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Advice on CO2 usage

Planted Bows

Member
Joined
19 Jun 2015
Messages
414
Location
Loughborough
hi all,

Now I have a fluval 88g co2 kit

I currently have my co2 on for 10 hours a day - 4 hours before the lights come on and then turn it off 1 hour before the lights go out at just below 1bps as its only a 50litre tank.

Now I'm getting lovely growth with a little brown algae on the rocks but I know that was from my lights being on way to long.
Its just a pain that I have to manually turn the CO2 on and off everyday.
so if i miss a few days for example its going to cause me a huge algae out break which I've had before.

So my question is would it cause issues with having it on 24hours a day?
Would i need to run an airstone all day and night?

any other advice would be greatly appreciated and tanks in advance

Jamie
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Running it 24/7 can work. During the night plants use O2 and produce CO2, this can put livestock in harms way. Running a airpump at night on a timer can alleviate this problem. You will be using extra CO2 (extra costs). A solenoid on a timer will switch your CO2 too.
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Yes most likely as FE connector, regulator, solenoid and needle valve come as one unit. People have fitted solenoids to existing disposable regulators but suffered pipe bursting as regulator isn't really a regulator (most likely a pin hole) and when solenoid closes pressure builds up and bursts the connecting tubing.
 
If you're strapped fort cash you could get a solenoid from co2art for about £20. You just cut the co2 pipe and insert on each end.

Ultimately better off with a dual stage and FE though.
 
An inline solenoid may be an option. That depends on the thing that Fluval call it "Regulator Valve".

If it's just a valve, not a true regulator, the pressure on the opening will be the same as in the CO2 bottle (around 800 psi, depending on room temperature). Then the hose that is used between the valve and solenoid must be able to withstand that level of pressure, or it will burst like what ian_m has said.

If it's a true regulator, then the pressure at the opening is lowered from the bottle level. A PU hose like the one CO2 Art sells is OK to use to connect the solenoid to the regulator. Standard silicone air hose is not recommended at this location because it may burst even at 30 psi working pressure when the solenoid is closed. You can use any hose you like after the solenoid.
 
The thing is my fish room is in the shed outside will I have issue with co2 when the colder weather comes? I'm just going to save up and go for a whole FE co2 unit etc :) what would people recommend?

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I picked up a 2kg FE off eBay for £5 last week. It is only 1 year old and never been fired. I am going to go for the full CO2 set up from CO2art.

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will I have issue with co2 when the colder weather comes?
Not unless it gets to about -55C and the CO2 in the tank will solidify...You are thinking of butane bottles that don't work in cold environments ie below 0C as butane boils at -0.5C.
 
Thank you for replies guys.
Within the next few months I'll be going for the FE approach

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So my question is would it cause issues with having it on 24hours a day?
You don't mention what sort of fish/shrimp are in your tank or light levels, but it should be quite possible to run the CO2 24/7 at 1-2 bps (depending on various conditions).

I'd just go the complete CO2 Art kit rather than trying to fit a solenoid to the Fluval 88 kit.
 
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