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Drop checker

M

MrRich

New Member
Joined
27 Dec 2022
Messages
15
Location
Brighton
Hi. I've recently installed a co2 system in my tank so I have a drop checker. Following the instructions I partially filled the bulb with indicator solution and placed the thing inside the tank trapping air between the indicator solution and the tank water. The amount of air trapped reduces quite quickly so every few days I have to pull it out of the water to refill it with air so that the indicator solution doesn't get contaminated by the tank water. Is this normal? What is happening to the trapped air? Thanks

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MrRich said:
Hi. I've recently installed a co2 system in my tank so I have a drop checker. Following the instructions I partially filled the bulb with indicator solution and placed the thing inside the tank trapping air between the indicator solution and the tank water. The amount of air trapped reduces quite quickly so every few days I have to pull it out of the water to refill it with air so that the indicator solution doesn't get contaminated by the tank water. Is this normal? What is happening to the trapped air? Thanks

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Not normal no. Inspect the DC to check there is no cracks.
 
MrRich said:
Hi. I've recently installed a co2 system in my tank so I have a drop checker. Following the instructions I partially filled the bulb with indicator solution and placed the thing inside the tank trapping air between the indicator solution and the tank water. The amount of air trapped reduces quite quickly so every few days I have to pull it out of the water to refill it with air so that the indicator solution doesn't get contaminated by the tank water. Is this normal? What is happening to the trapped air? Thanks

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Click to expand...
Upload a image of the Drop Checker!
 
I didn't think that it was normal. I expect to lose some of the air because it regularly gets head butted by one of the goldfish but not so much that it completely filled with water. I'll have to get it replaced.

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This is the drop checker after 4 days
541faf0fc2426a622191195783f5dfc6.jpg


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Mine does the same but not that quickly and to that extent. Definitely no cranks in it. Would be interesting if anybody else experiences similar
 
Well... I did have this experience about how the fish, particularly 5-banded barbs, would gulp down the air inside the drop checker which caused it to be replaced by water. I don't know why they started doing that, and they stopped and haven't done it since for similarly unclear reasons. You could try adding a piece of mesh over the opening with an elastic band and see if that sorts out your problem. You could also try positioning the drop check just above the surface of the substrate so fish can't easily get into it.
 
The water level in mine never moves at least not noticeably, you can see in the photo below it’s about 3mm above the opening of the checker and does not move over a week between water changes.
55147558-90B5-4E1A-A310-5EA77B03D013.jpeg
 
I've moved it close to the bottom of the tank as suggested, not even the danios could get inside it now.

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It's been a couple of weeks since I moved the drop checker and it's no longer losing air so clearly the problem was caused by the fish! I've no idea what they were doing or why but at least they aren't doing it anymore.

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