# co2 drop checker staying lime green?



## krazypara3165 (22 Nov 2012)

As described above i cant get my co2 drop checker to change colour.


Its a Up drop checker filled with 4dkh solution. i have 2 separate bottles of solution so i can rule that out.

Tank is 285l
pressurised 500g co2.
clear glass diffuser feeding into the 2 intakes for my filters.

during the evening when the co2 is off it still stays lime green.
and in the day even if i flood the tank with co2 it does not shift.

a bit of a random point since using the co2 my PH has gone from 6.5-7.5 my understanding is that it should go down but i am aware test kits are not the most accurate. however i will check again tomorrow before i turn it on again.

Finally i am using a surface skimmer to remove some of the scum ive recently had from the top of the water but i have read that it can reduce co2 in the tank, could this be affecting it?


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## Westyggx (22 Nov 2012)

My drop checker always stays lime green.


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## Matt Warner (22 Nov 2012)

My drop checker stays pretty much the dame colour all the time too. It could be that you don't have much surface movement so the co2 stays in the water for longer.


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## krazypara3165 (22 Nov 2012)

thats the thing, i do have a fair bit of surface movement and it doesnt matter if its 1bps or 50 the colour does not change :/


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## Ady34 (22 Nov 2012)

Try removing the drop checker from the tank for a few hours or even overnight. If it returns to blue then most likely as said your tank water is slow to degas, although unlikely with the open top. If it returns to blue try it again in the tank, and try positioning the dc in different positions within the tank, it may just be an area of low flow which takes much longer time period to effect the dc solution colour. If all else fails clean the dc and renew the solution.
Cheerio, 
Ady.


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## krazypara3165 (22 Nov 2012)

Cheers ady, cant believe I didnt think of that! Ill try it when I get home in the morning and see what happens!


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## Ady34 (22 Nov 2012)

krazypara3165 said:
			
		

> Cheers ady, cant believe I didnt think of that! Ill try it when I get home in the morning and see what happens!


No prob, should see the change within a couple of hours max....if it changes.
The surface scum could also be slowing degassing but wouldn't explain why the colour won't go yellow even with extreme co2 injection. If the solution is good (after tank removal test) then the only explanation for not going yellow is not enough co2. It sometimes takes a very high injection rate to get the concentrations needed to get toxic (for fish) levels, especially in such a large tank with open top and surface agitation.
Cheerio, 
Ady


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## krazypara3165 (23 Nov 2012)

Just got in from work and presto, its blue without having to take it out. Now I know im new to this but this seems highly unusual.... Co2 was turned off at 5, lights went off at 6 and was still green at 9pm last night, strange as it is a open tank with a lot of surface agitation.......


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## Ady34 (23 Nov 2012)

Mine stays green till the next morning after co2 goes off at 9.15pm. Don't worry about it mate.


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## Nathaniel Whiteside (23 Nov 2012)

Really Ady!
I've got lots of surface agitation to prevent oxygen deprivation at night. The other night, gas was slightly high, and I think fish were slightly uncomfortable, so I turned lights on and raised spraybar for an hour.


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## krazypara3165 (25 Nov 2012)

Ok, so after thinking everything was fine, ive checked the drop checker and it is still lime green..... And this is bearing in mind I had the co2 turned off yesturday!! Im assuming ill need to turn it back on, but I doubt it will ever turn yellow  ..... Confused.com!!!!!


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## Ady34 (25 Nov 2012)

krazypara3165 said:
			
		

> Ok, so after thinking everything was fine, ive checked the drop checker and it is still lime green..... And this is bearing in mind I had the co2 turned off yesturday!! Im assuming ill need to turn it back on, but I doubt it will ever turn yellow  ..... Confused.com!!!!!


How is the surface scum issue?
Id just take it out, clean it out and add some more of your solution, it may have been contaminated.
I definitely wouldnt go turning your c02 off for a day, unless your not running lights otherwise you may damage your plants. Without livestock your not running the risk of gassing fish/shrimp so id keep it running while you sort the drop checker issue.
It is 4dkh bromo blue solution isnt it?
Cheerio,
Ady


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## krazypara3165 (25 Nov 2012)

Surface scum is fine now, the water has gone a bit cloudy but that is probably due to having to move 6 neon tetras over from a smaller tank due to a hob filter giving up. Either way, its clearing up every day as im doing constant water changes. And the plnts are looking good with good growth. The solution gets changed every 2 days as it seems to evaporate? Unsure if this is normal but I am running the tank at 27 degrees as it will eventually stock discus. Sorry the solution is just standard 4dkh, not bromo blue (to my knowledge. The liquid is clear in an unmarked bottle)


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## Ady34 (25 Nov 2012)

Are you adding a reagent to your clear 4dkh water though?


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## krazypara3165 (25 Nov 2012)

Yes, it reccomends to add 5 drops, I have two bottles that are the same stuff, one I recieved half used from the seller and a second I bought off ebay, its a light orange colour but turns green immadiatly once added to the dkh solution.


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## Ady34 (25 Nov 2012)

Hi, once added it should turn a definite blue colour so something is wrong. Either your 4dkh solution is compromised or the the reagent is. I'd guess the reagent as I'm sure it's supposed to be bromo blue, which is blue in colour.


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## foxfish (25 Nov 2012)

A bit like a Sherlock Holmes story this thread....


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## krazypara3165 (25 Nov 2012)

Well I have two different bottles of reagent and ive tried both so would like to rule them out. I have seen it turn blue in the tank but its very rare..... So one would assume its the 4dkh solution, anyone know of anyone that sells it? Theres only one seller on ebay and the current solution is from him so I would like to use an alternative source.....


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## foxfish (25 Nov 2012)

How about here ! viewtopic.php?f=23&t=23307


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## GHNelson (26 Nov 2012)

krazypara3165 said:
			
		

> Yes, it reccomends to add 5 drops, I have two bottles that are the same stuff, one I recieved half used from the seller and a second I bought off ebay, its a light orange colour but turns green immadiatly once added to the dkh solution.



As Foxfish gave you the link.
The Orange solution is no good you need Bromo Blue.
hoggie


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## Iain Sutherland (26 Nov 2012)

I wouldnt trust the 4dkh on ebay, ive had a few and at least one was useless... think i paid a fiver for 100ml of tap water lol.  Jags works well but does need more reagent as very pale once green and hard to see.  I also have a couple of reagents that are orange and work well but if it doesnt go blue as soon as added to 4dkh then something is wrong with the water.  Personally mine stays green also just different shades of green from co2 on/off, yet to see it go blue again unless i take it out of the tank for 5 minutes.


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