[Rinfish]

All right guys, i'm at my wit's end, here.

I've had a DIY co2 , two bottle system set up for a few months now, and can not, for the life of me, manage to maintain a 2 BPS consistency. Any/all help is appreciated. Any formulas i should try, precautions, etc.

I have a low-med tech tank with:

Ludwigia
rotala
Amazon sword, mini sword and melon sword
Anubias
Fissidens and Flame moss
Dwarf Sag
Staurogyne Repens
1 lowly crypt

Light is strip LED light and small 13W T2 CFL, 860 lumens, 6500k - they are on 8 hours a day.

The tank was doing well (plants even pearled by the end of the day), but I was dealing with some nutrient issues with my plants and purchased iron and fert tabs. They work WONDERS, but I now have a BBA and GDA outbreak and I can only imagine its because the plants are demanding more co2 and cannot out compete the algae.

I don't want to lose my fissidens or my sanity. Please help.

Here's what I have:

DIY Co2 caps/pressure systems seen here, for 2 bottles:
Professional D301 Aquarium Water Plants DIY CO2 Generator System Kit Fish Tank Accessory - Tmart

Drop checker in 2 liter soda bottle

Mix of blue co2 proof tubing and smaller, clear tubing

Check valves attached to both bottles, and tubing running to diffuser

Plastic 3-way divider for the airline tubing. Tried brass, somehow less effective.

THIS diffuser and THIS one. (used intermittently)


Yeast Recipe (and in order of how I mix):

2 cups granulated white sugar

mixed tepid/warm water with sugar + dechlorinator 3/4 the way up to the bottle

add 1/4 - 1/2 tsp active bread yeast (refrigerated) into shot glass with sugared water from bottle, mix until foamy

let sit for 5 minutes, add to bottle and shake

re-attach to cap

Each bottle is replaced once a week.


I turn the co2 off at night using the valve on the co2 kit here. It's turned on about 10-20 minutes before the lights go on in the morning.



Am I doing anything wrong, here? Or am I just cursed?

Thanks for taking the time to read through, I hope I can get some assistance!

 

[Rinfish]

That's a bummer. =( I hoped with a two bottle system I might have enough consistency to keep co2 up to decent levels.

I've tried ways to increase the amount of dissolved co2 into the system. Initially I ran the co2 straight into my intake, but my eheim inevitably filled with bubbles which it would shoot out in bursts. Right now I have the diffuser underneath my output flow and it seems to catch maybe 40% of the bubbles, sending them around the tank.

If anyone has any other methods that work please let me know!