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new to CO2... please help

Lucky-Darren

Lucky-Darren

Seedling
Joined
9 Nov 2016
Messages
5
Location
lancashire
Hi Everyone,
This is my first post, so hi to you all. 🙂

I have a new co2 system which is feeding two, 250l tanks. The tanks are lit via several of TMC led 'tiles'.
The co2 system is split between the two tanks, with one glass bubble counter before the co2 flow is split between the tanks. The co2 feeds through a TMC ceramic diffusor per tank.

Could anyone please advise me on a good bubble count to get started with?

Thanks in advance

Darren
 
1 - You can run into a lot of issues using the same system for 2 different tanks. These are just a couple that occurred to me straight away:
  • Clogged diffuser in one of the tanks means almost all CO2 will go to the other one
  • CO2 leak will affect 2 tanks simultaneously
  • End of Tank Dump will affect 2 tanks simultaneously
2 - Bubble rates aren't something you'd want to compare with others. Different bubble counters produce different sized CO2 bubbles.

3 - The best way I found so far to check the amount of CO2 present in the water is by comparing your KH with your PH and follow the following chart:
co2_ph_kH_chart.png
Ideally, you want to be in a grey value (around 30ppm of CO2).
This means that, if you have a 15dKH, you want your PH to drop and stabilize at 7-7.3 when CO2 is running.
If you have a dKH of 4, then you want the PH to frop and stabilize at 6.4-6.7.
 
I plan to use two diffusors off one CO2 duel stage regulator, but plan to use two solenoids bubble counters and needles, therefore the effects which kadoxu mentioned

  • Clogged diffuser in one of the tanks means almost all CO2 will go to the other one - wont happen as pre needle PSI unchanged if one cloggs
  • End of Tank Dump will affect 2 tanks simultaneously -duel stage regulator greatly reduces end off tank dump (but so does never letting your CO2 pressure get too low if using single stage regulator
as for leaks only effect both tanks if leak is before the needle
 
I use 0.01gr CO2 per litre per hour CO2. No idea what my bubble rate is, but as your bubble size will be different than mine, comparing bps is pointless.
 
Zeus. said:
I plan to use two diffusors off one CO2 duel stage regulator, but plan to use two solenoids bubble counters and needles, therefore the effects which kadoxu mentioned
  • Clogged diffuser in one of the tanks means almost all CO2 will go to the other one - wont happen as pre needle PSI unchanged if one cloggs
  • End of Tank Dump will affect 2 tanks simultaneously -duel stage regulator greatly reduces end off tank dump (but so does never letting your CO2 pressure get too low if using single stage regulator
as for leaks only effect both tanks if leak is before the needle
Click to expand...

That's the right way to do it. It's almost like having 2 systems... But just from 1 source. 🙂

But from what the OP described, it seems like he's just using a tubing splitter to do the separation between tanks.
 
I find the chart above confusing, I would refer to this version if you are going to use the ph/kh method to measure your co2 levels

CO2_Graph_zps9c124ef0.gif
 
doylecolmdoyle said:
I find the chart above confusing, I would refer to this version if you are going to use the ph/kh method to measure your co2 levels

CO2_Graph_zps9c124ef0.gif
Click to expand...
Not sure why it's confusing, as both charts have roughly the same values... the difference is yours has half KH degrees and marks lower ideal CO2 levels (which I believe is better if you have fish in the tank). If you are colorblind though, It gets a lot more confusing :lol:

In the end you can use both charts, I believe them both to be good to get an idea on how much CO2 is in your water. But I would say to aim for no more than 30ppm and forget about chart colors! 🙂
 
Lucky-Darren said:
I have a new co2 system which is feeding two, 250l tanks. The tanks are lit via several of TMC led 'tiles'.
The co2 system is split between the two tanks, with one glass bubble counter before the co2 flow is split between the tanks. The co2 feeds through a TMC ceramic diffusor per tank.

Could anyone please advise me on a good bubble count to get started with?

Thanks in advance

Darren
Click to expand...


Youve just opened a can of worms here!
 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will be improving the set up no doubt as I go. I'm just looking to get started in a basic way right now. I have a couple of drop checkers but have been wondering about their accuracy. My background is really reef keeping where testing is king so the Kh/ph route appeals. I have the red sea KH pro test kit and a decent ph test kit, so I'll go from there.
Thanks for your patience.... early days.
 
Single stage. There are very few dual stage regulators that look like that, mainly from CO2Art only in about the last year, and certainly not TMC.

Most respectable makes of single stage are absolutely fine. I have a single stage CO2Supermarket regulator, about 4 years old now. Works fine. Bubble rate slows as tank starts to lose pressure. Runs absolutely fine until CO2 has completely gone.
 
Lucky-Darren said:
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I will be improving the set up no doubt as I go. I'm just looking to get started in a basic way right now. I have a couple of drop checkers but have been wondering about their accuracy. My background is really reef keeping where testing is king so the Kh/ph route appeals. I have the red sea KH pro test kit and a decent ph test kit, so I'll go from there.
Thanks for your patience.... early days.
Click to expand...
Drop checkers should just be used to confirm that there are no issues with the CO2, not to determine its levels .
 
ian_m said:
Single stage. There are very few dual stage regulators that look like that, mainly from CO2Art only in about the last year, and certainly not TMC.

Most respectable makes of single stage are absolutely fine. I have a single stage CO2Supermarket regulator, about 4 years old now. Works fine. Bubble rate slows as tank starts to lose pressure. Runs absolutely fine until CO2 has completely gone.
Click to expand...
Ah right. Thanks Ian.

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
 
kadoxu said:
Drop checkers should just be used to confirm that there are no issues with the CO2, not to determine its levels .
Click to expand...
OK. Cool. Thank you.
I'll test tomorrow. How long should the co2 be on for before I test? Is an hour sufficient?

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
 
It depends... mine is taking almost 4 hours to stabilise.

The slow way is to test PH right before the CO2 shuts off and then adjust CO2 little by little for the following day and repeat the process until you get the desired (and stable) PH result.

If you want to do it faster, then wait for 2-3 hours after CO2 starts, then measure PH every hour, or half an hour, until you get stable PH results. You can then adjust CO2, wait for about an hour and start testing PH again, repeat the process until you get the desired (stable) PH results.
 
kadoxu said:
Not sure why it's confusing, as both charts have roughly the same values... the difference is yours has half KH degrees and marks lower ideal CO2 levels (which I believe is better if you have fish in the tank). If you are colorblind though, It gets a lot more confusing :lol:

In the end you can use both charts, I believe them both to be good to get an idea on how much CO2 is in your water. But I would say to aim for no more than 30ppm and forget about chart colors! 🙂
Click to expand...

True on a second look everything is just around the other way on the chart you posted, no real difference.

also get yourself a cheap PH Pen to test PH levels, so much easier and quicker!
 
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