Red Sea Bio Co2, Lighting Question

[stormy78]

Hi, I have posed this in the new to the hobby section as well but hopefully will get more response here

Has anybody got one of these if so how would you rate it? I have a Juwel Trigon 190 tank with the backgrounds attached so there is no glass showing at the back of the tank. Would I be ok to attach the power head for the Bio Co2 in the bottom corner of the tank near on the front? Will it attach given the bow in the glass. If not can someone recommend an alternative that I could use at the lower end of the market? I looked at the Hagen model but again I have nowhere to put the diffuser

Also I have 2 x 24W T5 lights (the ones that come with the tank) in the tank with reflectors attached. Given that there is about 40 US gallons of water when you take into account substrate, rocks etc what is my WPG? Should I remove the reflectors as I currently do not have any Co2?

 

[Themuleous]

48w / 40g = 1.2WPG

Ive not used that system before but all the yeast type systems work on the same principle and are generally all OK for smaller tanks. For your tank, you'd need 4 or 5 kits to get enough co2 production. If it were me Id get a pressurised co2 kit, it would be the same price as a that many kits anyway.

Sam

 

[stormy78]

Thanks for the reply. Would I really need 4 or 5 kits? The instructions say its good to go upto 160 Litres. Is this misleading?

 

[julioarca]

Thanks for the reply. Would I really need 4 or 5 kits? The instructions say its good to go upto 160 Litres. Is this misleading?

I have a Juwel 180, so close to your size tank and I run the ReaSea C02 reactor with the venturi pump. My pump packed in after a few months so what I did was attatch co2 pipe to the venturi input on my juwel pump. I also have eheim external too.

I have found recently that leaving this ONE unit on during the night is putting too much c02 into the tank and has fish gasping in themorning. An aeration for a couple of hours fixes this. I am going to try this tonight with the juwel venturi switched off via timer to see if this reduces c02 in the tank at night.

So to your question, do i need 4-5 of these. I think if I had this ammount the tank would be in serious trouble. I am more than happy with my 1 unit which is more than capable of overloading the tank so be careful

so i have basically a constant stream of little bubbles entering the tank

 

[stormy78]

Thanks, so I'm guessing it would be advisable to install one unit then on a timer and have it turn off and on with the lights? Also I dont have any glass shpwing at the back of the tank. Would it be ok to attach the unit to the Black box that houses the filter and heater in a Juwel tank?

 

[julioarca]

Thanks, so I'm guessing it would be advisable to install one unit then on a timer and have it turn off and on with the lights? Also I dont have any glass shpwing at the back of the tank. Would it be ok to attach the unit to the Black box that houses the filter and heater in a Juwel tank?

I personnally would recommend a timer and have the pump switch out say 1 hour befor lights out and back on 1 hour before lights on. I beleive as long as the diffuser is low down in the water it allows the fine c02 bubbles to disperse better.

Is you have an external pump too, then perhaps do as I have done. Suppose you could also stick it to the side of the tank glass. Are you goin to use the pre supplied satchet?

 

[stormy78]

Is you have an external pump too, then perhaps do as I have done. Suppose you could also stick it to the side of the tank glass. Are you goin to use the pre supplied satchet?

Initially then I will probably use some of the home brews that are listed on the forum. As the tank is a corner unit I really dont want the diffuser on the front of the tank so I was planning to attach it at the back at the bottom of the filter box. I think for £25 plus £5 for the timer its worth a go?!?

 

[julioarca]

Is you have an external pump too, then perhaps do as I have done. Suppose you could also stick it to the side of the tank glass. Are you goin to use the pre supplied satchet?

Initially then I will probably use some of the home brews that are listed on the forum. As the tank is a corner unit I really dont want the diffuser on the front of the tank so I was planning to attach it at the back at the bottom of the filter box. I think for £25 plus £5 for the timer its worth a go?!?

Perhaps I'd forget bout the pre supplied mix, its rubish..Simply go for 1 teaspoon yeast (wine yeast), 2 teaspoons sugar, some warm water, if you have soft water a teaspoon bic soda. Mix in a jug with fork to aerate. Place on hot radiator for a couple of hours, it should tem be frothing. Fill with more tpid water to say 750ml. Add 12 tablespoons ugar, mix well add into Red sea and after a couple of hours it should be away, lasta approx 12 -14 days

 

[Themuleous]

Perhaps I'd forget bout the pre supplied mix, its rubish.

This explains the CO2 OD. You could get any yeast co2 to gas your fish if you DIY the yeast mix and put enough yeast in.

I would still be very doubtful of the claimed ability for one system to be enough for a 40g tank.

Sam

 

[stormy78]

Thanks for the advice both of you. The tank is cyclying at the moment with mixed results but I do have abround 15 plants in there at present and dont want them to die off hence looking at Co2 kits. I dont have the cash for pressurised set up yet but wanted something to help the tank along. Are there any other products either of you would recommend?