoping that’s what it is. All the parameters ate spot on still. I’ve removed co2 for now

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Just change more water. Vacuum as well. You might need to clean the filter again.

The best advice I ever got re using CO2 when I said I was going to start with DIY was that I should skip that and start with pressurized if I could afford to. I ran a basic system for almost a decade. I bought my cylinder and dual-guage regulator from a beer supply company. I shopped around for my Clippard needle valve, bubble counter and CO2 resistant tubing.

Clippard needle valves are highly regarded in the planted tank hobby for their precision, durability, and ability to provide stable, fine-tuned CO2 dosing. Specifically, the MNV series (Miniature Needle Valves) are commonly used to upgrade standard regulators for better control over bubble rates.

I was space constrained and bought and Eheim canister and pushed the CO2 through it and had no diffuser. I ran the system for 0+ years. I finally sold off the co2 system and gave up the high tech plants. I ended up spending more time weekly on that tank than any 3-4 of my other tanks.

There was no plant I could not grow in that tank. with high lights and Tropica Ferts and Jobe's Spikes for the substrate.