Another way to determine CO2 in our tanks

[AQMS]

hmmm... i think i let it be and see what the outcome....

[milk_vanilla]

yeah, rather not touch it if there's nothing wrong.

[Patrick76]

I seems to read in the forum that a fluctuation in CO2 will lead to aglae issue.

I am just wondering if anyone in the forum use a pH controller to link it to a CO2 solenoid valve such that it will discharge CO2 if the pH increase over a certain value.

[MRJee]

I seems to read in the forum that a fluctuation in CO2 will lead to aglae issue.

I am just wondering if anyone in the forum use a pH controller to link it to a CO2 solenoid valve such that it will discharge CO2 if the pH increase over a certain value.

I did. My current setup is with a CO2 reactor connected to a PH controller for a 5 feet planted tank. My current PH is hovering around 6.6 to 6.7 on the controller's meter. I am losing CO2 big time. Previously, it was at 6.45 range. My tank was infested with hair algae currently. Probably due to my overflow to sump, I have a hard time lowering the PH value via CO2 injection. My setting for the PH controller is supposed to stop at a value of 6 but i can never hit it. The CO2 injection has been injecting since day 1 till now (about 2 months) 24 by 7. Any opinion for a more effective CO2 injection?

[Patrick76]

I did. My current setup is with a CO2 reactor connected to a PH controller for a 5 feet planted tank. My current PH is hovering around 6.6 to 6.7 on the controller's meter. I am losing CO2 big time. Previously, it was at 6.45 range. My tank was infested with hair algae currently. Probably due to my overflow to sump, I have a hard time lowering the PH value via CO2 injection. My setting for the PH controller is supposed to stop at a value of 6 but i can never hit it. The CO2 injection has been injecting since day 1 till now (about 2 months) 24 by 7. Any opinion for a more effective CO2 injection?

What is the KH of your tank? I guess this is an important parameter to ensure that CO2 is stable in your tank.

I seems to read somewhere that overflow system is not suitable for planted tank as your CO2 will be lost due to the rapid movement of your water as it flows down the sump. Maybe that is the reason why you are not able to lower it further as your filteration system is too efficient.

[MRJee]

Hi Patrick76,
My KH is currently zero or 1dKH. I read somewhere that the KH need to be around 4dKH in order for the PH to stablise. I am currently working on rising the KH of the tank.

And, i know overflow system is not suitable for planted but i believe i can strike a balance once i get the hang of it.

[ck1222]

If you are using those black soil(Eg: ADA Amazonia), I guess that currently there is no way to measure CO2 level.
Black soil will automatically change your pH to slightly acidic. (Eg: 6.4
pH controller to be used on black soil planted tank will become a waste since it cannot accurately tell the kH value as well.
Unless you are using those soil which are not affecting the pH reading, so the pH->kH->CO2 relationship will be worked.

[Shadow]

can, drop checker. It is not accurate, for CO2 indicator only

[greenie]

Anyone drop checker turn colourless after a couple of days use? I used ANS and Cal Aqualabs and both turn colourless after a few days if I leave it in Yellow. Tried google search and did not find any findings.

I intend to pump high concentration of C02 for my algae outbreak. Using a 24hr C02 ph monitor, I tried to bring down ph by at least 1deg pH during light hours. Every few days my Drop checker will turn colourless.

I even tried to de-gass the tank after lights off with airstone until just before lights on but drop checker remains colourless. My pH monitor did went up by 0.4deg pH.

So until now I don't know if my C02 is optimum enough as the hair algae keep coming after I manually remove them. Just for info, I can't never get my 250L tank to reach 1deg pH drop. My pH drop from +/-6.05 to 5.6 during Co2 injection. I'm using aquasoil.

[milk_vanilla]

Green,

Maybe your kh level is reasonably high?

Sent from Tapatalk 4

[greenie]

I did mess around with Kh but still CO2 indicator turn colourless. ADA Aquasoil initial properties will always bring down Kh and Ph.

Anyways I don't follow the KH-PH chart anymore as it is not accurate at all.

I rely on total pH drop during injection and those C02 drop checker.

[milk_vanilla]

If your kh quite high, is not so easy to bring down your ph.

Sent from Tapatalk 4

[greenie]

That's the problem. If my kH is 2, my pH before C02 injection is 5.8. If based on this thread of 1.7 pH drop to achieve 30ppm that would mean I need to bring down pH to 4.1.

I wonder my BB in filter would not survive that. By increasing my kH to 9, my pH before injection is around 6.15 and I manage to bring down pH to 5.75.

Anyway my kH will drift slowly to 2 after a couple of days anyway due to the ADA substrate.

I think I have some C02 distribution issues too. I'm acquring an inline C02 diffuser and a external pump to boost flowrate but why C02 drop checker turn colourless, I'm clueless.

[Shadow]

You are using ADA soil, the method on this thread may not work because now both of your pH and kH buffered by ADA soil. With ADA soil you do not need to care about pH and kH, another less thing to test

[greenie]

Thanks, I've stop testing kH for awhile already. I can monitor pH though as I'm using an inline pH controller though C02 injection based on timer at the moment.

The hair algae outbreak is not spreading fast anymore. I would like to see pearling but that is the least in my mind at the moment.

Used ADA soil last time, more than 8 years of hiatus from this hobby is really making me rusty when it comes to water management, I guess.

[ck1222]

can, drop checker. It is not accurate, for CO2 indicator only

If not accurate, no point to measure. I think this apply to all dark soil which will give acidic pH result.

[Shadow]

I should have use the world exact instead of accurate . You don't really need to know the exact ppm, you just need to know whether it is greater or less than 30ppm. It is also handy tool to find out for dead spot.

[ck1222]

I should have use the world exact instead of accurate . You don't really need to know the exact ppm, you just need to know whether it is greater or less than 30ppm. It is also handy tool to find out for dead spot.

Sorry I am a newbie here. Just curious, why is 30ppm?

[ck1222]

I should have use the world exact instead of accurate . You don't really need to know the exact ppm, you just need to know whether it is greater or less than 30ppm. It is also handy tool to find out for dead spot.

I think I roughly know the idea on how to measure the CO2 in our planted tank even black soil always give a acidic pH reading. Thanks for your information.

http://www.littlegreencorner.com/tipsdropchecker.html

[milk_vanilla]

30ppm is ideal basedline for planted aquarist