Strange Thing Happened This Morning

[julioarca]

I did my normal water change Monday, doing a PMDD system so checked tank conditions...


0 ammonia
0 Nitrite
6.4 PH
40 Nitrate
2.5 Phosphate

Its the Phosphate that interests me cos its always being like dark blue (around 5+) but this time its down to a light blue. I have a well planted tank, 180L with diy c02, one bubble per second, which obviously stays on all night. Has done for past 3 months with no probs at all.

I have about 10 days ago replaced my lighting......now have 2 30W T8 8000k tubes (skywhite) and a 4000k warm white T8 30w tube. I used to have standard aquarium tubes, aquaglow and the like.

I also had a small amount of BGA which was a pain, since using the new tubes this is decreasing slowly. Sooooo.....

Got up this morning, all fish (discus, rams) gasping at top and looking dead, upside down. I quickly aerated the tank and within 1 hour all back to normal...I know it was co2 poisoning but cant understand why its been fine for 3 months.

I wonder if changing the tubes has kick started the plants and this is showing with a lower phosphate reading so the plants are puting out more co2 at night?

Anyway I'm going to aerate of an evening now on a timer so its automatic. Sadly I also lost a Ram

Any thoughts

David

 

[peter22UK]

i thought plants gave out oxygen...and took in CO2

im dumb tho lol

 

[shelaghfishface]

why do you keep the co2 on at night?? the plants dont use it without light?, the surface of the water needs to be very still for the co2 to work thus decresing the oxygen exchenge, no wonder they are ill or dying....i may well be wrong, someone put me right if i am plz

i thought plants gave out oxygen...and took in CO2

im dumb tho lol

HMMM me too

 

[peter22UK]

Is there not a way you can limit the Co2 output during the night?

obviously no photosynthisis will be taking place in the dark?

shelagh...im glad your on my wave length here...i was begining to think i had forgotten GCSE Biology lol

 

[shelaghfishface]

i thought plants gave out oxygen...and took in CO2

im dumb tho lol

no your not, your right !

yes you turn on the air pump to get the surface of the water moving, rendering the bubbles useless

 

[peter22UK]

oh not only does it provide oxygen...but a naturally sweeter tasting water for the fish lol

 

[shelaghfishface]

i hope the poster got a reply by PM before today as i suspect he may have lost more fish, any dull fish ( as in not very active) will respond to air bubbles-


EDIT to see i have just noticed that you already worked this one out,oops

 

[peter22UK]

oh

i would like to add- before jumping on the 'too much Co2' bandwaggon.

Did you check your temp etc? - obviously this sometimes gets neglected...but higher temps = less oxygen

 

[shelaghfishface]

oh

i would like to add- before jumping on the 'too much Co2' bandwaggon.

Did you check your temp etc? - obviously this sometimes gets neglected...but higher temps = less oxygen

good thinking Peter, especially as he has incresed the lighting too ( more heat from tubes)

 

[peter22UK]

Keep us updated

 

[julioarca]

Temp is around the 88-90 mark, suppose its got higher with the hot weather we are having, so this would decrease the oxygen. I ran the air pump on a timer last night and fish we happy this morning, feeding as per normal...So I think I will keep this regime going.

Thanks for your helps.

Anyone know the best conditions for Apistgramma's, you know ph...temp....etc Thnx

 

[shelaghfishface]

turn it down, i think that is way too high, but you cant do it all at once say a degree every other day till it gets to say..78


if im wrong them someone plz correct me quiclkey and i may well be as i know they like warm water, but not sure how warm.

Apistogramma --- anyone in particular ??

 

[ALW]

Plants take in Co2 during the day and give off O2 but during the night plants takin in O2 and give off co2, you should turn the co2 off at night. The plants and fish slowly depleates the o2 content in the tank during the night when there is less o2 entering and more co2.

 

[julioarca]

not sure what lfs has in stock yet

 

[BigC]

I'd say you pH is bouncing around all over the place throughout the day. You'd would be better off buying a full blown CO2 kit with pH probe and solenoid valve which will only dose the CO2 when required. Makes for a more stable tank. You can set the controller for what ever pH you desire and the Controller will only dose enough CO2 to keep this in check.
Regards
BigC