# How long will 2kg last?



## fz1ben (2 Jan 2014)

Hello people

I know it's like asking how long is a piece of string but if I give you a bit of tank info could you estimate a rough time a 2 kg fe will last.

My tank
125l
Hard water( May mix 50/50 ro)
I'll be switching co2 off at night
48w of lights 
Hoping to plant heavily 
I'll aim to keep around 30 ppm 

If anyone could give me a rough idea or has a similar set up it would be great, just trying to work some costs out before I bite the bullet 

Cheers


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## foxfish (2 Jan 2014)

10 - 16 weeks ... maybe ... ish...


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## fz1ben (2 Jan 2014)

Nice one cheers for that, I need to try and find a good place local for refills and get a price. I might see if I can get hold of a 5kg that will fit into my cabinet


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## kirk (2 Jan 2014)

My last bottle lasted 4 mths, the current bottle is getting light after 2 but I've been tinkering alot. A very lot. But I was inline on the first bottle using an up inline. I'm now using an instant diffuser. So it can depend on many things.  If buoyant it to to last reduce light Hrs also do yourregulatorup properly


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## kirk (2 Jan 2014)

D p sorry.


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## ian_m (2 Jan 2014)

Out of the 7 2kg FE's I have used on my 180l tank they have varied between over 200 days to 23 days, depending on size of leak!!!

Last couple, when all leaks, failing one way valves, failing bubble counters have been replaced, all joints sealed with lsx thread sealer, have lasted 80-90 days. That is with a verging on yellow drop checker as well.


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## darren636 (2 Jan 2014)

5 hours a day lighting- 3 months


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## Samjpikey (2 Jan 2014)

My 2kg FE lasts 16 weeks on my 125 litres 2-3 bps (jbl bubble counter) on 5 hours per day 


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## Samjpikey (2 Jan 2014)

You can get a 5kg FE from eBay for £44 delivered , it's 620mm high . 
Cheers 


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## Samjpikey (2 Jan 2014)

http://bit.ly/1cPtNUF


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## fz1ben (2 Jan 2014)

Cheers guys that's a big help, just trying to get my head around it all


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## fz1ben (3 Jan 2014)

I've only got 58cm height in the cabinet, so I'll have to go with a 2kg. I've looked on eBay found them for £20 but there's no dimensions , guess I'll have to email them and hope there shorter


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## Samjpikey (3 Jan 2014)

The 2kg I have here from the bottom to top of the handle is 510 mm 


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## ian_m (3 Jan 2014)

fz1ben said:


> I've looked on eBay found them for £20


At work, local library, local shop etc make a note of any phone numbers on their CO2 extinguishers and give them a call. That's what I did.

First number I tried..."oh we only deal with businesses"...but 2nd number I tried, found out their local adviser lives down the road where I work and I get 2Kg FE's off him £10 a go.


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## Lee Sweeting (3 Jan 2014)

I have a 125 ltr tank, and also have hard water. My 2kg co2 FE lasts me about 12 weeks. 

Hope that helps!?


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## Sacha (3 Jan 2014)

Lee, based on that maths, your diffusion rate is very poor! You have the same size tank as me. 2 KG lasts me about 4 months. That is with a constant co2 concentration of 35 PPM (the upper limit before fish start struggling). Co2 is run for 11 hours daily. This is with a UP inline atomizer. 
Are you using an in- tank diffuser? Do you have an surface agitation?


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## Samjpikey (3 Jan 2014)

11 hours a day !! Wow that's a lot and it still lasts you this long. ? 
As above ^^^^ mine lasted 15-16 weeks on my 125 liter , was on for 6hrs a day for 10 weeks then dropped to 5 hrs a day . 
Cheers 

I have a glass lid , good surface agitation and inline atomiser - ph drop of at least 1 full unit . 

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## Sacha (4 Jan 2014)

You don't want any surface agitation- you are wasting co2! Surface agitation drives co2 out of the water


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## Samjpikey (4 Jan 2014)

I've read different theories on surface agitation , 
I believe the fish and also the plants benefit from the increased oxygen levels but you do have to inject more co2 . But the in tank environment is healthier . 


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## Sacha (4 Jan 2014)

That is one theory, however I don't subscribe to it. 

Yes, in the wild you will always have surface agitation. 

This is not the wild. This is a controlled, contained, man- made environment. 

The plants pump out loads of oxygen during the day, meaning the oxygen level in the tank is way more than in a non- planted tank. In a hi- tech co2 tank, the oxygen produced by the plants is more than enough, without additional oxygen from surface agitation. 

That is my theory, and obviously this is all a matter of opinion. I guess we would have to measure oxygen to have more accurate information. Would be an interesting experiment...


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## Lee Sweeting (4 Jan 2014)

Sacha said:


> Lee, based on that maths, your diffusion rate is very poor! You have the same size tank as me. 2 KG lasts me about 4 months. That is with a constant co2 concentration of 35 PPM (the upper limit before fish start struggling). Co2 is run for 11 hours daily. This is with a UP inline atomizer.
> Are you using an in- tank diffuser? Do you have an surface agitation?


 

Sacha! Dissolution of co2 in my tank is excellent, i'm dropping the pH by a full degree in the two hours before my lights on. Originally i did use an inline diffuser, which was very efficient. I eventually got sick of thousands of tiny bubbles floating around my tank though... So i built a DIY Co2 reactor, which is much more efficient, and no bubbles in the tank.

As sam says, surface agitation has a lot of benefits to flora and fauna. I do however have to inject slightly more Co2, but my fish are active and happy throughout the day.

Also Sacha, you said you are running co2 11 hours a day? That seems very excessive. Whats your photoperiod?


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## Sacha (4 Jan 2014)

Sorry I doubted you mate- I guess the increased surface agitation would account for your using extra co2. I take it back! 

My photo period is currently 11.30-22.30, and the co2 is on 10:00- 21:00. 

I have recently increased the photo period by 1.5 hours in order to get more growth. So far I have not suffered any algae. I am doing this because I plan on add a carpet (Staurogyne Repens) in the next few days, and want it to get off to a good start.


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## Sacha (4 Jan 2014)

Also, I too don't like the tiny Co2 bubbles floating around my tank. 

How hard is it to make a DIY reactor? Do you think you could link me to a tutorial or something? 

Cheers


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## Lee Sweeting (4 Jan 2014)

Here you go Sacha Co2 reactor build for Fluval FX5 | UK Aquatic Plant Society, there very easy to make, you would just need to buy the reducers that fit your filter piping. Have fun


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (4 Jan 2014)

Sacha said:


> That is one theory, however I don't subscribe to it.
> 
> Yes, in the wild you will always have surface agitation.
> 
> ...



Many believe that a decent amount of surface agitation allows them to inject higher levels of co2, which makes for more healthy and faster growing plants.
Many also see a notable difference in livestock when surface is well agitated, as oppose to not.


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## Sacha (4 Jan 2014)

Thanks Lee. 

Nathaniel, I am trying my best to replicate the beautiful tanks I see from the likes of Tom Barr, George Farmer, and of course Amano. Even though Amano uses Lily Pipes, their setups usually minimize surface agitation, don't they?


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (4 Jan 2014)

Sacha said:


> Thanks Lee.
> 
> Nathaniel, I am trying my best to replicate the beautiful tanks I see from the likes of Tom Barr, George Farmer, and of course Amano. Even though Amano uses Lily Pipes, their setups usually minimize surface agitation, don't they?



Well Tom Barr runs a sump, so naturally that will be like having a lot of surface agitation alone.

Surface agitation obviously means more refills, but I think it's a good trade off.

People do different things for different reasons, some focus on livestock, which is normally why the surface agitation is increased. But as Long as your not breaking surface tension completely, you should still be able to maintain high co2 levels, even higher than normal. You'll probably get plants to pearl a lot easier too.

As for George, ask him what he does. I'm sure he will be more than happy to help you.


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## Sacha (4 Jan 2014)

Thanks for the advice. 
Why do the fish prefer it?


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## Samjpikey (4 Jan 2014)

Since adding more surface agitation , my ph drop hasn't changed and my fish are more active during the photoperiod . 


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## foxfish (4 Jan 2014)

I think Sacha has a point, the planted tank world has gone through many fads (like most hobbies) & obviously many methods give good results.
As far as I can work out via Tom Barr... adding extra oxygen  allows more Co2 to be added without endangering the fish but, I don't really understand that?
Tom talks of 1.4 PH drop in his tanks!
Having no surface agitation certainly requires less Co2 to be injected & this was defiantly in vogue 20 years ago but the danger period was around lights off time when there were still high levels of Co2 & no oxygen being produced.


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## Samjpikey (4 Jan 2014)

The thing is though we all know that every set up is 'different' and we all do similar or different things and get varied results , a method that works well on one set up may fail miserably on another and untill we all try each method for our selves then we can know for certain what works best . 
As long as your plants and fish are healthy , does it really matter ..... No probably not . 



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## Ady34 (8 Jan 2014)

fz1ben said:


> Hello people
> 
> I know it's like asking how long is a piece of string but if I give you a bit of tank info could you estimate a rough time a 2 kg fe will last.
> 
> ...


 
this may be a useful thread 
Just how much C02 do you use! | UK Aquatic Plant Society
Cheerio,
Ady.


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## Mortis (13 Jan 2014)

I have a 3.5kg cylinder along with an up atomizer and Im pumping in as much CO2 as my fish can tolerate and its been running 22 months now :O !! Its got about a couple of weeks of CO2 left still. My fishy friends call it my magic co2 cylinder. I almost gave it for refilling last Christmas because I felt it had become very light and my CO2 filler was going to be shut for a week. Almost wasted a years worth of gas


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## Samjpikey (13 Jan 2014)

Mortis said:


> I have a 3.5kg cylinder along with an up atomizer and Im pumping in as much CO2 as my fish can tolerate and its been running 22 months now :O !! Its got about a couple of weeks of CO2 left still. My fishy friends call it my magic co2 cylinder. I almost gave it for refilling last Christmas because I felt it had become very light and my CO2 filler was going to be shut for a week. Almost wasted a years worth of gas


How big is the tank 


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## Mortis (14 Jan 2014)

Its a 30x18x16


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## Rob P (14 Jan 2014)

I changed my first cyclinder last weekend. It was on for about 3 months. I think there was a little bit left but didn't want to risk it and one of my guages was dropping really low (although I think it was the working pressure one rather than the bottle guage, which hasn't moved from 40 lol)

I've quite a quick bubble rate!


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## Phlash (14 Jan 2014)

Yep, pretty rapid I would say!


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## Matt Warner (14 Jan 2014)

When I was running co2 on my 125l, a 2kg fire extinguisher would last about 5 months


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