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Attempt #1

The pic below is my drop checker as of now (12:00) so with the delay maybe 09/10am?

my co2 comes on at 10-20:00, an the lights are set to sunrise between 12am - 1pm.

By 1pm, the co2 should of come on three hours earlier, I'll try an grab another picture of the drop checker at 3/4pm(should reflect it at 1pmish?) it's usually green if i remember correctly.

IMG_0083.jpg

Here's a video of the flow, which i think is ok at substrate level? You guys tell me, im no expert 🙂



Thanks again!
Craig.
 
The flow from the vid looks Good at substrate level IMO its not the flow.

So it must be the [CO2] fluctuating itself. A DC it great at telling you what the [CO2] was at some point in the past- 2-3hrs ago it varies from DC to DC. so we need a pH profile, the pH can be measured at specific moments in time with a pH pen. So taking the pH at regular time intervals from CO2 on till CO2 off every 30mins ( more during the pH drop and around lights on) you can make a graph and it will show you if the pH is stable during lights on which in turn confirms the [CO2] is stable.
A decent pH pen isnt cheap but IMO isnt necessary ( but better OFC) as a cheap pH pen may not give an actual pH measurement but we dont need the actual pH measurement, all we are after is it stable! when lights are on, if the pH is stable for lights on period (first4-5hrs) and during that period the DC goes Green- presso
A cheap pH pen can not be trusted to give the actual pH but we dont need that, all we are after is has the pH changed in the next 6hrs for that I would trust it.
If you use the same cheap pH pen the next day to repeat the profile ignore the reading value all your interested in is the relative change.
eg
  • first day at lights on its 6.57pH and peaks 6.41pH
  • the next day at lights on 6.91pH and peaks at 6.82pH.
  • DC goes green both days

  • first day it increase 0.16pH during photoperiod
  • second day it increased 0.09pH during photo period
So second day the pH and [CO2] was more stable :thumbup:
as to what was the actual pH on any day ? dunno to be sure but less than 7 probably
 
So, the more c02 i add the more my PH will drop.

To become more stable i want to reduce the ph swings as much as possible, so i would therefore need to decrease the amount of c02?.... If i were to decrease it though, i'm going to guess my DC doesn't turn green, struggling to get my head around how i dial this in haha.

I'll try an source a ph pen now, i can see they range from £5 an up, are the £30/70 ones any good or just as crap as the £10 ones?

I'm looking at this one which isn't priced too badly at £36.

If its the same thing as this one though, i may as well save myself the £20.

Thank you! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Essentia...=28250420596131da63c7666b4d8aab6e2d86348100aa
 
D Wong 2HR AQUARIST'S GUIDE TO FINE-TUNING CO2 IN THE PLANTED AQUARIUM worth a read IMO



As to the pH pen I started with a Cheapo one which has it limitations but IMO is good enough for checking for stability of the pH as I posted above.

I do have a Hanna pH pen which isnt cheap OFC,

Is my pH more stable with the Hanna ??? dunno really for sure 😳 what does my plants tell me - growing well, low/no algae, no/very few pinholes in leaves :thumbup:
 
gree.jpg
Well thats my DC now at 16:20.

With a rough 2/3 hour delay that should be about 12/1pm, which is when my lights are set to sunrise, full power from 1pm on wards... ( so i assumed i was getting somewhere)

I'll give that a watch an see if it makes it any clearer!

EDIT*
Iv'e actually watched this before, that's what made me buy a surface skimmer & power head.

Pretty much did all i could to help increase gaseous exchange, i have descent water agitation / clean surface and its got the water flowing a lot better. My DC seems to do what i want it to do in terms of when its turning green / blue.... Hmmm...


Thank you,
Craig
 
Last edited:
'Lights on' is 'lights on' when the sunrise starts thats 'lights on' as sunrise is still part of the initial photoperiod which is plants need the CO2 most. Yes they do take a little time to ramp up photosynthesis so a sunrise does make sense IMO I use 30mins- slow ramp for 15mins then faster ramp for rest, 30 mins total. My understanding is 'as the lights come on the plants basically measure the [CO2] and start to adjust their internal mechanisms to suit to [CO2] that cost them energy and time so Idealy the [CO2] should be the same every day esp at the start of the photoperiod for the first 4-5hrs as stable a [CO2] /pH as you can achieve
 
Edvet said:
It seems you are using an ''airstone'' (post#36), when used it will drive CO2 out of the watercolumn. Usualy it is advised to only use it after lights out, to drive out excess CO2
Click to expand...

Craig is only using it at night (lights off), but he does sometimes have it on when he takes a pic after lights off 😉
 
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