Is My Co2 Working

[Kiwigirl]

I installed a Nutrifin Co2 unit last wednesday. The bubbles do get smaller as they go up the ladder and pop as soon as they reach the surface water.

Some stats.

13-10-06 am ph 7.6
kh 5dkh/71.6 ppm
Co2 3.0 ppm (according to chart)

13-10-06 pm ph 7.2
kh 3 dkh/53.7 ppm
Co2 5.7 ppm

14-10-06 am (today) ph 7.2
kh 5 dkh/89.5 ppm
Co2 9.5 ppm

14-10-06 pm ph 7.2
kh 3 dkh/53.7 ppm
Co2 5.7 ppm.

It says on the chart good levels are from 10ppm through to 25ppm Co2.

Bubbles were only 1 per minute, I cut tubing in half, they now come out a we bit faster but erratic.

(My before Co2 my tank was stable at 7.6ph tap was 7.2) Don't mind the decrease in ph, it was expected, but the low levels are no improvment to what I was having before started Co2.

I understand fully what is meant to happen, but what is not right with these readings.

 

[zig]

Try using a DIY mix, this should produce a lot more CO2 if mixed correctly, you just use sugar, yeast, water and a little bicarbonate of soda mixed together, there is a pinned topic on carbon dioxide (CO2) at the top of this section of the forum this will give you more information and formulas etc.

You want to achieve a bubble every second or two, although you dont say how big the tank is, a bubble every minute is not much use im afraid.

 

[Kiwigirl]

You want to achieve a bubble every second or two, although you dont say how big the tank is, a bubble every minute is not much use im afraid.[/qoute]

Sorry I should have known better yes (lack on information)

I have a 17g tank. Temp maintained at 26c

Bubbles were 1 per minute but increased to 4 per minute after I chopped the hose in half.

Filtration is Aqua One HOB

At this stage I only have 6 plants, (have room for one more at the back) then I will be working on some low level plants for the forground.

I use Seachems Flourish Exel (only with water change at the moment)
JBL fert balls also (only have plain gravel in tank)

All my test kits are API ones.

 

[BigIan]

the flourish e4xcell is no real use with co2, you want the standard flourish. as the excel is used to add carbon to the water (just like your co2.

so by adding just normal flourish aswell as some sourse of nitrate and phosphate your plants will grow much better...

the diy co2 mix i was using was, 7 g of dried yeast, 250 g of sugar and 800 ml of water. and it worked a treat

 

[paulf]

the flourish exeell is no real use with co2, you want the standard flourish. as the excel is used to add carbon to the water (just like your co2.

I have have long chat with Plantbrains (Tom Barr) and Greg Watson I use c02 and excel at the same time, they both add different types of carbon and excel also has the added benefit of having an algae killing ingredient in it as well and no harm comes to the fish and the plants seem to love it. give it a go and see what you think. I was adding 3 times the reccomened amounts of excel to kill algae at one point, but as long as you research it (not allowed to use links) you should be ok, my discus were ok anyway

 

[Kiwigirl]

so by adding just normal flourish aswell as some sourse of nitrate and phosphate your plants will grow much better...

I'll try and find some normal flourish, the exell was the only one my lfs had. (I'll see if they can order the normal flourish in for me)

Where would I look for a source of nitrate and phosphate?

 

[paulf]

Where would I look for a source of nitrate and phosphate?

Try one of the larger garden centers or online, in the uk I get them from Garden Direct. It could be worth checking out Greg Watsons site, its almost the same price if not cheaper to import it here from the states as it is to but it from this country, might be worth looking at