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Drop checker still green?

S

spyder

Member
Joined
7 Mar 2011
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1,019
I have noticed on my new setup that my drop checker is an emerald green right now, the following day just before the gas kicks in again. Am I wrong assuming it should be blue or close to blue?

I'm using an UP inline with Eheim 2075 on a Rio 125. Drop checker is around 4" from the substrate.

Co2 14:30 - 20:30
Lights 16:00 - 22:30

I'm using a fresh batch of AE's premixed 4 dkh with bromo blue. The tank has only been running since wednesday last week.

Is this normal? Should I try stopping gas an hour earlier to compensate?

I also have some 4dkh water and seperate indicator soloution from TGM. Would it be worth trying this in the drop checker instead.

It's not a big issue right now as I have no fauna but I think my main concerns are co2 levels not dropping but when livestock is introduced they would add to that over night.

Cheers.
 
Hi mate,
If the tank is covered with a lid or glass then this is normal. it should definitely NOT be blue. An open tank or a tank with an open churning sump is a different story. You can easily get away with turning the gas off an hour or two earlier but it's not really a big deal. Remember also that the dropchecker is only ever capable of telling you what the concentration was a few hours ago. It's never going to give you real time data. For a better clue of what's going on find some time one day and take pH readings every hour or so throughout the day so you can see the daily profile of pH excursions and compare it it with the dropchecker color changes.

Cheers,
 
Cheers Clive.

Funny you should mention the "2 hours ago". Makes me wonder how someone can get lime green at lights on with 1 hr co2 injection. You would have to wait till 1 hour into photoperiod for the result.

I notice I get a nice paler lime green a few hours into the photoperiod and I guess that's when it matters.

My PH kit is about 8-9 months old and rarely used. I may dig it out for fun.
 
Hi,

Using exactly the same stuff (DIY 4kH solution with bromo blue) and without changing anything in the CO2 set-up or the circulation, DC was blue in the morning, green at lights on and yellow at lights off a week ago, but since taking the DC off for cleaning and replacling the solution (exactly the same batch as before) my dc is now stuck on yellow.

My thoughts were that the solution, since being a DIY, may have detiorated. Not sure though.

I think I'll have to buy the pH test as suggested by Clive.

cheers,

GM
 
If you think you have an issue with your mix: example is not changing colour as it should or remaining a solid colour - why not remove the DC from the water coloumn at lights out, stick it on the outside of the tank and check the colouration of the fuild in the morning when you get up - if the solution is working correctly it will be blue.

Regards
paul.
 
I've done that. I've taken the dc out of the aquarium (during daytime) and it went to blue in 15 minutes. When inside, got green again and remained so.

I suppose this would indicate that I always have a lot of CO2, but this did not happen before and nothing was changed in the meanwhile - just the solution which was replaced (same bottle though).

cheers,

GM
 
Hey,

Apparently my DC started functioning as before after 3 days of being stuck on green. May there was something clogging the connection and thus preventing the exchange of gas, I don't know. Glad it's working now ;)

Cheers,

GM
 
Never had a problem using tap water always wash my out with water - dry with paper towel then leave it 6 hrs to dry out completely then add my solution.

Regards
Paul.
 
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