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CO2 used Database -needs your data

I see alot of people's tanks here with a pre light co2 period of 3hrs, co2 period and photoeriod of 8 hrs so are your tanks doing the last 3 hour stretch of photoeriod without co2 injected and just using up what's left in the water column? I know plants need co2 most at lights on and it tapers but 3 hours seems alot at full light intensity? I have to have mine on 3 hrs pre lights but I have a longer co2 period than photoeriod maybe I'm doing this wrong and wasting co2?
 
The idea behind the early evening gas siesta is that by this time plants have uptaken what they need. I coincide turning of my gas with the start of a 1.5hr dimming to zero cycle of the lights, there’s usually still plenty of co2 in the water by lights off.
 
I see alot of people's tanks here with a pre light co2 period of 3hrs, co2 period and photoeriod of 8 hrs so are your tanks doing the last 3 hour stretch of photoeriod without co2 injected and just using up what's left in the water column? I know plants need co2 most at lights on and it tapers but 3 hours seems alot at full light intensity? I have to have mine on 3 hrs pre lights but I have a longer co2 period than photoeriod maybe I'm doing this wrong and wasting co2?

I would assume most would have their co2 come on 2-3 hours before lights on and 1 hour before lights off with a 7-8hour photoperiod, so co2 is on for about 10hours a day.
 
1. CO2 cylinder size Kg. 3 litre (3Kg).
2.How long does you CO2 last? 60 Days
3.How long is your CO2 period? 10Hrs 0mins
4.Size of tank? 450Hx450Wx900L capacity 182 litres
5. CO2 regulator Make-model would be ideal, but single or duel stage better than nothing. CO2 Art Pro Elite dual stage.
6. Injection method- make and model eg intank/inline supper Wiz bang ;) CO2 Art inline.
How many? 1
7.Reactors used- none or make or DIY APS EF2 etc. No.
8. Done a pH profile? Yes
9.CO2 pre lights on time. 7.8 drops to 6.5.
10.Filter/power heads output- make and model useful too. Fluval 407 canister
11.Output- lilypipes, spraybar etc make model or custom DIY. Fluval spray bar.
12.Lights- make and model, T5 wattage intensity. Fluval Plant 3.0
13.Photoperiod ? 6hrs + 1hr ramp either side.
14. Please link your Journel if you have one https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/2nd-shot-at-50g-planted.60849/

15. Drop Checker colour? Pic if possible with white background. No use of drop checker, but it would be yellow with a strong hint of Green.
16. Open top tank or glass covers ? Rimless open
 
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The idea behind the early evening gas siesta is that by this time plants have uptaken what they need. I coincide turning of my gas with the start of a 1.5hr dimming to zero cycle of the lights, there’s usually still plenty of co2 in the water by lights off.
I would assume most would have their co2 come on 2-3 hours before lights on and 1 hour before lights off with a 7-8hour photoperiod, so co2 is on for about 10hours a day.
That's what I'm currently doing having the lights dim the last 1.5 hrs of photo period I just had an initial thought that it goes against keep the co2 stable The whole photoeriod not just the start.
 
1. CO2 cylinder size: 2Kg
2.How long does you CO2 last? 180
3.How long is your CO2 period? 8 hrs
4.Size of tank? HxWxD capacity 240 Ltd
5. CO2 regulator Make-model would be ideal, but single or duel stage better than nothing. JBL Dual stage
6. Injection method- make and model eg intank/inline supper Wiz bang ;) CO2 Art inline diffuser x1
How many?
7.Reactors used- none
8. Done a pH profile? No
9.CO2 pre lights on time. 2 hts
10.Filter/power heads output- make and model useful too. Oase biomaster 1250 ltr/hr filter, 2 flow pumps: 900 & 1000 Ltd/ hr - sicce and hydor
11.Output- spraybar
12.Lights- make and model, T5 wattage intensity. Juwel helialux 54W and Interpet Trespec HO LED 40.5 W both on 100%
13.Photoperiod ? 7.5 hrs
14. Please link your Journel if you have one :thumbup::thumbup:
15. Drop Checker colour? Pic if possible with white background. Ph probe, ph during photoperiod is 6.65, and 7.2 before CO2 on.
16. Open top tank or glass covers ? Covered.
 
Finally, I did not touch the CO2 for 1 whole tank ... now could I have shifted it up ever so much, yes, but everything is healthy without the fiddling - so the data below is a consistent CO2 usage without changing anything for 1 tank.

1. CO2 cylinder size Kg: 10lbs = 4.5 Kg
2.How long does you CO2 last? 30 days
3.How long is your CO2 period? 10 hours (part of my next experiments will be to shave hours off and watch)
4.Size of tank?
Dimensions: 24 inches x 18 inches x 36 inches = 61 cm x 46 cm x 91 cm (I rounded)
Capacity: 65 gallons = 246 litres
5. CO2 regulator: Milwaukee Instruments MA957 (Amazon product ASIN B002P39I8U) ... dual gauge (but probably single-stage).
6. Injection method- Cheap glass diffuser from china
7.Reactors used- none
8. Done a pH profile? Yes ~ 1.2/1.3 drop.
9.CO2 pre lights on time: 3 hours (amidst an experiment ... I had it at 2 hours and then 1.5 hours, but then ramped it back up and never brought it back down)
10.Filter/power heads output- API XP-Filstar (Amazon product ASIN B00026Z4KS)
11.Output- Spraybar DIY
12.Lights- AI Prime Freshwater (100%) (https://www.aquaillumination.com/products/prime-freshwater)
13.Photoperiod ? 9 Hours (30 minute ramp up, 2 hour ramp down)
14. Please link your Journal: https://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/65-gallon-tall-planted.59423/ Will eventually update it!
15. Drop Checker colour? Dual DC (however, since this photo, one fell off and spilled in the tank :banghead:) 4KH on left, 2KH on right. If I drop the water down during water change, they are both yellow.
1602899246959.png

16. Open top tank or glass covers ? Open top (ATO used though so constant "top")

Some things to note: I run the diffuser into the intake and some bubbles escape, so my "consumption" has wasted error. When I switch to an in-line one day, then I will update the data!

Josh
 
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Updated the first post.

Also added my tank again as running it at a much lower working pressure ATM, I did run out during lockdown and when I managed to get CO2 I turned down the working pressure, did a few pH profiles .
1603657542020.png

DC has no signs of yellow any more, but must admit the solution has been in there for 3 months
 
So i should not care about how much bubble per second came out, i need at least 10 BPS for a 51 liters aquarium to make the drop checker green ?

it seems like every bubbles size is not the same in the pictures
 
Bubble size is irrelevant and very individual setup dependant, they are just an indication of the flow rate,so if you have 10bps and you need to increase/decrease the injection rate changing the BPS makes it easy, unless you have very high BPS then I fine BPS is hard.
 
I attached my two bubble counter types one after the other and also two of the same type one after another, out of 5, no two produced the same bubbles per minute despite being on paper the same brand and type and injection rate etc.

The ones that give me the fewest bubbles per minute go on the bigger the tank.

I just ordered a ph pen so a co2 profile can be done, as is, my test kit just doesn’t cut it.

@zeus I googled the forum for a guide on producing and interpreting the ph chart but saw nothing a dumbo like me could make heads or tails off - is there one?
 
@zeus I googled the forum for a guide on producing and interpreting the ph chart but saw nothing a dumbo like me could make heads or tails off - is there one?

Yes there is one, but not on the forum as it confuses/hinders folk more than helps, so the forum doesn't support the us of it as far as I am aware- well @ceg4048 doesn't support its use and he is the Guru of CO2 ,Ferts, command sense and plain talk ;)
 
I get what you’re saying, but I was curious to do some reading on what had changed while I was away.
It was co2 on and off, lights on and off with no adjustment, 40par at the substrate was highlight and t5 was the king when I joined this game, with ramping lights and probes and supernova power leds I figured things had moved forward more than me so it was time to catch up.
 
I get what you’re saying, but I was curious to do some reading on what had changed while I was away.
It was co2 on and off, lights on and off with no adjustment, 40par at the substrate was highlight and t5 was the king when I joined this game, with ramping lights and probes and supernova power leds I figured things had moved forward more than me so it was time to catch up.

First post I have read that asked the question of variable light intensity during photo period and CO2 injection to match. You are correct lights was mainly on or off and variable intensity T5 was costly and not many folk used them.

With intensity variable powerful LEDs the plants need for CO2 will vary

On my 500L tank I had four Kessil 160s variable intensity and six T5 tubes constant. Which came on at various times so the CO2 need of the tank varies over the photo period as the kessils ramped up and the T5 came on. The ramping down isn't so much of an issue as far as I am aware as as @ceg4048 has posted after 4-5hours and plants have had their fill the [CO2] isn't so critical.

What I did to combat the varying intensity/need for CO2 is use different CO2 injection rates. Well when I say variable they injection rate was constant, however having fitted a PLC (programmable logic controller) I am able to do many on/off during the Photo period with a bit of software programming, also made easy by @ian_m brilliant 'TankyMyTank' software design to control/adjust all on/off times by just adjusting one time - Its a work of art by Ian :clap:

example
1. CO2 on till lights on - CO2 twin injection on ( one CO2 injection was at a high rate and the other at a lower rate)- 1.0+ph drop in 30 mins
2. Lights on both CO2 injection off for 5min to 10mins, then lower rate came on a cycle of say on 5mins off 1min for 30 mins whilst the Kessil ramped up then as the T5 came on the low rate CO2 injection would be on constant till CO2 off

With a PLC using a bit of software to have multiple on/offs is vary easy, for a normal timer it would be tricky to say the least.

Are variable CO2 injection rates needed - dunno, but if you can 'emulate' variable injection via advanced on/off times why not, as the a stable pH/[CO2] is easier to achieve using them IMO.
 
@zeus I googled the forum for a guide on producing and interpreting the ph chart but saw nothing a dumbo like me could make heads or tails off - is there one?
As Zeus mentions, we really try to discourage folks from using the pH/KH/CO2 chart because it has caused so many problems for hobbyists, mainly due to their lack of understanding of the nuance and function of the data in the chart.
So there is no guide, per se, only some explanation of what the data in the chart actually means and why it cannot be used frivolously.

You may wish to review the information in a couple of my posts=>
Spray Bar and CO2 Diffuser placement confusion
PH/KH/GH/Co2 problems

Also, another post that helps to clarify the behavior of the CO2 in solution:
Excess of K, Na, Ca, Mg... fact or myth?

Are variable CO2 injection rates needed - dunno
No, not really. There is enough variability in the effects of all the variables that contribute to the concentration of the gas in it's aqueous phase, such as degree of plant uptake, amount of dissolved oxygen, rate of evaporation, temperature and barometric pressure etc., etc. As we lack control of any of these variables it's just one more headache trying to figure out an injection rate adjustment curve to compensate for all of these, especially since we cannot even measure the CO2 accurately along with the fact that the CO2 concentration is not homogeneous across the tank.


Cheers,
 
1. CO2 cylinder size Kg: 0.6 kg = 600 g
2.How long does you CO2 last? 76 days
3.How long is your CO2 period? 8 hours
4.Size of tank? 55 x 38 x 25 cm - 40 L water
5. CO2 regulator single stage: MIG welding single stage regulator, Mott porous metal flow restrictor @ 10 SCCM
6. Injection method- AquaRio Twinstar micro ceramic disc diffuser
7.Reactors used- none
8. Done a pH profile? no
9.CO2 pre lights on time. 3 hours
10.Filter/power heads output- VorTech MP10wQD, biOrb in-substrate filtration
11.Output- submerged powerhead
12.Lights- Kessil A80 'Tuna Sun'
13.Photoperiod ? ramped over 7 hours plus 2 hours on minimal setting
14. Please link your Journel Fireplace Aquarium - Planted freshwater aquarium blog and resource
15. Drop Checker colour?
20210921_174700.jpg


16. Open top tank or glass covers ? closed tank
 
Tank 1.

1. CO2 cylinder size Kg: 2
2.How long does you CO2 last? 32 days
3.How long is your CO2 period? 9 hours
4.Size of tank? 240L
5. CO2 regulator C02 Art pro se.
6. Injection method- 2x Twinstar L diffusers. 1 into inlet, 1 opposite end of outlet. 2x needle valves.
7.Reactors used- Nope.
8. Done a pH profile? Yes. 7.2 degassed, 6.3 lights on. 0.9 drop.
9.CO2 pre lights on time. 3½ hrs.
10.Filter/power heads output- Fluval 407. Maxspect jump gyre GF2K (30% day, 20% night)
11.Output- Standard Roma 240 through tank inlet/outlet.
12.Lights- 2x Fluval aquasky 14.5w, 1x fluval aquasky 2.0 33w. All around 90 %.
13.Photoperiod ? 7 hrs + 15min ramp up/15 min ramp down.
14. Please link your Journel: A Tale of Two Roma's
15. Drop Checker colour?
Emerald green.
16. Open top tank or glass covers ? Plastic lids.

20231011_193509.jpg
 
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