Parameters after DIY CO2 injection

Skyfish · 06-11-2004, 09:18 AM

Hi everyone

Just a quick update, my (first time) DIY CO2 is doing great and I'm now getting 1 to 2 bpm!!

The water test done on the 9th before the injection was as follows:

GH – 8
KH – 5
PH – 7.5 (not dropped for a month)
NO2 – 0.8mg
CO2 - 5 ppm

CO2 injection started on the 10th morning.

After 36 hours of injection the results look like this:

GH - 11
KH - 8.5
PH - 7 and counting
NO2 - 0.5
CO2 - 26MG !!!!!!! (isn't this too much????)

This an amazing change. I could be mistaken but I think I can see my plants smiling

I'll take photos tonight but where can I post them?

malkore · 06-11-2004, 04:22 PM

Ok, why did your Kh increase from 5 to 8.5, and Gh from 8 to 11? CO2 does NOT affect either of those parameters, so I doubt you have 26ppm of CO2 (which is fine, btw. 25ppm is the 'max' but 26ppm is not a big deal at all.)

So, first thing you need to do is explain why the Kh went upt 3.5 degrees. Unless you added baking sode or calcium carbonate, there's something funny going on...possibly with the test kit.

test your tap water's Kh twice...are the results consistant?
test your tank water's Kh twice - are they consistant?
is the tap water's Kh the same as the tank's? If you don't use R/O water or other additives, they should be the same.
If the tests don't match up, your test kit is bad and needs to be replaced.

I have a GH of 11, Kh of 8, tap pH of 7.8. In my DIY setup, I have probably 15-20 bpm, and I do not have anywhere close to 25ppm of CO2...more like 15ppm...which is why I don't think your tests are correct. They could be...but I doubt it.

Skyfish · 06-11-2004, 06:24 PM

Well I wouldn't know how to explain the increase. I am using the Tetra Test Laborett which was purchased 2 weeks ago. Perpahs Tetra kits are not all that great? I'll test the tap water twice and let you know.

I have not added baking soda or calcium carbonate, infact nothing except the CO2.

At any rate, I'll do all the tests again twice, including my tap water and post it here asap.

Thank you for your reply and pointing this out Malkore.

anonapersona · 06-11-2004, 08:10 PM

Could be that there are decorations or bits of shell in the gravel that are dissolving in the slightly more acid water.

Skyfish · 06-12-2004, 06:48 AM

I did the tests again and my GH is still 11 and my KH is now 9. Something is wrong somewhere. My gravel has no shells at all.

My decorations are lava rocks, does that help? I also have about 3 rocks that were picked up near a beach, they are grey in color but have some white streaks on them, and I can see some fine crystals on it. It may be lime. I feel this could be it if anything. I am going to take them out and do a 30% water change. What I have noticed and this worries me, is that this morning a lot of the fishes were on the surface, gasping for air. I turned on the pump for an hour and they got better.

Ph this morning has further dropped to 6.8, the plants are noticably growing.

Please excuse my ignorance, this is my first planted tank and I am learning as best as I can.

06-11-2004, 09:18 AM	#1
Skyfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dubai, UAE. Posts: 55	Parameters after DIY CO2 injection Hi everyone Just a quick update, my (first time) DIY CO2 is doing great and I'm now getting 1 to 2 bpm!! The water test done on the 9th before the injection was as follows: GH – 8 KH – 5 PH – 7.5 (not dropped for a month) NO2 – 0.8mg CO2 - 5 ppm CO2 injection started on the 10th morning. After 36 hours of injection the results look like this: GH - 11 KH - 8.5 PH - 7 and counting NO2 - 0.5 CO2 - 26MG !!!!!!! (isn't this too much????) This an amazing change. I could be mistaken but I think I can see my plants smiling I'll take photos tonight but where can I post them?

06-11-2004, 04:22 PM	#2
malkore Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 2,165	Ok, why did your Kh increase from 5 to 8.5, and Gh from 8 to 11? CO2 does NOT affect either of those parameters, so I doubt you have 26ppm of CO2 (which is fine, btw. 25ppm is the 'max' but 26ppm is not a big deal at all.) So, first thing you need to do is explain why the Kh went upt 3.5 degrees. Unless you added baking sode or calcium carbonate, there's something funny going on...possibly with the test kit. test your tap water's Kh twice...are the results consistant? test your tank water's Kh twice - are they consistant? is the tap water's Kh the same as the tank's? If you don't use R/O water or other additives, they should be the same. If the tests don't match up, your test kit is bad and needs to be replaced. I have a GH of 11, Kh of 8, tap pH of 7.8. In my DIY setup, I have probably 15-20 bpm, and I do not have anywhere close to 25ppm of CO2...more like 15ppm...which is why I don't think your tests are correct. They could be...but I doubt it. __________________ Malkore Filstar XP2 PIMP #3 Visit my aquarium pages - see specs on my tanks, and photos of how they've evolved

06-11-2004, 08:10 PM	#4
anonapersona Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,614	Check the gravel Could be that there are decorations or bits of shell in the gravel that are dissolving in the slightly more acid water. __________________ Member AGA, HAS, NASH 110G, 10 adult discus, barebottom with plants on wood 58G, 3 adult discus, barebottom with plants on wood 59G thickly planted tanks, rummey nose tetras, kuhlies 300G goldfish pond outside

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06-11-2004, 06:24 PM	#3
Skyfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dubai, UAE. Posts: 55	Well I wouldn't know how to explain the increase. I am using the Tetra Test Laborett which was purchased 2 weeks ago. Perpahs Tetra kits are not all that great? I'll test the tap water twice and let you know. I have not added baking soda or calcium carbonate, infact nothing except the CO2. At any rate, I'll do all the tests again twice, including my tap water and post it here asap. Thank you for your reply and pointing this out Malkore.

06-12-2004, 06:48 AM	#5
Skyfish Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: May 2004 Location: Dubai, UAE. Posts: 55	I did the tests again and my GH is still 11 and my KH is now 9. Something is wrong somewhere. My gravel has no shells at all. My decorations are lava rocks, does that help? I also have about 3 rocks that were picked up near a beach, they are grey in color but have some white streaks on them, and I can see some fine crystals on it. It may be lime. I feel this could be it if anything. I am going to take them out and do a 30% water change. What I have noticed and this worries me, is that this morning a lot of the fishes were on the surface, gasping for air. I turned on the pump for an hour and they got better. Ph this morning has further dropped to 6.8, the plants are noticably growing. Please excuse my ignorance, this is my first planted tank and I am learning as best as I can.