Hi just set up the co2 by the way how i read my bps as im using inline atomics diffuse connect to my canister.my bubble counter just have alot bubble
If you are able to count your bubble counter bubbles despite they move very fast. Time with a stopwatch for a period of 10 seconds while counting the bubbles. Divide the total number over 10 second and you will get bps. 10 second is only as a reference. You can use any time period as long as you can get a good set of bubbles
Just to confirm you are using a bubble counter with needle valve in the Co2 system? Looks something like this...
Photo from google images.
If so and the bubbles are coming out so fast that you can't count it properly, then it most likely running at more than 7-8 bubbles per second (bps) or higher. That would be too much (unless you have a very large tank volume or trying to overdose Co2 injection). You should reduce it by tuning the needle valve so that the bps count is somewhere around 1-2 for a start, then steadily increase or decrease it from there.
I do hope you didn't connect the Co2 tank to the inline diffuser directly, without a needle valve and bubble counter.
Yes do setup as the above
Cos I jsut convert my emerse setup to submerged.so I'm try to blast the co2.as my tank is 5ft
Hi so anyone can guide me?and what the 2 gauge for?and my drop checker colour is dark green?so is my co2 enough?
In that case, then no problem blasting more Co2 into the tank... usually most people will just write in their tank journals as "crank up Co2, too many bps to count".Originally Posted by Wst
If you still want to know the actual bps count, then have to tune it lower until you can count the bubbles and then increase steadily until your eyes can't track the speed. Usually past 8 bps you can't really count accurately anymore, it just becomes a blur.
Though when i helped a friend setup his large planted tank a while back, he came up with an idea to use the smartphone camera to record the video of the bubble counter in higher frame rate (most of the newer smartphones have this feature nowadays), then playback in normal frame rate and the whole video become slow motion, then can count the faster bps rates.
The what is the 2 gauge bro?
Hi and also I connect the co2 to my eheim Ecco pro 300 but the flow seem low but this canister is just to provide co2 some is it ok for the flow rate?
The left gauge is usually the total pressure in the Co2 tank (ie. 900-1,100 PSI), if you see it holding steady means it's still full, but if you see it dropping then it means the tank is going to be empty soon.
The right gauge is usually the working pressure, which will be much lower, usually around 30-50 PSI (depending on your regulator setting), that is the actual gas pressure coming out of the regulator to your needle valve and bubble counter.
Drop checker at dark green means the Co2 is approaching optimal levels, once it becomes a lime green or light green its at the ideal level. Some people don't mind setting their Co2 levels at dark green color too, they may want to keep the Co2 levels abit more moderate and safer, especially if they have more sensitive livestock in the tank.
Note that drop checkers have a measurement delay of around 1-2 hours (can be longer or shorter depending on the drop checker design), so the color reading you see is past Co2 levels, not current Co2 levels. This is important when you have livestock in the tank, don't see the Co2 levels look like not enough and then crank it up even more, that might subsequently push it way over the safe limit and gas the fishes.
Btw, also make sure you are using the drop checker with indicator solution mixed with 4dkh water (not aquarium water) or a pre-mixed indicator solution (otherwise the drop checker readings will be wrong).
For your large tank volume, it'll usually take a correspondingly longer time for the Co2 injection to raise the Co2 levels, so you'll just have to wait abit longer for it take effect. Co2 stays in the water if not used or off-gassed at the water surface, so a portion of the residual Co2 in the night time will accumulate to the next day (unless you purposely aerate the water at night to drive off the Co2), so that will affect the overall day-to-day Co2 levels over time. As time goes by, you will need to fine tune the Co2 injection so that it becomes balanced and efficient.
Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 5th Jan 2015 at 22:31.
Ok tks bro for all your advise after chatting with u I think I understand aready.tks so much
I'm using Ada checker and drop a drop of the solution then put in abit tank water can do it this way?
nope, for ADA dropm checker, you need kH= 4 solution
Then if I have calAqualabs co2 solution?do I still need to mix anything?
For inline atomizer systems, they create micro bubbles which are meant to be distributed around the tank to the plants... if your flow is too low for the tank size, then some areas may get less Co2 and some areas may get more Co2, so you might see noticeable differences in plant growth and health (and algae) in different areas.
The good thing with atomizer systems is that you can see the micro bubbles floating around the tank, so you can track their circulation path. If you see certain areas not getting the micro bubbles, then either increase the overall flow or adjust the other filtration system outflows to improve the circulation pattern around the tank and reduce dead-spots.
Can't do that... as what Shadow mentioned, you have to use 4dkh solution to mix.
The drop checker color changes are based on the tank's pH and kH relationship when Co2 level rise and fall. The water in a planted tank already has its pH and kH buffered/controlled by active soil substrate, so those parameters are no longer valid for drop checker measurement, hence you will see wrong readings.
Also note that the ratio of the drop checker indicator solution and 4dkh solution can also sometimes affect the speed and color of the readings, if too little indicator solution the color may not be clear enough, if too much it may be too dark.
If you are unsure, just buy those pre-mixed Co2 indicator solutions (ie. Ocean Free or ISTA brands). No need to mix and no worries about mix ratio, just put into the drop checker directly and can use immediately.
Not sure about the Cal Aqua Labs indicator solutions... i guess if the instructions don't mention to mix, then its most likely a pre-mixed solution. You'll have to check to confirm though.
Last edited by Urban Aquaria; 5th Jan 2015 at 23:15.
I got the calAqualabs co2 solution and I did a Google search as o think is also don't need to do any mixing
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Hi sorry to hijack this chat.
I have a drop checker in my tank and am using 4dkh water. As for the indicator solution, I am using the API normal pH reagent and I don't think that is bromothymol blue.
Will there be any problem?
Not sure if it'll work the same, but in theory it should, as the pH colors in the API test also follow the similar blue-green-yellow colors too. Just make sure you use the normal pH range test (not the high range test).
If you are unsure or the results seem to be odd, then better to get the reagent for Co2 drop checkers or just get the pre-mixed indicator solutions.
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