[Wookster]

So I recently moved my aquatek mini regulator over to my new 55g tank. It was running on a 20g tank for 6 months with no issues. I maintained appropriate co2 levels, monitored with a drop checker, and it stayed on target and I saw great growth.

Now, a few days after starting it on the new tank, my drop checker has turned yellow after bumping up the amount of co2 due to higher water volume. When I noticed this, I reduced it back down to 1 bps for a day, then completely turned it off when the drop checker never changed color. After 2 days without co2, it's still yellow.

Should I do a big wc to reduce the levels or am I missing something else? The tank is stocked with 3 large amazon swords, 2 smaller swords, ocelot and oriental, a couple small crypts, bit of wisteria, one stem of ludwigia. I'm running a 36" planted+ and a 48" T8 full spec. I would have thought the plants would have used up the extra CO2 I injected as I only bumped it up to 2 bps for less than a day.

 

[keymastr]

Your fish appear to be fine so it must be that your drop checker has gotten contaminated or the co2 is being dumped right under it.

You can do a quick check by taking a sample of water in a jar and running an airstone in it for 30 minutes or so. Take a PH reading of that sample and then another reading of the tank itself. There should be a big difference if the tank has as much co2 as your drop checker says. If the PH of both samples is the same or close then there is no co2 in the tank.

 

[ericwithac]

Anytime your drop checker solution goes yellow turns yellow, you should replace both fluids inside of it. Its also good practice to replace the drop checker solution every 3-6 months. (I go every 6 months unless I have a spike.)

Again, your fish seem fine, and your tank looks great, so simply replace the drop checker solution and it should work like new!

 

[Wookster]

Ok thanks guys. I replaced the fluid right before adding it to the tank but didn't realize I should replace it after it goes yellow. That's an easy fix!

 

[isonychia]

Ok thanks guys. I replaced the fluid right before adding it to the tank but didn't realize I should replace it after it goes yellow. That's an easy fix!

I think he meant to replace it if it goes yellow THEN stays yellow for an extended period of time. My guess is indicating there is something wrong with the solution and thus replace the solution. That is unless you are injecting a lot of CO2 24 hours a day with no off time then it will stay yellow the entire time and never go back to blue/green during CO2 off times.

Maybe you knew that.


iso

 

[Wookster]

Yeah that made sense. It's been yellow for 2 days without adding any additional CO2.

I have CO2 starting just before the light goes on and off just before the lights go off.

 

[ichy]

when you cut the co2, it will off gas on its own and will come into equilibrium with the atmosphere. It will not stay in high concentrations in the water over an extended period of time. So, if your co2 has been off for hours and the checker fluid stays yellow, I would fault the fluid.

 

[Wookster]

How long does the reagent stay fresh in the bottle?

 

[Darkblade48]

How long does the reagent stay fresh in the bottle?

If you are talking about the 4 dkH reference solution, as long as no water evaporates, it should stay the same, though some people like to remake it every so often for ease of mind, since it is relatively easy to remake.

Bromothymol blue also generally lasts indefinitely provided that it is not evaporate and is not exposed to extreme storage conditions.

 

[Wookster]

Ok good. I'm still using the blue solution that came with the drop checker. It's a small bottle so nice to know I can make it when I run out. Thanks guys!