How many 1.5 litre of DIY CO2 for a 2.5 feet tank?

[illumbomb]

Hi,

From experience, how many 1.5 litre bottles of CO2 is required for a 2.5 feet tank to achieve the desired 20-30ppm? I use 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast and water up to about 3 inches below the top of bottle and $3 diffuser.

Is this a funny question?[]

[illumbomb]

By the way, I am using 2 bottles now, pH is about 7.5, kH is about 6-7, thus CO2 is not adequate.

[sherchoo]

The CO2 level is rather low (~6ppm), but this level is quite expected with DIY CO2. Try using a reactor to get max dissolved CO2.

[joe]

good and fun to try DIY CO2 at first ... but for your 2.5 ft i believe it will become a chore soon to prepare the bottles every month ... just my 2 cents [:]

[jhseah]

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On 3/1/2003 9:21:34 PM

Hi,

From experience, how many 1.5 litre bottles of CO2 is required for a 2.5 feet tank to achieve the desired 20-30ppm? I use 1 cup of sugar and 1/2 a teaspoon of yeast and water up to about 3 inches below the top of bottle and $3 diffuser.

Is this a funny question?[]
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Which type of $3 diffuser?

[juggler]

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On 3/1/2003 9:32:30 PM

By the way, I am using 2 bottles now, pH is about 7.5, kH is about 6-7, thus CO2 is not adequate.
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I am guessing something is raising your kH if you are not doing it intentionally. Eg., if you have coral chips in your substrate, that is going to raise the kH and pH. More CO2 dissolving makes water acidic and quicken the rate of coral dissolving, and kH and pH shoot up again. Forever cannot get low pH. I read something like that in this site http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm.

[illumbomb]

Hi Juggler,

I think you are right. My substrate do seem to have small pieces of coral-like substance. No wonder my kH is so high!

Oh no... I don't want to change my substrate!!!!![]

[juggler]

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On 3/4/2003 9:46:07 PM

Hi Juggler,

I think you are right. My substrate do seem to have small pieces of coral-like substance. No wonder my kH is so high!

Oh no... I don't want to change my substrate!!!!![]
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I think not to worry about it if your plants are doing well. In my first tank, 2/3 of my substrate is coral chips. KH high too - up to 11 at times. Maybe your fish may not like the higher pH but look on the bright side:
1) no need to maintain your kH using baking soda
2) no fear of pH crash
3) no need to dose Ca or Mg to your plants since coral chips have them
4) some plants can derive the Carbon from the bicarbonates from the corals
Just maintain regular water change to keep it at your current levels (4~8 dkH) and things shd be just fine.

[geoffrey]

Yeah I second juggler, my kH was 7 before and that didn't do any harm. If you need more CO2 into you tank, up yeast 1/4 tsp a time until you have a suitable bubble rate. But be careful! Adding more yeast will increase your bps and you may find yourself exhausting the sugar in you DIY very fast.

[illumbomb]

Hi,

Will the CO2 reading derived from the pH-kH table still stand if I have substrate mixed with corals?