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Low CO2

Mark82

Mark82

Seedling
Joined
3 Oct 2016
Messages
22
Location
London
Hi all,

Ok need some advise and help.

Over the past 6 months i have slowly upgrade my kit from a DIY CO2 system with a normal diffuser stone to a pressure system with a inline diffuser 2 months ago.

I have a Red Sea 350 tank and sump, with K1 media for the bio filter.

Over the past couple of week i have been uping my CO2 input from 1/2 bps to about 8 bps in an attempt to hit the right CO2 level for the plants. I think im about there but now my tank now looks like a fizzy drink.

Two questions really.

1) by running air powered K1 media, am i just removing the CO2 im pumping in. And
2) can i run a second inline CO2 diffuser to help desolve to CO2 before getting to the tank.
 

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The inline diffusers are designed to make your tank look like a fizzy drink.... yes sumps, overflows, air powered filtration will all de-gas your tank.
However the micro bubbles are said to be easier for the plants to absorb & lots of folk have successful sump powered tanks!
A reactor will reduce the bubbles if they really offend you, you probably don't need a fraction of the biological media that the red sea was designed to operate with.
 
Thanks for the reply, i have shut off the K1 media air supply to see if it makes any difference.

Also turned down the CO2 so i don't suffocate the fish until get home. Just in case it works to well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have run sump tanks for around 40 years now, I have used reactors, atomisers, diffusers ... you name it but at the end of the day I prefer to simply inject the C02 directly into the sump return pump.
Using this method, there is not restricting pipe work, no cleaning clogged atomisers just a simple maintenance free operation - however you will get the mist effect & you do burn more co2 than perhaps other methods?
I am a huge fan of using PH pens to measure the PH drop, once I have established the amount of bubbles required to get a one point drop, I feel safe in knowing my fish will be OK & my plants will flourish.
Of course your tank is not my tank & you may prefer a bubble free look & not require a whole one point drop :)
Just as a point of reference for you & not necessarily even helpful but .... I use around 7-8 BPS on my 200lt tank & that is probably more than would be required using an atomiser or reactor.
I include an trickle tower in my sump designs & I believe that also de gasses the tank but the tower is also an extremely effective bio filter.
 
I also do run a sump tho it has no co2.. But i think about it now and then and ask myself what if questions.. I might give it a try just to find out when i take down the hight tech tank and put co2 on the sump tank for a while.. Dunno yet.. It's also a trickle sump and use overflow syphons wich both end and gather in a drainpipe again which again leads to the sump. So the water has quite a route to take and some atmospheric contact and tyrickling already before it ends up in the sumps trickle part.

I assume it would be best to put the co2 inline via a difuser whatever in the hose feeding the tank..

Then if the whole overflow concept and sump is degassing so much co2 wouldn't there be a significant pH difference to be measured between tank and return part from the sump?
 
foxfish said:
however you will get the mist effect & you do burn more co2 than perhaps other methods?
Click to expand...

Thanks, i was under the impression that the inline atomisers meant you didn't get fizzy effect. Good to know this is normal and im not overloading the diffuser.


foxfish said:
I am a huge fan of using PH pens to measure the PH drop, once I have established the amount of bubbles required to get a one point drop, I feel safe in knowing my fish will be OK & my plants will flourish.
Click to expand...

I have just been using the blue/green/yellow indicator, i have some 6 in 1 pens so will give them a go to see the drop. I know my water is quite hard at 8.4 from the tap (well after standing for 24 hours to degas etc)


foxfish said:
Just as a point of reference for you & not necessarily even helpful but .... I use around 7-8 BPS on my 200lt tank & that is probably more than would be required using an atomiser or reactor.
Click to expand...

Its handy to know for reference. At least im not overdosing at 7/8 bps.

And finally i turned my K1 air pumps off yesterday and reduced the co2 (not sure how much by guessing 1-2 bps).

Got home and the indicator was a lighter green than normal and was normal blue by morning. Again was still blue but much lighter.

So it looks like i have been removing all the CO2 i have been putting in. Im going to leave the air pumps off until the weekend and see how the tank is doing. Currently have another filter/bio filter running so it won't affect the tank (planning of taking the sump out for a couple of week to do work on it)

Looking at the current CO2 levels, I might even need to turn the CO2 down some more, but will find out tonight.

Thanks for the help. Will update at the weekend



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
OK a quick update,

Turned the CO2 back up, as the indicator dropped to light blue again.

Discoverer in that despite opening the valve more (passed 8BPS), the bubble count didn’t change.

Guessing the Atomiser has reached the point where it cannot push anymore CO2 thought without increasing the pressure, which I can’t do with my regulator.

So anyone got a suggestions on if/how I can make the CO2 dissolve better before reaching the tank (was thinking maybe adding a DIY reactor chamber after the diffuser, I have not found one that fits 16/22 pipe without restricting the flow, any pointer would help).

Or adding a second inline atomiser, but im not sure how efficient a second one would be, im thinking adding turbalence would be better.

Final option is to add the atomiser before the return pump, has anyone done this, and does it add much noise to the system?
 
co2supermarket said:
@Mark82 A couple of questions: where does the inline atomizer 'deposit' its CO2? Is it directly into the tank or into the sump? Also, how are you determining your CO2 levels/dosing? I see from your photo you have a couple of drop checkers, so I assume that's how?

Martin
Click to expand...

Hi Martin, CO2 is being dosed via the return pump into the tank.

Yes using the drop checkers. Looking to order a ph pen from Amazon as a second check.
 
Hmmm strange, I could understand if the CO2 was going into the sump or a reactor because I've found from my own experience (and reports from our customers) that it's harder to get the drop checkers to turn light green by those methods. I can only think that's because if you deploy the CO2 diffuser into the tank then the CO2 bubbles are free-floating and some of them inadvertently drift into the drop checker and make it change colour a bit easier. To me, 8bps for a 350L tank seems a lot; that's basically a constant flow.

Your drop checkers use 4dKH and bromothymol blue indicator?
 
Drop checker is a pre-mixed, so i would have to assume so.

And it take about 4+ hours for the checker to turn green. Looking at a ph controller for the co2 so it doesn't go off overnight

Just did a recount and not sure if i miss counted / the atomiser is blocked or valve is faulty but bubble count is only 2 to 3 bps at the moment but this is at 2.2 bar i have added about 3m of pipe after the co2 is injected. This has helped reduce the amount of bubbles. Still looking at added the reactor but dont have time at the moment so will have to leave it for a couple of months.

Plants are looking better and BBA is slowly being eaten by the 6 flying foxes and mollys.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I really don't think you need the high pressure atomizer, just a basic air stone (or as I do) just the co2 pipe straight into the pump inlet.
How are you feeding the gas into the pump inlet at the moment ? Is the gas escaping in the sump chamber or is it all going into the pump?
 
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