• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

co2 help please for large tank

A

alan_uk

Member
Joined
27 Jun 2010
Messages
240
hi guys,

firstly excuse me for sounding dumb im really not too clever on this subject

i have my 6 foot x 18"x18" tank set up now and love how it looks i have 2 54watt t5ho 865 6500k daylight white bulbs on for 10 hours a day if this is too much please advise

i have an eheim 2236 external and a fluval 4+ internal for filtration
i also had a cheap version korilia 3000lph power head/wave maker but it seemed too powerfull and was blowing the plants wildly so removed it but since i now have a dead spot were my spray bar enters the tank as i have it pointing down over slightly so there is no surface agitation were it is if this makes sense

substrate i have osmocote topped with sphagnum moss peat then 3.5" of akadama

i really didnt want to use liquid or dry ferts due to the amount and expense for the tank size so got relitivly easy growing plants which all seem to be doing well but the intention was always to add co2 also

at the minute i have bought a rhinox 5000 diffuser and aqua grow bubble counter 1 way check valves and co2 tubing

i have made a double 2l bottle diy kit for the time being although after 27 hours it is still to start giving anything out ?? were as before in my 2ft tank it worked within 24 hours using the exact same recipie ??

anyway i wanted to add pressurised co2 the tank is 100 us gallons which is roughly 84 uk gallons and i was going to use a 6kg welding bottle at first but the refilling is substantually more than the fe method so was going to buy a 2kg fe and a jbl regulator and solanoid off a guy on here

thing is firstly how much co2 will i need to inject to the tank ?
would i be ok using the rhinox 5000 diffuser i have
am i right in thinking the solanoid is whats used for setting the timing on the co2
how often would i need to refil the fe as this is not really a problem as there is a company 5 miles from me that will do so for £3 which ive already double checked :)
how many bubbles per second would i need ?
would i need more circulaton in the tank ?

another thing im currently getting a lot of brown algae on the plant leaves there is no fish in there and although the filters were fully mature the water was only recently fully replaced after cleaning the tank and re-starting

someone please help with as simple answers as you can as this is really confusing and the more i try to read up the more confused i get

thank you :thumbup:
 
1) don't know anything about DIY co2.
2)how much? you need a drop checker, but 3-4 bps is a good start
3)i would get and inline diffuser such as UP atomiser or a reactor like the one described in the tutorial.
4)the solenoid is used for on / off, but you need a timer to go with it.
5)more circulation the better as i have finally conceded. i got a couple of koralias.
6)ferts are really cheap if you make your own, as i have. i also have a 90 gallon. after a £40 outlay, which includes the scales, i estimate i have enough powders for at least two years and even then i will only have to replace some.
7)brown algae on the plants is a sign of too much light, especially as you are not adding ferts or co2 to compensate. by the way, if you are yet to add fish, i have two plecs, a bulldog and a flash, they only grow to 5", and by god do they eat the stuff!! they have virtually 'polished' my plants and glass in a matter of days of being in there!

8)this ones a question from me. where are you getting those refills? i cannot get anything below £15. the company name? location? i am in the south wales area.

thanks, scott
 
cheers mate

firstly here is the place i used

NORTH EAST ENGLAND

North East Counties Fire Protection Engineers Ltd
Location : West Lane, Grangetown, Middlesbrough, Cleveland TS6 7AA
Tel : 01642 466190
Services : 2kg bottle refilled for £3.00, 6kg bottle & gas £27.00, 6kg refill £19.00

secondly will the korilia damage the plants with the way they were blowing ?

and it wasnt just the cost for ferts i know i will forget and mess everything up which was the reason behind the osmocote and peat under the akadama

and how many light hours would you reccomend ?

i cant add fish yet due to my p.h being 6 because of the substrate lol was going to add a whole load of ottos
 
forgot to mention im awaiting my drop checker arriving bought a glass 1 same as everyone uses on here :)
 
1)the plants should be 'gently swaying'
2)some one can correct me but i think you still need to dose the water column when adding co2. just make up 500ml and add when you do a water change. i actually split mine into three times a week.
3)i would recommend 6 hrs period just to start. ps. the brown algae wont just go either, you will have to remove it.
 
:O lol how is best to remove it would the ottos do the trick but seeing add fish yet what is best just with fingers

also how long should i just have 6 hours light ? should i up it ever or is 6 hours enough for all ?

and will the fe i put link to deffinatly be ok can the horn be removed as the nut looks round and can it be refilled ??

cheers
 
also i dont know were to start with dry ferts were to buy them from what to buy and how to mix ??

any help at all would be great
 
dont know if ottos will, good old finger scrape will shift it!!
just up the light as you see fit, no algae? up the light. algae? don't up it!!
i really have bought two of those, they are fine!!

the ferts is really easy just look here:- http://www.theplantedtank.co.uk/
number 3 is the one to make up and then add 5ml per 100l of water every day or every other day, its up to you.

you can buy most of the chemicals from the green machine or fluid sensor online (the forum sponsors).
the other chemicals you can buy from a brewers store such as:- http://www.the-home-brew-shop.co.uk/
 
thats great i will buy 1 of them fe's then :)

if i add a regulator do i need a solanoid or is there a way of having it on during light hours without it ?

and would i need ferts for low tech low light no co2 plants ??
 
It is a low light tank, you probably wont need ferts or even Co2.

If you dont want to make up ferts, these dry powers are excellent.

http://www.fluidsensoronline.com/zen/in ... 3_65_69_75

The only alternative to a solenoid is to manually turn the CO2 off, which is going to be a PITA! running co2 24/7 really shouldn't be a problem, I always have :)

BTW I won't worry about about getting the 5000 diffuser, the 2000 should be more than enough. I've used a nano diffuser on my 250lt. Its placement in the tank is far more important than the size of the diffuser.

Sam
 
thats excelent

its low light easy grow plants really

i just wanted the added benefit of co2

i dont mind mnually turning the tap off every night if thats all it takes as i dont mind not having the solanoid less electric lol :)

if i just turn off the tap though wont that make the bottle explode? i worry lots

and if i can just run it 24/7 i dont care as i spoke th=o the guy this morning about refills and £3 for a 2kg fe lol

or £9 for a 6kg welding bottle £19 to buy so either way its a result

£13.99 for a fe
£3 refills
that cheap regulator and i already have the rhinox 5000 :) as im currently running diy co2 24/7 1bps but its rubbish
 
Coolio, CO2 is probably a help on any tank with plants.

If you don't mind turning it off, then go for it, it wont explode, what do you think was holding the co2 in the cylinder when you got it ;) but equally just leave it running if refils are that cheap!

Sam

PS - there is a thread in the 'where to buy' section that lists loads of places people get cheap co2 refils, post up your shop there too, so others will know about it. Cheap refils is often what stops people getting into co2.
 
:) cheers lol its already there :)

thats how i found it but the prices are too high on there and a year out of date as i rang the guy to check this morning :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top