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Thread: DIY vs Cylinder Co2

  1. #1
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    DIY vs Cylinder Co2

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    Hi,

    There is no way to turn on and off a DIY Co2. So normally DIY Co2 is left to run day and night.

    For cylinder Co2, you turn on to say 1 bubble per 2 secs or so during the day. Using solenoid, it turns off at night and this prevents OD of Co2.

    Then, the DIY Co2 should also cause OD of Co2 (assuming rates are equal) if left to run day and night?

  2. #2
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    For me, the primary reason to turn off the CO2 at night (or light-off time) is to save CO2 as during this time, CO2 is of no use as photosynthesis does not take place. The secondary reason is to prevent OD as what you mentioned. This is less likely as my set injection rate is getting me only about 10 to 20 ppm of CO2.
    From past experience, DIY CO2 with 2 big COKE bottles to my 3 footer have not give my tank more than 15 ppm of CO2. Hope this can do you some help.

  3. #3
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    liam,

    Is your decision to switch to pressurised CO2 setup prompted by overdose of CO2 at "night" with your current setup? If yes, you should be investigating why this happens. I leave my CO2 running 24 hours and that has not cause any problem.

  4. #4
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    I have run DIY Co2 and cylinder CO2 (sometimes even at 2~3 bps) for 24 hours in my tank using a internal 3-ball reactor.

    The DIY CO2 shouldn't cause an overdose as the bubbling rate is quite low. Perhaps your kH is so low that the pH became too acidic for the fish?
    koah fong
    Juggler's tanks

  5. #5
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    Hi,

    Mind boggling to me at the moment. Cos yesterday I added another Nutrafin DIY cos I know one is prolly not enough. As it is the consistency of the Co2 is already in doubt here. So I got 2 flippers running the first night throughout and the next day was fine. But this morning, 2 harlequins and 1 cardinal left for good. (also silvertip died the night before, dunno why). Currently, one harlequin is observed to be at the surface. All shrimps, and other fish seem unaffected at the bottom.

    Also, swithed from internal to external cannister filter the day before yesterday too.

    Here are the readings for this morning after turning on the lights (122W - FL + PL):

    pH ~6.5 (usually between 6.5 to 7)
    kH -4
    gH -10 (was normally 7)
    No2 <0.9mg/l
    No3 <0.5mg/l
    Po4 -0.1mg/l
    Co2 -darkgreen (Sera)

    Plants: Vallis, Limnophila, Glosso, Frogbits, Rotala (died), Ludwigia

    Fish : 8 Cardinals, 5 Harlequins, 6 Black Neons, 1 guppy, 3 Emperors, 3 Rummys, 2 Otos, 2 SAEs, a few yamatos and malayans, 1 killifish and 2 red fin loaches.

  6. #6
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    Mmmmm...you change your filter..did you transfer the previous filter media to your new filter? If not, I think your tank could be back to its cycling stage...ammonia and nitrite could be the cause of your fish death and not CO2. Your NO2 value is rather high...in a planted tank, you should not be getting any NO2 values if your tank is cycled..weird. For your info, my tank did not detect any NO2 with a Sera nitrite test kit...
    Plant Physiology by Taiz and Zeiger

  7. #7
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    Hi,

    Well, the ammonia alert (Seachem) indicate that it's save. So ammonia didn't become my prime suspect. I also added some MicrobLite in an effort to increase the bacteria lost in the exchange. Added frogbits to take away excess nutrients.

    No2 was between 0.3 to 0.9. You know how it is with the colours they're never accurate.

    Currently, only one harlequin is at the surface. Those that died didnt have any bite marks so I am ruling out nasty bullies. I have moved one of the Nutrafin flipper to the middle marking (just in case of OD)

    Glosso growing better now with 2 Nutrafins.

    Anyways, will see how it goes for the next few days. Cheers.

  8. #8
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    You have Yamatoes and Malayan, any death? High NO2 will kill them first before your fishes. Probably CO2 will affect them before fishes too.

  9. #9
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    My colleague's office tank got wiped out over the weekend, so he returned on Monday to find cloudy water with lots of dead fishes inside. His SeaChem sticker indicated "SAVE". Moral of the story is...
    ---------------------
    So many fish, so little time...

  10. #10
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    The malayans and yamatos are fine...feasting on algae.

    No cloudy water. I don't rely solely on ammonia alert nor Co2 Testcube. But what baffles me is 1 silvertip, 3 harlequins and 1 cardinal.

    Like what geoffrey says if there is too much ammonia or Co2, the first to get hit are the shrimp. So why these few, or perhaps they have weaker resistant to whatever thats killing them.

    I am adding more Microb Lift for the night. If more dead fish tomorrow, then looks like water change next.

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