Packing my own ferts

[FerdinandPorsche]

Although there are hiccups, it rarely happens after half an hour. Even with the hiccup, I think the fine bubbles are much better than the normally diffused larger bubbles. These finer bubbles are all sticking onto the plants. I can't tell for sure if the plants are pearling, or the co2 are stuck to it.



That having said, I suppose connecting the inline diffuser to the inlet is far better than the outlet with the only issue being airlock and my vomiting sound from my chiller?

I do realize plants are pearling more than usual around half an hour after the change was made. Would this be possible or maybe I am thinking too much.

 

[ceg4048]

It's definitely possible, but you can look closely at the leaf and determine whether the bubbles are coming from inside the plant or whether they are attaching themselves to the leaf.

You can improve flow rate and reduce the burping by increasing the filter throughput. Remove some filter media in order to accomplish that.

Cheers,

 

[FerdinandPorsche]

It's definitely possible, but you can look closely at the leaf and determine whether the bubbles are coming from inside the plant or whether they are attaching themselves to the leaf.

You can improve flow rate and reduce the burping by increasing the filter throughput. Remove some filter media in order to accomplish that.

Cheers,

I do notice bubbles at spots that are more hidden from the open and these plants are pearling. Even the fissiden wrapped in a plastic sphere has bubbles from the inside. I doubt the co2 can reach in.

Thank you for sharing so much.

I am told that air going through the external filter will damage the impeller in the long run, is this true?

I will try to make room in the filter and see whether there are improvements.

 

[FerdinandPorsche]

I am reading the following thread, and seems dangerous to place the inline diffuser in the inlet.

Inline diffuser on the inlet to or outlet from filter? | UK Aquatic Plant Society

Some have used them on the inlet, but the CO2 will also attack the seals/O rings on your filter and you could end up with a living room full of water .

Is this statement true? Though George Farmer and Andy has contradicted .

Is it possible to merge all this post into another thread? Seems I am more on my own journal than the title.

 

[ceg4048]

I am told that air going through the external filter will damage the impeller in the long run, is this true?

If the impeller spends a lot of it's time "cavitating", i.e. without being in contact with the water then it is not being lubricated and will suffer wear at a greater rate. You would always hear the cavitation so it will not be a hidden problem. The idea is to reduce or eliminate the cavitation. This can be done, as mentioned, by improving the filter throughput. There are other methods which are more complicated and which involves modification of the impeller blade, such as drilling a series of small holes in the blades or cutting patterns in the blades to chop up the bubbles more effectively, essentially turning it into a blender.

Placing the diffuser on the inlet side also has the drawback of increasing the maintenance of the diffuser, because, of course, that's where the dirt is entering the filter, so you just have to clean it more often. I wouldn't describe any of these disadvantages as "dangerous", simply less convenient, but if they improve the CO2 dissolution and distribution then it's only a small price to pay.

Regarding the seals, lets think about this for a second. Do you imagine that the water that is in contact with the seals in a tank that has CO2 injection is not also laden with CO2? When you inject CO2 and when it is dissolved in the water, any thing that the water makes contact with will also make contact with CO2. So why would it make a difference whether you inject into the filter or into the tank. The water will still have CO2 dissolved in it and will still make contact with the seals. Do a search and see if you can find many reports of filter seals being damaged by CO2. You'll find leaking filters due to misfit seals being pinched, or seals drying out, or not being lubricated but you'll not find many reports of degradation attributable to CO2.

Cheers,

 

[FerdinandPorsche]

If the impeller spends a lot of it's time "cavitating", i.e. without being in contact with the water then it is not being lubricated and will suffer wear at a greater rate. You would always hear the cavitation so it will not be a hidden problem. The idea is to reduce or eliminate the cavitation. This can be done, as mentioned, by improving the filter throughput. There are other methods which are more complicated and which involves modification of the impeller blade, such as drilling a series of small holes in the blades or cutting patterns in the blades to chop up the bubbles more effectively, essentially turning it into a blender.

Gosh, I would not imagine doing a mod on my filter! That would get my aquarium heart into trouble. Never encountered this 'cativating' experience before, and not sure about it, but since it is obvious if it happens then I can always face that when it comes.

Placing the diffuser on the inlet side also has the drawback of increasing the maintenance of the diffuser, because, of course, that's where the dirt is entering the filter, so you just have to clean it more often. I wouldn't describe any of these disadvantages as "dangerous", simply less convenient, but if they improve the CO2 dissolution and distribution then it's only a small price to pay.

As long as 'dangerous' is not the key, I will keep it this way. Today I came back and realized no noise totally coming from the bubbles travelling. As the co2 is diffused into the inlet, it goes into the filter and stays there. Unlike yesterday when I changed it with lots of co2 travelling into the chiller, today it stays in the filter. I can assume it is fully dissolved in the filter.

However, the pH shown is still bluish; and this is after 8 hours of co2 on. I have further increased the co2 rate.

Regarding the seals, lets think about this for a second. Do you imagine that the water that is in contact with the seals in a tank that has CO2 injection is not also laden with CO2? When you inject CO2 and when it is dissolved in the water, any thing that the water makes contact with will also make contact with CO2. So why would it make a difference whether you inject into the filter or into the tank. The water will still have CO2 dissolved in it and will still make contact with the seals. Do a search and see if you can find many reports of filter seals being damaged by CO2. You'll find leaking filters due to misfit seals being pinched, or seals drying out, or not being lubricated but you'll not find many reports of degradation attributable to CO2.

True enough, I'm very much inclined to agree with this. Confirmation is always comforting.

Can you also point out this problem I have here: My second attempt | Page 2 | UK Aquatic Plant Society

 

[ceg4048]

Yes, curling leaves and browning and decaying is caused by poor CO2. If the rest of the plants have responded positively to your CO2 injection while others suffer then it might be that the light intensity at the location of the suffering plant may be too high and it might help to move the plant to a more shaded area to help it recover.

If you DC is not turning green then it indicates you need an injection rate increase. This assumes that there is 4dKH distilled water in the DC and NOT tap water. If the pH samples is directly from the tank water, and if you confirmed that the reagent is in good shape and that the KH of the tank water is not high then it must be an injection rate issue.

Cheers,

 

[FerdinandPorsche]

Yes, curling leaves and browning and decaying is caused by poor CO2.

But this curled up leave is the one that is on top of the water. I don't know what you call this plant.

If the rest of the plants have responded positively to your CO2 injection while others suffer then it might be that the light intensity at the location of the suffering plant may be too high and it might help to move the plant to a more shaded area to help it recover.

Many of the roots of the hydrocotyles are brown. Well, I was told my light it 'too high', and the plants are in sitting in the middle of the tank, so the light equation is not the factor here.

If you DC is not turning green then it indicates you need an injection rate increase. This assumes that there is 4dKH distilled water in the DC and NOT tap water. If the pH samples is directly from the tank water, and if you confirmed that the reagent is in good shape and that the KH of the tank water is not high then it must be an injection rate issue.

DC is on 4dKH. I believe it must be the co2 injection rate, but I still can't find out why there are no differences although I have increased the bps. Even if the co2 are stucked in the filter, it must come out no matter what. After I have changed the inline diffuser to the inlet, no bubbles are coming out of the outlet. This should be a good sign that indicates co2 are fully dissolved. But then again, the DC color isn't as yellowish as before. I tested for leakage around the bubble checker onwards to the inline, nothing.

 

[ceg4048]

But this curled up leave is the one that is on top of the water.

Isn't the light intensity at the top also higher than at the bottom?

Many of the roots of the hydrocotyles are brown. Well, I was told my light it 'too high', and the plants are in sitting in the middle of the tank, so the light equation is not the factor here.

Well then that means the CO2 is poor at that location.

As I told you, there is a relationship between light intensity and required CO2. If the intensity is high the the CO2 must also be high. How much higher the CO2 needs to be is determined by the plant, not by you. Just because CO2 is also higher at the top it does not automatically mean it's high enough. Just because the light intensity is lower at the bottom it does not automatically mean that it is low enough.

I don't understand what is preventing you from maxing out the CO2 injection rate. There are no fish in the tank right? So why is this so problematic? turn up the injection rate until the pH indicator or the DC turns yellow.

Cheers,

 

[FerdinandPorsche]

I don't understand what is preventing you from maxing out the CO2 injection rate. There are no fish in the tank right? So why is this so problematic? turn up the injection rate until the pH indicator or the DC turns yellow.

Maybe my so called MAX co2 injection rate is actually LOW. My basis of saying it is high is because the rate of bps being pushed out is very fast. It is like constant bubble pushing out the bubble counter. How much would a HIGH bps be to you? I have cherry shrimps and otto cats. I suppose your suggestion is to inject co2 UNTIL the pH test turns yellow.

Isn't the light intensity at the top also higher than at the bottom?

But the plant that is above water should not be factoring in the co2 injection based on the 'duckweed index'. Please correct me again if I am wrong.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

But the plant that is above water should not be factoring in the co2 injection based on the 'duckweed index'.

That is right, as soon as a plant has emergent, or floating leaves, these have access to ~400ppm CO2. That was the reason for using a floating plant, it took CO2 deficiency out of the equation.

Cheers Darrel

 

[FerdinandPorsche]

Hi all,
That is right, as soon as a plant has emergent, or floating leaves, these have access to ~400ppm CO2. That was the reason for using a floating plant, it took CO2 deficiency out of the equation.

Cheers Darrel

And the curling of the floating plant must have something to do with nutrient deficiency I believe.