Co2 Day Two: Three fish crash and burn!

Okay, so I got my CO2 equipment "working," and had it set to release
about 50 - 60 bubbles per minute on a ten hour cycle timed with the
compact fluorescents.

Yesterday went fine. Today, around 6:00 pm (8 hours into the timed
cycle) I noted three fishes were head-first in the plants at the
bottom of the tank and still alive but breathing heavily: a small
dwarf rainbow, and two Madagascar rainbows...

Now, this has to be something to do with the CO2 because I rarely lose
any fish in this tank. So I immediately switched off the CO2 and am
hoping that somehow the fishes will pull through.

I checked the Ph and did not note any substantial changes or a
"crash." Are these particular fish just sensitive to the extra CO2?
Any ideas on where to go from here? I was thinking I'd start again
with the unit on for an hour or two a day, and gradually increase the
amount of time it is on so that the fish can adapt more gradually.

Any thoughts would be appreciated,

-Andy

ah wrote:

Okay, so I got my CO2 equipment "working," and had it set to release
about 50 - 60 bubbles per minute on a ten hour cycle timed with the
compact fluorescents.

Yesterday went fine. Today, around 6:00 pm (8 hours into the timed
cycle) I noted three fishes were head-first in the plants at the
bottom of the tank and still alive but breathing heavily: a small
dwarf rainbow, and two Madagascar rainbows...

Now, this has to be something to do with the CO2 because I rarely lose
any fish in this tank. So I immediately switched off the CO2 and am
hoping that somehow the fishes will pull through.

I checked the Ph and did not note any substantial changes or a
"crash."

If there has not been a "substantial" pH change then the heavy breathing
is a complete coincidence and not related to the CO2. Then again, what
do you mean by "substantial"? What is your pH now and what was it before?

The pH in my planted tanks is lowered by a value of 0.9. That is from
8.1 to 7.2. This gives a CO2 concentration of about 25-30 ppm. Fish have
no problem with this level. 40 ppm and some fish show some signs of
stress. But I've had 40ppm with no problems whatsoever.

Are these particular fish just sensitive to the extra CO2?
Any ideas on where to go from here? I was thinking I'd start again
with the unit on for an hour or two a day, and gradually increase the
amount of time it is on so that the fish can adapt more gradually.

That will create a short pH swing over an hour and back again. I
wouldn't recommend it. Keep the pH stable. Start with a low constant
bubble count over the 10 hour period, during the light hours. 6 bubbles
per minute over 10 hours is far, far better than 60 per minute over an
hour during a 24 our period.

Nikki

Thanks for the tip. Actually, within an hour of my turning the unit
off yesterday, all three fish were back up swimming around like no big
deal! Today I set the system so it didn't kick on until 2pm...it is
now 6 pm and everyone seems fine so far. I will keep an eye on it
for the rest of the night.

Actually, there had been really no noticeable change in Ph at all! I
had checked it in the morning and checked it again when the fish were
acting strange and didn't see any significant color difference...I
really need to get one of those ph computers because the colors on the
chemical tests aren't all that easy to discern.

Regards,
Andy


On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 15:08:23 +0000, Nikki Casali
wrote:

ah wrote:

Okay, so I got my CO2 equipment "working," and had it set to release
about 50 - 60 bubbles per minute on a ten hour cycle timed with the
compact fluorescents.

Yesterday went fine. Today, around 6:00 pm (8 hours into the timed
cycle) I noted three fishes were head-first in the plants at the
bottom of the tank and still alive but breathing heavily: a small
dwarf rainbow, and two Madagascar rainbows...

Now, this has to be something to do with the CO2 because I rarely lose
any fish in this tank. So I immediately switched off the CO2 and am
hoping that somehow the fishes will pull through.

I checked the Ph and did not note any substantial changes or a
"crash."

If there has not been a "substantial" pH change then the heavy breathing
is a complete coincidence and not related to the CO2. Then again, what
do you mean by "substantial"? What is your pH now and what was it before?

The pH in my planted tanks is lowered by a value of 0.9. That is from
8.1 to 7.2. This gives a CO2 concentration of about 25-30 ppm. Fish have
no problem with this level. 40 ppm and some fish show some signs of
stress. But I've had 40ppm with no problems whatsoever.

Are these particular fish just sensitive to the extra CO2?
Any ideas on where to go from here? I was thinking I'd start again
with the unit on for an hour or two a day, and gradually increase the
amount of time it is on so that the fish can adapt more gradually.

That will create a short pH swing over an hour and back again. I
wouldn't recommend it. Keep the pH stable. Start with a low constant
bubble count over the 10 hour period, during the light hours. 6 bubbles
per minute over 10 hours is far, far better than 60 per minute over an
hour during a 24 our period.

Nikki

I think the fish were playing dead just to tease you!!

Nikki

ah wrote:

Thanks for the tip. Actually, within an hour of my turning the unit
off yesterday, all three fish were back up swimming around like no big
deal! Today I set the system so it didn't kick on until 2pm...it is
now 6 pm and everyone seems fine so far. I will keep an eye on it
for the rest of the night.

Actually, there had been really no noticeable change in Ph at all! I
had checked it in the morning and checked it again when the fish were
acting strange and didn't see any significant color difference...I
really need to get one of those ph computers because the colors on the
chemical tests aren't all that easy to discern.

Regards,
Andy


On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 15:08:23 +0000, Nikki Casali
wrote:


ah wrote:


Okay, so I got my CO2 equipment "working," and had it set to release
about 50 - 60 bubbles per minute on a ten hour cycle timed with the
compact fluorescents.

Yesterday went fine. Today, around 6:00 pm (8 hours into the timed
cycle) I noted three fishes were head-first in the plants at the
bottom of the tank and still alive but breathing heavily: a small
dwarf rainbow, and two Madagascar rainbows...

Now, this has to be something to do with the CO2 because I rarely lose
any fish in this tank. So I immediately switched off the CO2 and am
hoping that somehow the fishes will pull through.

I checked the Ph and did not note any substantial changes or a
"crash."

If there has not been a "substantial" pH change then the heavy breathing
is a complete coincidence and not related to the CO2. Then again, what
do you mean by "substantial"? What is your pH now and what was it before?

The pH in my planted tanks is lowered by a value of 0.9. That is from
8.1 to 7.2. This gives a CO2 concentration of about 25-30 ppm. Fish have
no problem with this level. 40 ppm and some fish show some signs of
stress. But I've had 40ppm with no problems whatsoever.

Are these particular fish just sensitive to the extra CO2?

Any ideas on where to go from here? I was thinking I'd start again
with the unit on for an hour or two a day, and gradually increase the
amount of time it is on so that the fish can adapt more gradually.

That will create a short pH swing over an hour and back again. I
wouldn't recommend it. Keep the pH stable. Start with a low constant
bubble count over the 10 hour period, during the light hours. 6 bubbles
per minute over 10 hours is far, far better than 60 per minute over an
hour during a 24 our period.

Nikki

ah wrote:
: Actually, there had been really no noticeable change in Ph at all! I
: had checked it in the morning and checked it again when the fish were
: acting strange and didn't see any significant color difference...I
: really need to get one of those ph computers because the colors on the
: chemical tests aren't all that easy to discern.

A pH meter would be the way to go if you have any measure of color-
blindness (and there's a variety of types and severities of color-
blindness, so you might be fine with everything else but the color
scale on your current pH kit). If it will take a while to get a pH
meter for whatever reason, you might try getting a test with a different
color scale. There's a few pH reagents so that is something else to try.
Also, do you have any limestone or coral decorations in the tank? Those
can alter readings a bit if they leech carbonates out at a rate fast
enough to buffer the pH.

If you do find that you've somehow overdosed the tank with CO2, you can
gently aerate the water with an air pump and an air stone. That will
help dissipate the CO2 very quickly and get the pH back up.

Nikki

ah wrote:
Thanks for the tip. Actually, within an hour of my turning the unit
off yesterday, all three fish were back up swimming around like no big
deal! Today I set the system so it didn't kick on until 2pm...it is
now 6 pm and everyone seems fine so far. I will keep an eye on it
for the rest of the night.

Actually, there had been really no noticeable change in Ph at all! I
had checked it in the morning and checked it again when the fish were
acting strange and didn't see any significant color difference...I
really need to get one of those ph computers because the colors on the
chemical tests aren't all that easy to discern.

Regards,
Andy


On Mon, 27 Feb 2006 15:08:23 +0000, Nikki Casali
wrote:


ah wrote:


Okay, so I got my CO2 equipment "working," and had it set to release
about 50 - 60 bubbles per minute on a ten hour cycle timed with the
compact fluorescents.

Yesterday went fine. Today, around 6:00 pm (8 hours into the timed
cycle) I noted three fishes were head-first in the plants at the
bottom of the tank and still alive but breathing heavily: a small
dwarf rainbow, and two Madagascar rainbows...

Now, this has to be something to do with the CO2 because I rarely lose
any fish in this tank. So I immediately switched off the CO2 and am
hoping that somehow the fishes will pull through.

I checked the Ph and did not note any substantial changes or a
"crash."

If there has not been a "substantial" pH change then the heavy breathing
is a complete coincidence and not related to the CO2. Then again, what
do you mean by "substantial"? What is your pH now and what was it before?

The pH in my planted tanks is lowered by a value of 0.9. That is from
8.1 to 7.2. This gives a CO2 concentration of about 25-30 ppm. Fish have
no problem with this level. 40 ppm and some fish show some signs of
stress. But I've had 40ppm with no problems whatsoever.

Are these particular fish just sensitive to the extra CO2?

Any ideas on where to go from here? I was thinking I'd start again
with the unit on for an hour or two a day, and gradually increase the
amount of time it is on so that the fish can adapt more gradually.

That will create a short pH swing over an hour and back again. I
wouldn't recommend it. Keep the pH stable. Start with a low constant
bubble count over the 10 hour period, during the light hours. 6 bubbles
per minute over 10 hours is far, far better than 60 per minute over an
hour during a 24 our period.

Nikki

The pH in my buried tanks is bargain by a amount of 0.9. That is from 8.1 to 7.2. This gives a CO2 absorption of about 25-30 ppm. Angle have no botheration with this level. 40 ppm and some angle appearance some signs of stress.