How many bubbles per minute?

Hi all, I just finished my first DIY CO2 injection. I am having a little
trouble regulating the bubbles at such low rates. How many bubbles per
minute should I be going for? I have 6 bpm right now. Is that too many?

TIA

~Mort

"Mort" wrote in message
news
Hi all, I just finished my first DIY CO2 injection. I am having a little
trouble regulating the bubbles at such low rates. How many bubbles per
minute should I be going for? I have 6 bpm right now. Is that too many?

TIA

~Mort




Mort,

Regulating DIY CO2 is futile. DIY CO2 production starts off slow - ramps
up - peaks - ramps down etc. Very hard to regulate. How big is your tank?
DIY only works for tanks less than about 50 gal. You should measure the CO2
concentration by measuring your KH and PH levels. Lower PH means higher
concentration of CO2 in your tank. Chuck Gadd has a great page explaining
all of this and a straightforward chart that explains the relationship
between CO2, KH and PH.
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

HTH,

DJay

"Djay" wrote in message
...

"Mort" wrote in message
news
Hi all, I just finished my first DIY CO2 injection. I am having a
little
trouble regulating the bubbles at such low rates. How many bubbles per
minute should I be going for? I have 6 bpm right now. Is that too
many?

TIA

~Mort




Mort,

Regulating DIY CO2 is futile. DIY CO2 production starts off slow - ramps
up - peaks - ramps down etc. Very hard to regulate. How big is your
tank?
DIY only works for tanks less than about 50 gal. You should measure the
CO2
concentration by measuring your KH and PH levels. Lower PH means higher
concentration of CO2 in your tank. Chuck Gadd has a great page explaining
all of this and a straightforward chart that explains the relationship
between CO2, KH and PH.
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

HTH,

DJay



Thanks DJay, I'll be sure to check that out when I get home.
The tank is a 29g hex with a RUGF and some over driven lights.
I checked my pH just after installing the CO2 and it was 6.2.
I can't seem to find my other test kits ATM (could be at work, I'll have to
look around) but I'll get that tested right away. Thanks again!

~Mort

"Mort" wrote in message
om...

"Djay" wrote in message
...

"Mort" wrote in message
news
Hi all, I just finished my first DIY CO2 injection. I am having a
little
trouble regulating the bubbles at such low rates. How many bubbles
per
minute should I be going for? I have 6 bpm right now. Is that too
many?

TIA

~Mort




Mort,

Regulating DIY CO2 is futile. DIY CO2 production starts off slow -
ramps
up - peaks - ramps down etc. Very hard to regulate. How big is your
tank?
DIY only works for tanks less than about 50 gal. You should measure the
CO2
concentration by measuring your KH and PH levels. Lower PH means higher
concentration of CO2 in your tank. Chuck Gadd has a great page
explaining
all of this and a straightforward chart that explains the relationship
between CO2, KH and PH.
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

HTH,

DJay



Thanks DJay, I'll be sure to check that out when I get home.
The tank is a 29g hex with a RUGF and some over driven lights.
I checked my pH just after installing the CO2 and it was 6.2.
I can't seem to find my other test kits ATM (could be at work, I'll have
to
look around) but I'll get that tested right away. Thanks again!

~Mort




29 gal should be fine with DIY CO2. I used to do the same with my 37 gal
and the CO2 concentration was just fine. What is the PH of your tap water
(after you let it sit several hours?) Compare that PH reading to your tank
PH and you should see a difference.

DJay

What is the PH of your tap water
(after you let it sit several hours?) Compare that PH reading to your
tank
PH and you should see a difference.

DJay



I use RO/DI water and the pH of that is pretty low. The test kit reads 6.0
but I have a hard time beleiving it.
I guess all I can really go on is KH which that test kit is at work. I'll
have to get another one...

~Mort

"Mort" wrote in message
. com...
What is the PH of your tap water
(after you let it sit several hours?) Compare that PH reading to your
tank
PH and you should see a difference.

DJay



I use RO/DI water and the pH of that is pretty low. The test kit reads
6.0
but I have a hard time beleiving it.
I guess all I can really go on is KH which that test kit is at work. I'll
have to get another one...

~Mort




Mort,

Your tank PH *should* be lower than your RO reading if your CO2 injection is
working properly... UNLESS you have something in the tank that is raising
your KH.

DJay

"Djay" wrote in message
...

"Mort" wrote in message
. com...
What is the PH of your tap water
(after you let it sit several hours?) Compare that PH reading to your
tank
PH and you should see a difference.

DJay



I use RO/DI water and the pH of that is pretty low. The test kit reads
6.0
but I have a hard time beleiving it.
I guess all I can really go on is KH which that test kit is at work.
I'll
have to get another one...

~Mort




Mort,

Your tank PH *should* be lower than your RO reading if your CO2 injection
is
working properly... UNLESS you have something in the tank that is raising
your KH.

DJay




I just finished testing the water.

KH is at 0 (is that good) pH is lower than 6.0 (so it would seem) as the
sample turned a dark yellow. I decided to test my GH while I was at it and
that turned out to be 3-4.

I havent had time to check out Chucks chart but I will do that ASAP.

~Mort

"Mort" wrote in message
om...

"Djay" wrote in message
...

"Mort" wrote in message
. com...
What is the PH of your tap water
(after you let it sit several hours?) Compare that PH reading to
your
tank
PH and you should see a difference.

DJay



I use RO/DI water and the pH of that is pretty low. The test kit
reads
6.0
but I have a hard time beleiving it.
I guess all I can really go on is KH which that test kit is at work.
I'll
have to get another one...

~Mort




Mort,

Your tank PH *should* be lower than your RO reading if your CO2
injection
is
working properly... UNLESS you have something in the tank that is
raising
your KH.

DJay




I just finished testing the water.

KH is at 0 (is that good) pH is lower than 6.0 (so it would seem) as the
sample turned a dark yellow. I decided to test my GH while I was at it
and
that turned out to be 3-4.

I havent had time to check out Chucks chart but I will do that ASAP.

~Mort




I decided to stay up past my bed time and check it out. There was some
discus buffer and Neutral regulator added before I did the CO2 so I can not
tell at this point what my CO2 level is. I need to start changing some
water... =)

~Mort

I just finished testing the water.

KH is at 0 (is that good) pH is lower than 6.0 (so it would seem) as the
sample turned a dark yellow. I decided to test my GH while I was at it
and
that turned out to be 3-4.

I havent had time to check out Chucks chart but I will do that ASAP.

~Mort


According to Chuck's page, CO2 is calculated like this:

CO2 (in PPM) = 3 * KH * 10^(pH-7)

if your KH is really 0, then you have no buffering capacity
and your CO2 will be very low (I doubt it's actually 0).
Anyway, you may want to increase your buffering capacity.

-coelacanth

"coelacanth" wrote in message
. com...

I just finished testing the water.

KH is at 0 (is that good) pH is lower than 6.0 (so it would seem) as the
sample turned a dark yellow. I decided to test my GH while I was at it
and
that turned out to be 3-4.

I havent had time to check out Chucks chart but I will do that ASAP.

~Mort


According to Chuck's page, CO2 is calculated like this:

CO2 (in PPM) = 3 * KH * 10^(pH-7)

if your KH is really 0, then you have no buffering capacity
and your CO2 will be very low (I doubt it's actually 0).
Anyway, you may want to increase your buffering capacity.

-coelacanth

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if you are running without a buffer, and a low
CO2, you run the risk of having a pH crash do you not??? meaning, without
the buffer, the pH will drop even lower when the lights are off, and
photosynthesis takes place, (that is if the testing was done with lights on,
while pH was at it's highest) otherwise at night, the pH will drop after
photosynthesis takes place...

My only experience in a pH crash was after I did a 40-50% water change after
a new planting when water was dirty.... After adding the water, I forgot to
add buffer(salts) and when it was all said and done, the tank had crashed
and I lost 5 fish that morning.... after looking at it, I realized I hadn't
buffered it to help pull the pH back up after the waterchange, and add CO2
to it, after lights off, pH dropped so fast, they didn't have a chance....
made me very sad....

Please correct me if I'm wrong or just misguided....