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Does size of drop checker matter?

2404 Views 9 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Bubba_Shrimp
I finished setup my 90 gallon with pressurized CO2 and Apex Lite controller. CO2 is currently always ON (not controlled by Apex).

pH probe is calibrated with 4.0 and 7.0 solutions.
Current pH, according to controller, is 6.68 and API test kit it shows it around 7.0.

I had a small, nano drop checker from CAL, so I decided to give it a try. The indicator solution is about 1 year old. So, I put drop checker in the tank and solution is kind of blueish... Not as blue as I filled it in but still blue.

Tested kH in the tank and it shows 4 dkH. Tried to bump CO2 - controller shows pH drop to 6.4 but solution in drop checker is still blueish.

What is my problem? Small, ummm, drop checker? :icon_roll or something else?

Thanks!
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Nope. Drop checkers aren't instantaneous. They change color slowly. I think the fastest you can expect is half an hour for a reading.

Mine usually takes an hour to an journey and a half to turn green from blue when I change the solution. I fill the bulb up only halfway.
Yes, but mine has been inside for 24+ hours...

Nope. Drop checkers aren't instantaneous. They change color slowly. I think the fastest you can expect is half an hour for a reading.

Mine usually takes an hour to an journey and a half to turn green from blue when I change the solution. I fill the bulb up only halfway.
All you are experiencing is the usual problem - you can't measure the amount of CO2 in tank water by checking the tank water pH and KH. That method will almost always give you a much higher concentration than you actually have. And, that is why the drop checker method was devised.

Your tank water has a KH of 4 and a pH of about 6.7, which would tell you that you have about 25 ppm of CO2. But, you actually have a lot less than that. So, the drop checker remains blue. (I'm assuming you are using distilled water with the KH adjusted to 4 degrees of KH with baking soda, and API pH solution in the drop checker).

The solution is to ignore the tank water parameters, and just raise the CO2 bubble rate until the drop checker changes to green. Until you do that, then set the pH controller to control to whatever pH the tank water has when the drop checker is green, you can't use the pH controller for anything.

And, don't forget, the drop checker response time is very long. It typically takes a couple of hours after any change in CO2 in the tank for the drop checker to indicate correctly. So, don't make big changes in bubble rate without waiting at least 2 hours to see what the effect of the last change was.
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(I'm assuming you are using distilled water with the KH adjusted to 4 degrees of KH with baking soda, and API pH solution in the drop checker).
No, I used the solution that came with CAL drop checker (1 y/o).
Just ordered KH STANDARD / 4 dKH - 250 ML from GLA as well as fresh Bromothymol Blue.

The solution is to ignore the tank water parameters, and just raise the CO2 bubble rate until the drop checker changes to green. Until you do that, then set the pH controller to control to whatever pH the tank water has when the drop checker is green, you can't use the pH controller for anything.
What if my pH will be around 6.0 by the time the drop checker is green?
What would be my lower limit for successful planted tank with CO2 (pH wise)?

I also realize that most of us using test kits (API for example) that are not very accurate and when pH controller shows pH 6.0-6.2, API can still show green color close to 6.5-7. So, we don't even know that the actual pH level is way below (or above) and yet, plants and fish are doing well :)
When you lower the pH of the tank water with CO2 the pH isn't a problem for fish or plants. I have seen other posts where even 5.5 pH worked well. And, there is a lower limit on how far you can drive the pH down with CO2 at the usual water temperatures we use. I think that limit is about 5.5.
When you lower the pH of the tank water with CO2 the pH isn't a problem for fish or plants. I have seen other posts where even 5.5 pH worked well. And, there is a lower limit on how far you can drive the pH down with CO2 at the usual water temperatures we use. I think that limit is about 5.5.
Awesome, thank you very much for your comments! As usual, you've been very helpful! :thumbsup:
It's GREEN! It's finally green!

It turned green at pH 6.17 (according to probe). CO2 in buble counter goes grazy fast, so I can't even count them anymore. Wondering if this is normal...

API pH test shows pH 6.8 so if I hadn't had a controller I wouldn't even worry about this stuff :icon_roll
90 gallons is a pretty big area to spread co2 around in, so I would think that is normal. My DIY co2 produces some insane amount of bps too, and my drop checker is always light green on a 29g.
Yeah, that's what I was thinking as well. I used to do CO2 with small (5 gallons) tank but first time with something big, like 90 gallons + 30 gallons sump with about 18 gallons of water in it :icon_wink


90 gallons is a pretty big area to spread co2 around in, so I would think that is normal. My DIY co2 produces some insane amount of bps too, and my drop checker is always light green on a 29g.
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