CO2 at night???

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Doodles

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Apr 8, 2009
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Should CO2 be left to run 24/7?

I always thought that as plants, fish take in oxygen at night and released CO2 that it can build up and lead to PH crashes and oxygen deprivation.

But I read that some people turn it off at night, some people leave it on with increased oxygen and some people just leave it running:dk:

Maybe it depends what live stock is in their tanks:dk:
 
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macvsog23

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I use a valve to shut the Co2 off at night mainly because it makes the unit last 2 x as long.

You can also rig a PH probe to the valve to shut it down when the PH gets to a pre set point

Regards Bob
 
SmithRC

SmithRC

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Apr 21, 2009
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I used a valve on a timer - it was on a bit sooner than the lights and off a litte after...

What sort of CO2 levels are you running at?


Before kids and houses, I was working on a DIY PH controler but it didnt happen in the end... BUT in theory it would work.... I was going to be passing a light of a certain colour, through the PH solution inside a liquid CO2 measuring unit (the glass ones that go inside the tank)... the idea was that the solution would block different wavelengths as the colour changed - on the other side I'd have 2 photo sensors behind 2 filters so that I could tell if the solution had changed from the desired PH - eg the colour had changed. then depending which detector was getting the most light the system would open or shut the valve to stop or start the CO2 supply and correct the PH...

See simple. :D
 
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Doodles

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Apr 8, 2009
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I use a valve to shut the Co2 off at night mainly because it makes the unit last 2 x as long.

You can also rig a PH probe to the valve to shut it down when the PH gets to a pre set point
Click to expand...
Ok Thanks Bob


What sort of CO2 levels are you running at?
Click to expand...
Don't know yet. waiting for it all to turn up

Before kids and houses, I was working on a DIY PH controler but it didnt happen in the end... BUT in theory it would work.... I was going to be passing a light of a certain colour, through the PH solution inside a liquid CO2 measuring unit (the glass ones that go inside the tank)... the idea was that the solution would block different wavelengths as the colour changed - on the other side I'd have 2 photo sensors behind 2 filters so that I could tell if the solution had changed from the desired PH - eg the colour had changed. then depending which detector was getting the most light the system would open or shut the valve to stop or start the CO2 supply and correct the PH...

See simple. :D
Click to expand...
It started off as words and then kinda blended into gobble de gook:whistle:
 
johnny70

johnny70

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Apr 23, 2009
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I would turn it off ovenight in such a small tank, make sure the gas is off 1-2 hours before the lights go out and 1-2 hours before the lights come on, that way you can get rid of the excess gas before lights out, and build up gas for the plants before lights on.

I would recommend a decent drop checker with 4dkh solution so you can adjust your co2 levels to the optiumum.

HTH

JOHNNY
 
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dw1305

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May 5, 2009
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Hi all,
I'd agree, definitely turn it off at night, off 2 hours before lights out.
I would recommend a decent drop checker with 4dkh solution so you can adjust your CO2 levels to the optiumum.
Click to expand...
definitely use a drop checker.

Drop checker technical details here:
http://www.ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=467.

Personally I'm a CO2 agnostic, this isn't because it doesn't work, it does you get much more plant growth with added CO2 (you keep on getting more growth up to several 100 ppm CO2), but the downside is that you need to add more plant nutrients and then you are into a balancing act of nutrients, water quality and CO2 level. This is particularly tricky in small volume tanks, which is why you do the large weekly water change to re-set the system.

You can do hi-tech, but there is a lot more that can go wrong and one CO2 dump into the tank and it's goodbye to all the fish.

cheers Darrel
 
SmithRC

SmithRC

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Apr 21, 2009
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dw1305 said:
one CO2 dump into the tank and it's goodbye to all the fish.
Click to expand...
:yes::~(

That reminds me - let any canisters get to room temp before setting your bubble rate...

I lost a lot of fish by fitting a new canister straight from my car (outside over night during winter) and adjusting the bubble rate and going to work... only to find it going mad when i got home and a lot of dead fish :(
Increased pressure in the bottle as it warmed up :(

I used to keep an eye on my CO2 by using a KH test kit and measuring the PH but a dropper is loads easier (but I'm tight and never got around to buying one)

What diffusion method does the kit use?
I'd start at approx 30ppm for a while until you get every thing balanced.
 
2wheelsx2

2wheelsx2

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Dec 21, 2009
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What size tank will you be doing this on? That 550 ml unit is not going to last very long. I run a 10 lb tank in my 20 gallon and a 20 lb tank in my 125 gallon and each lasts about 6 months. If you're doing a high light tank, I bet that 550 ml canister doesn't even last a month.

Either way, I would get a solenoid and timer and turn on the Co2 30 minutes before the lights come on and 30 to 60 minutes before the lights go off to ensure you get the CO2 down. You can certainly use reverse methods and use an air pump and airstone to bubble out the CO2 at night and leave it on 24/7, but I don't really understand the logic that people use when they decide that. Why put in something to counteract something you don't need when you can just as easily turn it off. That's kind of like putting on blinds to sleep because the lights are too bright in the room....
 
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macvsog23

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May 1, 2009
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Hi

Try looking at this company's products.

I have one of the larger systems the make.

I also use the R/O addatives they make.

Never had any problems with the equipment only the Co2 bottles and that was the LFS I used did not fill the bottle once and then gave me a exchange bottle with a stuffed valve.

http://www.dennerle.de/en/
 
D

Doodles

Retired Staff
Apr 8, 2009
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2wheelsx2 said:
What size tank will you be doing this on? That 550 ml unit is not going to last very long. I run a 10 lb tank in my 20 gallon and a 20 lb tank in my 125 gallon and each lasts about 6 months. If you're doing a high light tank, I bet that 550 ml canister doesn't even last a month.

Either way, I would get a solenoid and timer and turn on the Co2 30 minutes before the lights come on and 30 to 60 minutes before the lights go off to ensure you get the CO2 down. You can certainly use reverse methods and use an air pump and airstone to bubble out the CO2 at night and leave it on 24/7, but I don't really understand the logic that people use when they decide that. Why put in something to counteract something you don't need when you can just as easily turn it off. That's kind of like putting on blinds to sleep because the lights are too bright in the room....
Click to expand...
Its a 30 litre litre nano:yes:
Thanks for the info

macvsog23 said:
Hi

Try looking at this company's products.

I have one of the larger systems the make.

I also use the R/O addatives they make.

Never had any problems with the equipment only the Co2 bottles and that was the LFS I used did not fill the bottle once and then gave me a exchange bottle with a stuffed valve.

http://www.dennerle.de/en/
Click to expand...
Thanks Bob, ill have a look at them again.
 
M

macvsog23

Pleco Profiles Team - RIP FRIEND
May 1, 2009
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Hi I thought about the disposable system. On balance from the money angle it is cheap at first, You can add to it as you go along and this will make the cost more manageable.

After a lot of checking I went for the fixed bottles and a valve to turn the Co2 off at night.

What the call the Classic Line Exclusive 5000.

The tank is only a 40 gallon so it is very "Over kill" I adjust the bubble counter to give me a very low amount of Co2. With the night shut off valve I got well over a year from the bottle and at £24 refile it was I think good value

Build quality is as you would expect from the Germans, and they use a small Eheim pump head to power the diffuser so they must be good.

Total cost was high (£250) but once its paid it is paid.

Regards Bob
 
D

Doodles

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Apr 8, 2009
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ok makes sense lol.

Im looking at this one



Classic Line CO2 Compact CO2 fertilizer system for aquaria of up to 250 litres.

The compact set for professional requirements.

Complete set, comprising:

  • Reusable 500 g CO2 cylinder, full
  • Including stable safety stand
  • CO2 pressure reducer Compact with precision needle valve
  • Micro-Perler CO2 diffusor
  • Special CO2 check valve
  • CO2 hose, 2 m

Art. no. 3020


http://www.dennerle.de/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=60&Itemid=115



Its the smallest refillable one. will it be too much overkill?
 
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