Co2 levels

[ranmasatome]

i did a search and couldn't find anything substantial...so i was just wondering how many ppm's of Co2 are in your planted tanks?? i was on the web and some people say 10-20..while others say 15-25.....its weird...theres probably no fixed value but i was just wondering what most people are keeping it at? Thanks Guys.

[PeterGwee]

30ppm is the max found in research but errors in kits will usually set you back lower than the actual CO2 measured. Hence, error on the higher side of CO2 for the 20-30ppm range. Go for 30ppm instead of 20ppm and you have little issues.

Regards
Peter Gwee

[David]

doesnt anyone uses KH to PH reading for the correct CO2 level anymore.....

[ranmasatome]

ehh..i did...but the test kits i bought weren't too exact..they go by colour so its a bit hard to really know what value you are at...the really exact ones cost a bomb...so the best i can do i get an estimate loh..lol

[David]

which test kit did you get?.......the liquid or the stick?

[ranmasatome]

i got the JBL 3-10ph test kit...it goes by colour....care to reccomend a better one??

[David]

Why dont you get the one that is stuck in the water.........for the PH and another KH tester by counting drops?

[mordrake]

[quote:db0bff508f="ranmasatome"]i got the JBL 3-10ph test kit...it goes by colour....care to reccomend a better one??[/quote:db0bff508f]

for ph, i would recommend u to get a ph pen. ecco would be a good buy.
for kh, Aquarium Pharmaceutical (sp?) would be good.

[ranmasatome]

well...for KH i am also using the JBL one...it goes by drops...so its pretty good....

As for the "one that is stuck inside" i don't know which one that is and how long does it last?? Where can i get a good pH pen?? and brands or things i should look out for when getting one?? sorry...i'm usually quite lax with all these test...so pretty new to this...i gues all i can do is ask ask ask.... Thanks again in advance for the help.

[David]

For the one that is stuck inside the tank, its good till the next water change and that your KH values has changed......it can withstand a small deviation changes to your KH flutuations through the week though.

Good brands to consider are Dennerle, Dupla, and Bioplast......its a pretty straight forward gauge that is blue (insufficient CO2), Green (correct CO2 level), and Yellow (too much CO2).

[Plantbrain]

KH is fairly stable in a tank..........unless your plants do not have enough CO2..........they they will go after the HCO3(KH).

So all you need really is the pH measurement.
A pen or monitor are well worth the $.

20-30ppm is what I suggest.
Most tanks I have are around 30ppm during the day peroid.
I turn my CO2 off at night.


Regards,
Tom Barr

[foxxkat]

i hav a quick qn.. are those ph "pen" u mentioned consumables? ie use once and needs to be replaced? or it's like a thermometer u stick it there till the cows come home?

consumables - will incur weekly/monthly expenses
thermometer-type - 1 time expense (much preferred!!)

so i can gauge wat i'm getting myself into

how abt kh kit? any thermometer type wan?

thx for ur feedback

[balacam]

Hi

I was wondering is it possible to get co2 saturated in the water. For example when o2 is saturated in the water, you will see plants bubbling. what is the maximum amount of co2 able to dissolve in water?

appreciate your reply
Richard

[ranmasatome]

i have a feeling that a pH pen is a one time expense if not who will spend that kind of money monthly on a darn pH test?? Does anyone know where to get a good one?? or what brands to look out for?

[budak]

the pH pen is a one-off expense (needing occasional calibration using neutral water)..... if you prefer test kits, get those with a narrow range (e.g. 6.0-7.5) not those 3-8 types.