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Too Much Light.... REALLY!?
- Thread starter Aeropars
- Start date
Paulo Soares
Member
- Joined
- 6 Nov 2014
- Messages
- 602
Co:2 Half is sucked into the filter
Stop doing this.
Not good.. not good at all.
First if you have the filter Inflow above the difuser you´re forcing the pressure inside it and in all Co2 circuit. The gaz come out from the difuser by the stabilized pressure in it and from what comes from the Fire Extinguisher or other bottle. If you have a Inflow making suction brute force from the outside you can imagine what´s going on in the circuit. One of these days you may find your difuser broken all over the tank.
Maybe your issue with the co2 bubble counter was due to this. (?) The bubble counter is made to work in a one way only. And that way is the pressure coming from the FE. Not an external suction from the above part of it.
I´m not shure if i´m explaining this well but i think you´ll get it.
I´ve seen to many times people in this forum recomending to to do this but it´s a damn mistake.
Other thing: Co2 is a gaz. What do you thing could happen to your filter by adding and adding this gaz? The filter is like a closed box. What happens to a closed box if we star to filled it up with gaz over and over? At some point do you imagine what could happen?
Well.. don´t.
Finally.. your problems in your tank with plants. The same is saying with everything.
Since CO2 is a macro nutrient what could be the consequences to the nitro bacteria in the filter to an extremely exposure and concentration of this Co2 among them?
I let this to your reflexion.
Best regards.
Stop doing this.
Not good.. not good at all.
First if you have the filter Inflow above the difuser you´re forcing the pressure inside it and in all Co2 circuit. The gaz come out from the difuser by the stabilized pressure in it and from what comes from the Fire Extinguisher or other bottle. If you have a Inflow making suction brute force from the outside you can imagine what´s going on in the circuit. One of these days you may find your difuser broken all over the tank.
Maybe your issue with the co2 bubble counter was due to this. (?) The bubble counter is made to work in a one way only. And that way is the pressure coming from the FE. Not an external suction from the above part of it.
I´m not shure if i´m explaining this well but i think you´ll get it.
I´ve seen to many times people in this forum recomending to to do this but it´s a damn mistake.
Other thing: Co2 is a gaz. What do you thing could happen to your filter by adding and adding this gaz? The filter is like a closed box. What happens to a closed box if we star to filled it up with gaz over and over? At some point do you imagine what could happen?
Well.. don´t.
Finally.. your problems in your tank with plants. The same is saying with everything.
Since CO2 is a macro nutrient what could be the consequences to the nitro bacteria in the filter to an extremely exposure and concentration of this Co2 among them?
I let this to your reflexion.
Best regards.
Hi Alto - Not sure what you mean by this?
@Paulo - The diffuser is not affected by any suction of the filter as its not in contact with the filter inlet. The reason the bubbles get sucked in is because of the swirling flow of the water. I think the problem with the bubble counter is that it is a poor quality product, especially since I had one dead on arrival.
Check that your CO2 levels are adequate before the "burst" photoperiod begins, also look at plants as some will open their leaf structure for "day", further some of these plants will begin to "close" that leaf structure after 5-6 hours - not necessarily based only upon your lighting period, but also ambient light.
Hi Guys,
Not good news to report I'm afraid as for some reason my CO2 Art regulator stopped allowing gas through thus reducing my bobble rate. I think its because my working pressure was set to be quite low so as the pressure in the bottle slightly dropped, so did the bubble rate. I'm now at the point with the CO2 where the fish are just starting to gasp at the surface so I can't physically put any more CO2 in without gassing them.
I've seen very little growth in the plants which I haven't degraded so I think its time to up the lighting intensity again. My crypts have stayed static, as have a couple of stem plants and still no movement from my hairgrass. Some others have just decided to shed leafs and I've only got the tops with leafs still on. Occasionally I have had a couple with a black stem which I understand is CO2 related but hopefully the CO2 is now stable and I shouldn't see this any more.
I'm kind of surprised though as the tank actually looks well light to the naked eye. I guess time will tell after I up the lighting by another 10%. On the up-side though, no algae!
Not good news to report I'm afraid as for some reason my CO2 Art regulator stopped allowing gas through thus reducing my bobble rate. I think its because my working pressure was set to be quite low so as the pressure in the bottle slightly dropped, so did the bubble rate. I'm now at the point with the CO2 where the fish are just starting to gasp at the surface so I can't physically put any more CO2 in without gassing them.
I've seen very little growth in the plants which I haven't degraded so I think its time to up the lighting intensity again. My crypts have stayed static, as have a couple of stem plants and still no movement from my hairgrass. Some others have just decided to shed leafs and I've only got the tops with leafs still on. Occasionally I have had a couple with a black stem which I understand is CO2 related but hopefully the CO2 is now stable and I shouldn't see this any more.
I'm kind of surprised though as the tank actually looks well light to the naked eye. I guess time will tell after I up the lighting by another 10%. On the up-side though, no algae!
Bacms
Member
- Joined
- 13 Aug 2015
- Messages
- 284
I am sorry to hear about your problems but cannot point out how much I admire your persistence and the fact you haven't thrown the towel. Fingers crossed things will start to improve from now one. And I agree a photo would be a good thing at this point eve if just for a future reference so you can compare when things get better
Thanks for the messages. I've taken some a full tank shot as of yesterday so will upload that to document the progress.
I know I can grow plants, its just the switch to LED has threw me off and I need to understand LED better to know how it reacts with the plants.
I know I can grow plants, its just the switch to LED has threw me off and I need to understand LED better to know how it reacts with the plants.
Julian
Member
- Joined
- 20 Jul 2013
- Messages
- 688
Aeropars, you aren't alone mate. I've been trying to grow a carpet of HC in my tank for over a year with minimal success.
Like you, I'm using TMC lights but the Mini 400 tile version. When I started out a year ago, I think I had them on something like 70%. I'm convinced that there is nothing wrong with any other parameter in my tank and I suspect it's all to do with having too much light. Every month I'll clean out the dead plants, buy some new ones and drop the lights by another 10% in an attempt to find that sweet spot.
Every time I try, I wash off the invitro jelly (gently using cold water), plant them into small clumps and for the first week or 2 everything seems fine - there isn't much growth but the plants look happy enough. Week 3 and 4 is usually where it starts to go bad, the plants turn a darker shade of green and if anything have grown upwards rather than spreading. I know people will say this is down to poor CO2, but I've literally had 5 drop checkers all at substrate level across the front of the tank which are all yellow, fish looking a little stressed too - I don't see how there couldn't be enough CO2. The plants gently sway, and I can see microbubbles of CO2 being caught on the leafs, but eventually they lose all of their colour and start to go transparent and die, regardless of how much fertiliser I add and how many water changes I do. It's a really disheartening hobby sometimes!
I have a new batch of HC coming which I'm going to try and grow with my lights at 10%, this will be the last batch I buy before I rip the whole tank apart and possibly give up, or at least take a break from the hobby.
I don't know, maybe it's nothing to do with the lights, maybe I've got a bad batch of ADA substrate or maybe it's just some weird chemical in my tap water.
Anyway, keep going, persistence is key with anything.
Like you, I'm using TMC lights but the Mini 400 tile version. When I started out a year ago, I think I had them on something like 70%. I'm convinced that there is nothing wrong with any other parameter in my tank and I suspect it's all to do with having too much light. Every month I'll clean out the dead plants, buy some new ones and drop the lights by another 10% in an attempt to find that sweet spot.
Every time I try, I wash off the invitro jelly (gently using cold water), plant them into small clumps and for the first week or 2 everything seems fine - there isn't much growth but the plants look happy enough. Week 3 and 4 is usually where it starts to go bad, the plants turn a darker shade of green and if anything have grown upwards rather than spreading. I know people will say this is down to poor CO2, but I've literally had 5 drop checkers all at substrate level across the front of the tank which are all yellow, fish looking a little stressed too - I don't see how there couldn't be enough CO2. The plants gently sway, and I can see microbubbles of CO2 being caught on the leafs, but eventually they lose all of their colour and start to go transparent and die, regardless of how much fertiliser I add and how many water changes I do. It's a really disheartening hobby sometimes!
I have a new batch of HC coming which I'm going to try and grow with my lights at 10%, this will be the last batch I buy before I rip the whole tank apart and possibly give up, or at least take a break from the hobby.
I don't know, maybe it's nothing to do with the lights, maybe I've got a bad batch of ADA substrate or maybe it's just some weird chemical in my tap water.
Anyway, keep going, persistence is key with anything.
I agree that its got to be something to do with hitting that lighting sweet spot. Particularly on my tank, all the equipment is the same as when I was running a healthy and thriving tank. Only difference is the switch from 4x T8's to the LED fixtures.
The thing that's totally different is how direct the LEDs lights are compared to the all encompassing glow of the T8. this could well be why its so alien to understand what's going on. My CO2 cant really get any higher either given fish are bordering on stressed.
I feel your pain!
The thing that's totally different is how direct the LEDs lights are compared to the all encompassing glow of the T8. this could well be why its so alien to understand what's going on. My CO2 cant really get any higher either given fish are bordering on stressed.
I feel your pain!
Here you go. Here's a picture of it as of the 5th. I've just received a load of Blyxa which I added and I've ordered some more plants form Aqua Essentials so as soon as they are in I'll baseline the progress with another pic. We can then see what's deteriorating and/or progressing.
DSC_0417
by Lee Parsons, on Flickr
DSC_0417 by Lee Parsons, on Flickr
aaron.c
Member
The power head might be better at the bottom of the tank, to encourage a cyclical flow.
At the moment I suspect it is competing with the spray bar.
However, as you say, it was fine with the old lights.
I switched to 2 x Grobeam 600 and I have had not much luck since.
I still have the original hood and T5s and might be tempted to switch back to them if I don't have better success soon
Aaron
At the moment I suspect it is competing with the spray bar.
However, as you say, it was fine with the old lights.
I switched to 2 x Grobeam 600 and I have had not much luck since.
I still have the original hood and T5s and might be tempted to switch back to them if I don't have better success soon
Aaron
Hi Chaps.
The Koralia position compliments the flow of the tank. I get a full on swirl effect in the tank. I had to move it higher in the tank as it was blowing the sand all over the place with how I had it before. It all seems to be stable at present though. Getting good light green on drop checkers at both sides of the tank.
The Koralia position compliments the flow of the tank. I get a full on swirl effect in the tank. I had to move it higher in the tank as it was blowing the sand all over the place with how I had it before. It all seems to be stable at present though. Getting good light green on drop checkers at both sides of the tank.
aaron.c
Member
Coolio 🙂
It might be worth dropping a dry dose of EI powder in the tank to see how it flows? Might highlight an issue.
From the picture it looks like a lot of the Co2 is at the top of the tank, but obviously it's hard to confirm that with a photo, you will know much better from seeing it in person.
It might be worth dropping a dry dose of EI powder in the tank to see how it flows? Might highlight an issue.
From the picture it looks like a lot of the Co2 is at the top of the tank, but obviously it's hard to confirm that with a photo, you will know much better from seeing it in person.
Bacms
Member
- Joined
- 13 Aug 2015
- Messages
- 284
The flow pattern does definitely not look right. It would be much better to have the spray bar across the back of the tank with the power head underneath. Given the size of the tank you will get almost no flow on the right side of the tank where your plants are. That may explain some of the issues you are having I would also be tempted to move the CO2 to the same side where plants are. Before moving to an in-line diffuser I was using the same diffuser as you as I noticed greater growth on the plants on the direct flow from the diffuser
Hi guys.
Believe me, there is very good flow on the right hand side of the tank with CO2 being blown down to the substrate. I'm getting an almost yellow drop checker on both sides of the tank. While it may look like its conflicting flow, that koralia is pulling water massively from the left of the tank, onto the right and then blowing it back across to the left. The whole tank is swirling in a vortex motion with bubbles going into most places.
I've actually had some progress with a battered stem of P.Helferi putting out a new shoot. Looks like there is progress!
Believe me, there is very good flow on the right hand side of the tank with CO2 being blown down to the substrate. I'm getting an almost yellow drop checker on both sides of the tank. While it may look like its conflicting flow, that koralia is pulling water massively from the left of the tank, onto the right and then blowing it back across to the left. The whole tank is swirling in a vortex motion with bubbles going into most places.
I've actually had some progress with a battered stem of P.Helferi putting out a new shoot. Looks like there is progress!
OK, benchmark time!
Added Some M. Monte Carlo, C. Helferi and H. Tripartita. I mived a few things about and i noticed the Blyxa I added previously has shown sign of new root growth. some of the other plants have also shown signs of growth as well as root growth. Lets see how this goes!
Photo taken directly after planting and doing a water change so apologies for the fizzy look!
160111-20.27.32(Lee) by Lee Parsons, on Flickr
Added Some M. Monte Carlo, C. Helferi and H. Tripartita. I mived a few things about and i noticed the Blyxa I added previously has shown sign of new root growth. some of the other plants have also shown signs of growth as well as root growth. Lets see how this goes!
Photo taken directly after planting and doing a water change so apologies for the fizzy look!
160111-20.27.32(Lee) by Lee Parsons, on Flickr
