Drop Checker. Color. Green?

[FishFanatic04]

Ok. So I have read the pinned drop checker thread over and over and over....... But while it explains everything, there are a few questions I have that were not addressed. It's an old thread so I thought I would ask here.

What shade of green am I looking for? A lime green as stated in the thread? Isn't that pushing it close to yellow? Or is lime green way before that?

I started at 2 bubbles per second the first day. My drop checker was about a hunter green. The second day I raised the bubble speed...maybe 2.3-2.5 it's all judged by eye. I lowered my filter bar a little to ripple the water less as well. This is today...

It was a lovely green, like a lime skin. But I think it should reach a much lighter green according to the drop checker thread. Should a shoot for the green on the thread? I guess I am looking for some real-time verification. Thanks.


ps. Is it fine to shut off my water pumps at night or will this stress the fish? I am trying to calm the water s at night for them... If changing the water flow will stress them, I would leave them on.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Today. Need to increase some more.

 

[Million]

It's difficult to judge, as the camera's sensor, and your computer, and the monitor of whoever looks at the pic online all alter it. Lime green is what I'd go for. Also, have you tried a CO2 test kit? To get a PPM reading?

Leaving your filter off overnight risks a die-off of the bacterial culture, but if you're just talking about a powerhead it should be fine to turn it off overnight

 

[aaronnorth]

Lime green is fine, that will be about 30-35ppm.
I have pushed it into yellow before and so have others (which is about 40ppm) without any ill effects. But this depends on the setup tbh

Also, have you tried a CO2 test kit? To get a PPM reading?

A drop checker is a CO2 test kit? You test the pH and cross reference it to a known dKH (assuming the OP has used 4dKH as suggested in the thread and not tank water) then you check the colour to get your PPM..

I know that chart shows one shade of green but you have to imagine it going from a blue-green to a lime-green

Thanks, Aaron

 

[FishFanatic04]

Thanks. I have been reaching a nice lime green and could possibly push it a little farther. I am using 4dkh solution. I did my research that far, I'm just having to figure out everything hands on, which is different then reading about it.

Yes. I was talking about powerheads, but I have actually moved things around a little, so there's no reason to shut them off anymore.

Thanks for the thoughts!

 

[Million]

A drop checker is a CO2 test kit? You test the pH and cross reference it to a known dKH (assuming the OP has used 4dKH as suggested in the thread and not tank water) then you check the colour to get your PPM.

Yes, but the suggestion was that the OP wasn't sure if he could rely on this, so I thought he might try an alternative test

 

[FishFanatic04]

*She* I am fine with relying on the drop checker. I was just nervous about what shade of green I am looking for. I basically needed to know, that when I am going through this trial and error to get to the right level, if I push to close to a yellowish-green, that it won't kill me fish instantly. But aaronnorth cleared up my main question.

 

[Million]

Apologies

 

[FishFanatic04]

Thanks for the response's. I have some fish looking bad today and, one died overnight. I suspect it's an oxygen problem, sin e my test results were perfect. I was trying so hard to give the plants co2, I am suffocating the fish Drop checker is a nice lime green.

 

[aaronnorth]

How much surface agitation do you have?
It could be the lack of oxygen, ample surface agitation is required when running high CO2. A nice steady ripple across the waters surface is what I aim for
What signs are the fish showing also?
If the plants are showing a deficiency in carbon and you don't have any algae that is related to low CO2 there isn't much point in pushing CO2 injection that bit further, as it could give you problems, but also the benefits it gives you won't be that noticeable as the plants are more than likely at their maximum uptake rate (hence why they are healthy, and there is no algae).
Thanks, Aaron

 

[aaronnorth]

A drop checker is a CO2 test kit? You test the pH and cross reference it to a known dKH (assuming the OP has used 4dKH as suggested in the thread and not tank water) then you check the colour to get your PPM.

Yes, but the suggestion was that the OP wasn't sure if he could rely on this, so I thought he might try an alternative test

I'm guessing those kits want you to measure the tank water though? You need a pH and KH reference so you can work out the exact PPM value. If those kits want you to test the tank water then that is no good as it already contains other acids affecting the result.
One could quite easily have tank water at pH 6.6 and 4dKH without injecting CO2 but I think we all know there wouldn't be 30ppm CO2 dissolved in there..
This is why we use the 4dKH reference solution, then as CO2 dissolves in the solution it lowers the pH value, changing the colour, when it turns green you know it's pH6.6 and by using a reference table you can see it's 30ppm.
Drop checkers are the only viable solution to measuring CO2 in aquatics, unless you have a spare few hundred pounds to get a proper CO2 analysis kit.. So I wouldn't bother with anything else
Thanks, Aaron

 

[FishFanatic04]

Well I had just planted a week & 1/2 ago, they hadn't had much time to show signs of anything, but I left the co2 off for a day and today I lowered the bubble count back a little. Now after looking there are a few plants with some minor problems. eusteralis stellata lower leaves are looking rough, but I wasn't riding all of my hopes on growing that one, I've read it is hard. The water sprite has brown tips everywhere. Any idea what to do about that one?

All of the new swords and crypts are actually looking fantastic, they were grown submersed, which I think helped.

My bristlenose was really pale and one angelfish was staying at the surface, but I moved it to another tank, and it's still at the top. So I suspect there's a bigger issue there. The other Angel is doing fine and swimming around the tank. I have just started new with this tank {new plants, new fish, new co2, new ferts} I am really learning on the go.

The apisto that died didn't show any signs of anything, the other 5 seem fine. However I have been messing around with my spray bar trying to find the right position and it may not have been agitating the surface the night.

Thanks for the help

 

[Katch]

Not sure if it's been mentioned but make sure you are getting good CO2 distribution throughout your tank. Do this by moving the drop checker around the tank every day or so. Try at different levels and different sides of the tank.

If it goes a nice lime green heading towards yellow then all is good. If you find it darkens in certain places your CO isn't being distributed evenly - fix it by adding more flow and making sure there are no dead spots in the tank. Low to the substrate is a classic place for CO2 to be low.

 

[FishFanatic04]

Thanks. I will move the checker around. I have the it coming from the bottom and into the path of a water pump now. I just spent an hour moving my spray bar and water pumps around. I had the perfect set up before, you could see all the plants swaying nicely. BUT...my angelfish were staying the the back of the tank constantly, which isn't good because I'm going to have 6 of them and It would be nice if they make an appearance sometimes. I see my pleco more then them, and I suspect the flow of the tank was too much.

 

[SuperColey1]

don't forget though that 30ppm is a recommended safe limit. It isn't about hitting an exact figure. It is about achieving a consistency.

So as long as you can keep it at a consistent colour then it doesn't really matter whether you are at a 30ppm, 25ppm or 20ppm green. Just need to make sure it isn't different every day

I normally aim for lime to yellow but since I got my Bororas I noticed they are pretty red round the gills by the end of the photo period so now I back it off to a more grass green. When I get my new fish this year I may well back it off substantially to only just green still going for consistency but closer to a 15ppm area OR I may dilute the 4dKH 1:1 with DI water to get 2dKH which will then mean 15ppm is that grass to lime green colour

Andy