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Is this normal?

F

fz1ben

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24 May 2013
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97
Hello guys I've just started using a bazooka atomiser in my tank. I've had to set the bps to hundreds to get it going then it slows to 1 bps after about a minute.when the solonoid kicks in the bubble count is crazy then slows to 1 bps after a minute or two. Is this normal? Is it just the pressure building in the lines?

Many thanks for any help as I'm finding this a bit confusing
 
It's the line pressurising, if however you cannot increase the bubble rate after the line has pressurised and it slows to a crawl over time then it suggests a leak somewhere after the solenoid and before the atomiser. If the operating pressure gauge fluctuates it also indicates a leak, but an intermittent one at max pressure (mine did this after moving my bottle in and out the cabinet and the hose acted as a lever over time loosening my needle valve connection to the solenoid block). Always worth getting the soap suds out and checking the connections after its all in place.
 
I can increase the rate a bit once it pressurised but not by alot
 
I'll try it again later when I'm in from work and report back. so should i be setting the bubble count once the diffuser has been running for a good few minutes?
 
fz1ben said:
Is it just the pressure building in the lines?
Click to expand...
Yes.

Try to keep the CO2 tubing as short as possible. I had exactly the same, with my inline atomiser, as I installed the remaining 3m odd of CO2 tubing I had left over, from bubble counter to diffuser and couldn't set the bubble rate constant. It was going from less than 1bps to many bps with corresponding bursts from the atomiser, cycling every minute or so.

Cutting the tube to shorter length stopping the issue, could reliably set bubble rate.

Also leaks can cause this type of issue of which I have had numerous leaks, despite convincing my self I couldn't have a leak....
 
I brought it as a kit from co2 art and it says the reg is fixed pressure at 3 bar, so should be plenty I think
 
Well ....... just in from work and the bubble counter was back up to hundreds after setting it to 1 bps and 80% of fish are dead! I've just done a 100% water change and the others are coming around slowly I think......... low tech here I come
 
Nightmare, sorry to hear that.

From personal experience (probably many others also) setting up a brand new installation with animals in the habitat it is highly advisable to be around the tank over a couple of days during the injection phase to observe behaviour and make changes if necessary, you have to nanny it until you can be reasonably confident that you have it all set so that it won't harm both the animals (over injection/insufficient off gassing) and the plants (under injection) when you're not there.

:(
 
Yeah I set it up over the christmas holidays and all was well until I decided to change the diffuser last night.

I have to admit I don't think the fish were ever that happy with the co2 or the high flow that I needed to use. I think I'll go back to liquid carbon and try and lower the light levels some how.

Kicking myself for messing now lost 13 of 15 pseudomugil furcatus that were gorgeous the bigger males looked amazing.......... lesson learnt I suppose
 
I only added the gas as I thought my lighting would be to high to use with out.The problem I have is I can't raise the light unit and there's 2 24w t5s, I have a reflector on one blocking the light so it's only really one bulb so I may get away with just liquid carbon.

Yeah I'm sure it happens alot but I'm still a tad gutted about it.

Cheers for all the help anyway guys,it may be a good time for a re scape. ....
 
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