CO2 injection commenced.

[Ozdude]

I've just started my DIY CO2 Generator, consisting of a single 2L bottle (2
cups raw sugar dissolved, 1/2tsp bakers yeast, pinch of bi-carb - water to
top up), a gas exchange/buffer (1.5L bottle in series with the generator
output), one way valve and 1cm dia. air stone fitted into the bottom of the
filter compartment of a Hailea internal filter.

I replaced the sponges and carbon in the filter with chopped up giant
drinking straws in the sponge chamber, and a plastic scourer fabric in the
carbon basket.

It took about an hour or so for the yeast to start in the sugar and now it's
an orange/brown liquid with some little white scum in the centre, and the
whole solution is "fizzing" similar to a flattening soft drink.

Occasionally, the impeller spits out super tiny little bubbles, but other
than the fizzing and these bubbles, there is no visible CO2 going into the
tank.

I am correct in assuming that the thing is working and that the filter media
is actually breaking the bubbles up to the point of them not being visible?
I have no way of measuring my CO2 levels atm, so I am flying by the seat of
my pants (or is that plants;) on this one. It's sort of scary because it's
the first time I've ever done this and the last thing I want to do is injure
my fish or tank health. I thought I may have seen pearling coming off the
Java moss about 3 hours into it, but the Mystery Snails had just been over
the area, so it may have been my wishful thinking ;)

It's a 58Gal/219L 4 footer, light to medium planted and I have been advised
that I may need two bottles ultimately. I have 2 X 36W T8 Philips Aquarelle
Fluoro lights in the hood too.

I guess if my pH drops then it must be working? I'll test the pH this
evening (the normal time I test it) and report back.

It is normal for the solution to fizz a bit though isn't it?

Thanks in advance for any information.

Oz

--
My Aquatic web Blog is at http://members.optusnet.com.au/ivan.smith

[Dave]

Hi Oz;

You really should keep track of your pH, at least, when you start injecting
CO2 ... you don't want it to drop too low.

I'd recommended getting a pH kit, and if you can, a KH kit as well so you
know how much CO2 you're getting in your tank. Too much CO2 can also be
lethal to your fish.

Once you know your pH and KH level, you can determine your CO2 level with
the chart or calculator at:

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

[Ozdude]

"Dave" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Oz;
>
> You really should keep track of your pH, at least, when you start
> injecting
> CO2 ... you don't want it to drop too low.
>
> I'd recommended getting a pH kit, and if you can, a KH kit as well so you
> know how much CO2 you're getting in your tank. Too much CO2 can also be
> lethal to your fish.
>
> Once you know your pH and KH level, you can determine your CO2 level with
> the chart or calculator at:
>
> http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

Hi there,

I have been tracking pH and KH since the day I started actually ;)

The pH dropped over a week or so from 7.8 to 7.0 and the KH hardly budged.

As it stands, this is what I'm at as I write this:

pH 6.8
KH 89.5ppm/5dKH
CO2 15ppm

The lights have just come on an hour ago, so that's why the pH is below it's
day level of 7.0.

By my calculations, that is right on the money!

The only thing I have to do is get used to the CO2 itself (the mixture over
lap on the two bottles), to make sure there aren't any glaring drop in
levels (and a corresponding pH rise), and next Wednesday onwards I can stop
taking my water to the LFS when I get my own KH and GH test kits. I am also
getting a power head and making a more efficient CO2 reactor than the
venturi input I am using atm.

All of my plants are pearling and growing, and also next Wednesday is the
day I start with the liquid fertiliser. I am getting some more plants,
trimming back a few of the present ones that are going wild and looking a
bit messy.

I am going for some purple and red varieties, so those will be interesting
times as I am not sure that I have the right watts per gallon for such high
ligh demanding plants, but truth be known I want some colour contrast now -
all orange and silver in the fish, and all green in the plants is rather
boring ;)

Even my Java Moss has lots of growth on it, the Val. is growing for the
first time, and the Tetras are all trying to mate (they got several days of
live mosquito lavae recently after I found a huge colony of them in a
stopped spare tank I have), the water is clear, warm, and everything checks
out properly on the test kits.

I am confident that there isn't a wild chemical inbalance in the tank and I
am also confident that the inhabitants aren't suffering in any way because
Ammonia is 0, Nitrite is 0 and Nitrate is 10ppm - it's at 10 because I was
messing with the filters this week and changed out completely some of one of
my filters materials, which is where the spike comes from. Over-all the
tank's not in bad shape by my novice estimation.

I also have to design and actually impliment a gas exchanger because the one
I have tried to use must be leaking somewhere, as I can't get enough
pressure up, so for the moment the bottles are connected directly to the
venturi input of my smaller filter, with a check valve on the line; I worry
about the acidic nature of these bubbles and am almost certain it's what's
causing brown algae/diatoms on upper surfaces and walls of my tank. A gas
exchanger will hopefully purify the gas just enough to stop this occuring.

Other than that, every-one appears happy and healthy. The pH only drops at
night, to ~6.8, and by my estimations that's quite normal and comfortable
for the inhabitants and me ;)

Thanks for the heads up though.



Cheers,

Oz


--
My Aquatic web Blog is at http://members.optusnet.com.au/ivan.smith