New Tank Setup - Co2 Advise Please

[bingy_bong]

Hi, this is my first go at setting up a planted tank. Ive read quite a few articles prior to this and visited many web sites for information.

Two problems i have are,
1) I have co2 injected into the intake of the external filter, which is connected to a solenoid valve which is connected to a ph meter. - Does this plug into the mains supply constantly, or is it conneted with the lights on a timer arrangement?
2) The intake to the tank from the filter is the unused intake end of the ehheim pipe, as this is well below the water level, there is no surface agitation whatsoever, however as the tank is giong through the fishless cycling process, My problem is the amont of scum on the surface and how to get rid of it other than surface agitation?

Tank setup is

48x20x24 juwel tank stand and hood
4x42 watt fluresents 12 hours a day
100w substrate heater cable
2x200w heater\stats
Dennerle 1200 comfort heating centre
Eheim 2028 external filter
pressurised co2 with solenoid valve
Electronic ph meter
dennerle duponit mix
2-3 inches of play sand
48 plant colection from greenline

 

[cleekdaFish]

im not sure but i also have some scum in mine , from plant debris, i just take them out, ur water looks murky tho

 

[zig]

The Ph meter/probe should always be left on, if you keep switching it on/off with a timer, it will need to be recalibrated regularily, if you leave it on without a timer it hardly ever needs to be recalibrated (in my experience anyway, but no harm in checking the calibration now and again anyway) The solenoid can be on a seperate timer, this is the way i have mine, it switches off at lights off (Lights are on a seperate timer) and comes on well before lights on for the next lighting period, about 2 hours before hand. You may find it nescessary to use a digital timer for the solenoid with this setup, a mechanical one may not work, it may not click on after the first 24hour cycle, you could try it without the digital timer and see if it works, for me, it definatly will not work this way and had me puzzled for a while before i figured this out.

When you have fish in the tank you will need some surface agitation, just add more CO2 to compensate, just raise the spraybar slightly so you get a gentle ripple on the water, this will be enough for the fish and also get rid of the scum on the water, so may as well start now before you even add the fish and this should solve the scum problem.

Good luck with your tank.

 

[bingy_bong]

The Ph meter/probe should always be left on, if you keep switching it on/off with a timer, it will need to be recalibrated regularily, if you leave it on without a timer it hardly ever needs to be recalibrated (in my experience anyway, but no harm in checking the calibration now and again anyway) The solenoid can be on a seperate timer, this is the way i have mine, it switches off at lights off (Lights are on a seperate timer) and comes on well before lights on for the next lighting period, about 2 hours before hand. You may find it nescessary to use a digital timer for the solenoid with this setup, a mechanical one may not work, it may not click on after the first 24hour cycle, you could try it without the digital timer and see if it works, for me, it definatly will not work this way and had me puzzled for a while before i figured this out.

When you have fish in the tank you will need some surface agitation, just add more CO2 to compensate, just raise the spraybar slightly so you get a gentle ripple on the water, this will be enough for the fish and also get rid of the scum on the water, so may as well start now before you even add the fish and this should solve the scum problem.

Good luck with your tank.

Thanks for the info, done as you advised cheers.
Btw, i forgot to put the filter floss in the filter
sorted it all out now, plants going crazy, its like an upturned christmas shaker scene thingy, bubbles everwhere

 

[nry]

I guess I had the same type of scum issue with my tank for the first 4 months of its life. It has gone completely now, not really sure why though!

Get hold of some kitchen towel/roll and lay a sheet on the surface, as soon as it gets wet lift it off quickly. It will take the scum with it. Use enough sheets and you'll clear the whole surface in a few minutes.