Is My Diy C02 System Actually Working?

[Robbo89]

Hey all,
I set up a DIY c02 system about 10 days ago with a 3L bottle, and what I had researched to be a pretty efficient mixture, into my 25 gal tank. I have not yet tested but am confident there are no leaks (same amount of bubbles per second in the bubble counter and in the tank). 
 
But as for diffusion, I ran the c02 tubing down the corner of my tank and into a small hole in my external filter inlet. I can watch it and it has been producing about 1 bubble every 3 seconds consistently for the past week. Is this enough? I'm adding Rotala Wallichii soon and would like to keep it looking quite nice (and more importantly alive).
 
I haven't really noticed much insane growth in my other plants yet to be honest, so should I replace the mixture and silicon all the tubing? Thanks in advance, Robbo. 

 

[Lunar Jetman]

1 bubble every 3 seconds seems a bit low to me but you really need to get something that will monitor the level of CO2 in the water. Have you got a drop checker? If not I'd get one as that will give you some idea of how much CO2 is actually in your water.

 

[SO19Firearms]

Aye, get a drop checker. (and 4 dKH water - not tank water)

 

[Robbo89]

What is a drop checker and what does it do?

 

[SO19Firearms]

Shows the amount of CO2 in the tank water

 

[Robbo89]

But if there is one bubble every 3 seconds going straight into my external filter don't I already know how much c02 is in the water?

 

[levahe]

But if there is one bubble every 3 seconds going straight into my external filter don't I already know how much c02 is in the water?

The drop checker is basically a pH test. It starts out blue and as the co2 dissolves in the water the pH lowers slightly turning the drop checker green.
When you have enough co2 it will be lime green, too much and it will be yellow.
A drop checker is an essential component of a co2 injected planted tank.

 

[Robbo89]

Interesting, I should probably look into that then. From what I've heard it's extremely unlikely for a homemade system to over dose (above 50ppm), especially if mine's only producing 1 bubble per second. Would you still recommend looking into a drop checker with this in mind? 

 

[levahe]

If you don't want a drop checker and already have a pH test, you could use that to give you a rough idea of how much co2 is dissolving into your water.
Leave some aquarium water to stand overnight and test it, then test the aquarium water without leaving it to stand. If the pH is lower on the second test the co2 is dissolving in your water. I think the target range of 30ppm will lower the pH by around 1 pH level