CO2 loss through surface turbulence

[cheeboonyong]

Hi,

as I understand from reading earlier threads, excessive surface turbulence causes CO2 in the water to escape while O2 from the air dissolves in the water.

I'm currently using a Ehiem rainbar for filter outlet. Due to the tank design, the rainbar is situated above the water level and water "drip" or discharges into the water surface from above, causing turbulence, as well as air bubbles going into the water. My question: does this cause CO2 loss?

Another question: how do you guys position your fan such that it doesn't create excessive turbulence, yet achieve maximum cooling? 90 degrees, 45 degrees or 0 degrees? (Imagine 0 degrees being parallel to the water surface). I'm using 45 degrees right now and it creates a swirling kind of effect, not exactly too much turbulence

Many thanks
Boon Yong

[lorba]

fan, 45 degree should be ok. 90 degree blow where? It should be blowing onto the surface to increase dissipation of heat through evaporation.

I think the problematic one is the rainbar. do away with the rainbar, possible? I pressume you inject co2, so the output from the filter should be going into a co2 reactor or diffuser?

[PeterGwee]

It would be better to post a pic of your current situation so as to how you cannot place your rainbar under the water surface (any form of surface turbulence should be minimized). If it is not possible, don't use the rainbar and just make sure that the outlet is under water surface by means of extensions.

As for placement of fans, it would be better for yourself to try it out rather than to get opinions from other ppl....your room temperature, level of ventilation in the room could all contribute as factors..measure your temperature for each method of placement and choose one that give you the lowest.

The water surface turbulence caused by the fans are quite negligible...imagine amano's tank turbulence caused by his lily pipes outlet..no problems..[]

[tawauboy]

for the rainbar, can you place it vertically into the tank?
you can always buy elbows and pipes to extend the rainbar below the water surface.
else discard the rainbar and extend the outlet pipe below water surface.

[sherchoo]

----------------
On 1/1/2003 6:40:18 PM


My question: does this cause CO2 loss?

Many thanks
Boon Yong
----------------

Yes...... you have to place the rainbar below the water level to reduce to the co2 loss. Tawauboy has mentioned elbows which may enable you to extend so your raibar can be relocated.

[cheeboonyong]

thanks for the advise guys. will look for the elbow thingy to situate the rainbar below the water vertically... hopefully that will minimise CO2 loss and start seeing the plants bubbling...

Cheers
Boon Yong

[NinjaFly]

Hi,

Does blowing of fan onto the water also considered as water surface turbulence?

[Allen_1971]

yes. though the amount of CO2 loss is usually acceptable. Unless you have a really powerful fan!

[wahboy]

hello gang,

the best way to answer this question is to test your pH and KH to find your CO2 levels using the pH KH CO2 chart.
if the CO2 level isn't enough then Lan Lan, inject more CO2.

hope this helps.

Wahboy

[Nick]

Boon yong,

To see your plants bubble will depend very much on the lightings that you have, the types of plants you have and of coz the saturation of oxygen in the tank itself. The minimization of CO2 loss will only help to a certain extent, but not likely to make you see bubbling straight away. My 2 cents worth: If your tank turns out beautiful, and plants growing well, I think it really doesn't matter whether you see bubbling or not.

[cheeboonyong]

----------------
On 1/2/2003 9:16:45 PM

Boon yong,

To see your plants bubble will depend very much on the lightings that you have, the types of plants you have and of coz the saturation of oxygen in the tank itself. The minimization of CO2 loss will only help to a certain extent, but not likely to make you see bubbling straight away. My 2 cents worth: If your tank turns out beautiful, and plants growing well, I think it really doesn't matter whether you see bubbling or not.
----------------

Nick,
agree with you that good plant growth is the most important and not bubbling. nevertheless, always nice to see that bubbling effect, no?
[:]

all my plants are not bubbling right now. not sure whether it's because of the conditions or because the plants itself do not bubble. doesn't matter, will be getting riccia from a fren. whether will bubble or not will know soon...[:]

Cheers
Boon Yong

[koon]

Alternatively if u have riccia in your tank, u will be able to know the optimize angle and flow of your filter outlet to the bubbling effect of the riccia.

Tried before with rainbar and without rainbar. The results is eye opening - give it a try.

rgds
Koon

[sherchoo]

If you're really eager to see the bubbles, you can try switching off your filter say 30mins to see if the splashing is the culprit to co2 loss.
Other factors to watch out for is lighting. With lots of co2 and insufficient light, you won't be able to have good nutrient absorbtion thus non-bubbling plants.

[cheeboonyong]

----------------
On 1/2/2003 10:24:03 PM

If you're really eager to see the bubbles, you can try switching off your filter say 30mins to see if the splashing is the culprit to co2 loss.
Other factors to watch out for is lighting. With lots of co2 and insufficient light, you won't be able to have good nutrient absorbtion thus non-bubbling plants.
----------------

thanks for the advice. did switch off the filter and saw my indian fern bubbling!