Any tips b4 I tun Co2 back on?

[Brian Murphy]

I just recieved my new sodastream Co2 system and will be putting it in the tank tomorrow. I had Co2 running previously but the regulator had a very dodgy knob to try and set the bubble rate. I just wanted to know if there was anything I should be wary of when turning it back on after a couple of weeks the plants have done without it? I currently have a rio 400, 4 x54w iquatic tropicals. I've had the lights off the past couple of days as I was zapping the plants with too much light without the Co2. Currently dosing with Easylife liquid carbon and profito daily.

 

[Ady34]

Hi Murf,
have you any livestock in the tank?
If not id blast the c02 high as the plants may seem ok, but 4xt5 ho bulbs may well have already done the damage during the period of no c02, even with the addition of liquid carbon. You may find you get a delayed reaction from the plants with some melt and leaf loss, but your best option is to give them as much c02 as possible.
If you have livestock in the tank id remove at least 2 of your bulbs from use to effectively reduce the plants hunger for c02 so they can repair themselves before attempting full lighting again.
Id also keep dosing the liquid carbon in conjuction with the gas to boost carbon availability.
Hopefully youll have got lucky and you wont have any issues, but best to try to help as much as you can by maximising c02 availability one way or another.
Cheerio,
Ady.

 

[foxfish]

I would stick to two lights at least for a few weeks!

 

[Brian Murphy]

Thanks for the replies. I was going to set up my new sodastream Co2 system from Co2 supermarket.com but I've hit a snag in that the hose they supply for use with the mixer diffuser is alot thinner than the filter hosing and they now recommend (after Ive purchased it) that I have to use a hairdryer to make the hose malleable to fit onto my filter. My problem and worry is that it will affect the flow rate of my filter even if I can get it connected to my filter outlet.

I am keeping to 2 lights but cant remove the other 2 as the evaporated water would get into the tube ends.