soft water

[PeterGwee]

DIY CO2 with a bio-wheel type filter is going to be more trouble here..I definitely would say your CO2 is way too low or limited. The part 11 shown in the pic is where the CO2 loss would be the greatest as the water returns to the tank. You can consider selling off the current filter an getting a cheap internal powerhead driven filter. The output of the DIY CO2 can be fed into the internal filter and output through a spraybar placed at the bottom back of the tank and fired straight across into the plants. If you want to push things further, you can get a gravel vac tube filled with bio-balls and connect between the output of the filter and spraybar. This will give you better CO2 levels from your DIY system. Oh, you can also place the brew on the light set during the day to heat the stuff up and it will produce more CO2 when the plants need it.

One more thing I would like to add is that your substrate might well skewed the pH/KH relationship as it contains additives or peat.

Regards
Peter Gwee :wink:

[FC]

Peter, thanks for the filter picutre, you are very resourceful.

Dennis,

Like what Peter said, your emperor filter will remove CO2 seriously. Since you have small tank, a small powered internal filter will do the job. KL has a 2ft cube tank with the faithful Eheim internal filter (the smallest model) and it works fine. Use any low wattage internal filter with flow rate less than 300 litres per hour - after install, if possible, tune it down to about 150 litre per hour. Mount the filter such that its' outlet is at mid height of the tank.

For CO2, use a diffuser (a bubble stone will do the job) and place it under the internal filter where the suction is. This will helps to dissolve and spread the CO2 in the tank as it goes throught the filter media and then blown at the outlet. Tune the CO2 injection rate till you get about 25~30ppm, measureable using KH & PH readings. E.g, if you have 2 degree of KH, then inject the CO2 till you get a stable PH at 6.4 will be good.

For planting, try to cover any bare gravel with foreground plants, it helps in improving the water quality by keeping the mulms from floating around.

[caseSENSITIVE]

Can you tell me a bit more on doing co2?

The two primary modes in which we provide CO2 are from (1) yeast CO2 and (2) compressed CO2. Yeast CO2 is what you are currently using, and it has its limitations. Your system presents such a limitation that makes yeast CO2 impractical: 29 gallon and high light. Although compressed CO2 costs significantly more initially, the costs of acquiring all the components and the labor involved make yeast CO2 more expensive in the long run. And unlike yeast CO2, compressed CO2 is reliable & stable, which is crucial since fertilization hinges so heavily on proper levels of CO2.

Also, you are better off using a canister filter because (1) of all the reasons Peter described in the previous post; and because (2) the costs in acquiring all the components for the yeast CO2 (powerhead, hoses, spray bar, etc.) are only a few dollars less than the price of a canister filter.

Since costs are of concerns to you (and us all ), e-mail me and I'll help you acquire the CO2 system and filter for less than $200.