[Quagulator]

When I was running CO2 in the 1.2 pH drop range, new livestock would be incredibly stressed / suffocating if I added them in during the photoperiod hours, some never make it through that initial day. It wasn't so bad if I added them in prior to the solenoid opening up for the day. I'm thinking ahead at my future livestock plans and want to take it a little more serious with regards to livestock health.

How do you all running 1.0+ drop's in pH acclimate your new livestock to your tanks? I'll likely be quarantining my shipments of fish in batches as the tank matures, so I'll have time for longer acclimations.

Picture just for fun / remind me of when I actually had some livestock :wink2:

 

[jellopuddinpop]

I introduce my fish at least 2 hours before CO2 turning on. This gives them time to adjust to any changes in water parameters, de-stress a bit, find their territory, and settle in. I find if they are there when the tank is totally degassed, they handle the CO2 much better.

 

[laukkanenh]

I don't have anything to add, but wow what a beautiful tank.

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[Quagulator]

I introduce my fish at least 2 hours before CO2 turning on. This gives them time to adjust to any changes in water parameters, de-stress a bit, find their territory, and settle in. I find if they are there when the tank is totally degassed, they handle the CO2 much better.

I figured this would be a fairly popular option - Try and get them in there and settled before the solenoid opens and CO2 is being dissolved / pH is dropped. Thanks for sharing your experience.

I don't have anything to add, but wow what a beautiful tank.

Thank you! I am looking to get back into having a tank full of colours like this again in the near future.

 

[varanidguy]

What has curbed this for me is, after quarantine, I'll add the new stock to the main tank from the holding tank after my water change. Being that I do 50% water changes, it dilutes a lot of the co2 and I've had no issues doing it this way.

 

[Quagulator]

What has curbed this for me is, after quarantine, I'll add the new stock to the main tank from the holding tank after my water change. Being that I do 50% water changes, it dilutes a lot of the co2 and I've had no issues doing it this way.

Given that I want a quarantine tank (same base parameters and water change schedule as display), I'll have the luxury of moving them into the display whenever I want.

Might be best to plan a big water change before the solenoid opens up, then add the fish and get the best of both??

 

[varanidguy]

Given that I want a quarantine tank (same base parameters and water change schedule as display), I'll have the luxury of moving them into the display whenever I want.

Might be best to plan a big water change before the solenoid opens up, then add the fish and get the best of both??

I think that would be a good plan. For me, I'd have to get up at 5 AM just to do a water change lol so I just put up with losing some of the co2 in the middle of the day. The plants don't seem to care.

 

[Quagulator]

I think that would be a good plan. For me, I'd have to get up at 5 AM just to do a water change lol so I just put up with losing some of the co2 in the middle of the day. The plants don't seem to care.

Those 5am mornings are strictly for getting to the airport when I'm going on vacation, and that's it :wink2:

Lights on 3:00pm for me, I've got lots of time before the CO2 opens up >

 

[Preeths]

I will add the fish and also put in an air stone for the first day. I do not like to meddle with the timers and settings for CO2. If I do not use an airstone, I just raise the canister filter output to create lots of surface agitation.

 

[ahem]

I question what is the point of injecting an absolute maximum possible CO2? I know it's highly popular and the majority of people focus on how to get the absolute max in there, many stating similar - go until you see your animals gasping then you know you are just above "optimal levels".

I have mine set to a .8pH drop vs 1.2pH because (1) I don't like stressing animals (or taking the chance), (2) I also use Excel so plants get some carbon from that, and (3) My .8pH drop (maybe 20-25PPM CO2) results in ridiculously fast plant growth. I have to trim weekly or the tank will be in a bad way. I can't imagine running that even faster, I would have to trim every few days.

Is there more to maxing CO2 than just plant growth? For example will some plants grow in a more desirable way (e.g. shorter, better colors, more carpety ... ) if CO2 is @35PPM vs 25PPM?

 

[Deedledee]

I have added several new fish over the last couple weeks, and what works well in my tank is turning off my c02 the night before I add any new fish/ shrimp. Then on the day I add them I leave it off for the entire day. The next morning after adding them ,the solenoid turns the c02 on an hour before my lights come on, by the time it's been running for a few hours all the new stock are well acclimated .I haven't lost anyone, and no fish stress ! Your aquarium is lovely !

 

[varanidguy]

I question what is the point of injecting an absolute maximum possible CO2? I know it's highly popular and the majority of people focus on how to get the absolute max in there, many stating similar - go until you see your animals gasping then you know you are just above "optimal levels".



I have mine set to a .8pH drop vs 1.2pH because (1) I don't like stressing animals (or taking the chance), (2) I also use Excel so plants get some carbon from that, and (3) My .8pH drop (maybe 20-25PPM CO2) results in ridiculously fast plant growth. I have to trim weekly or the tank will be in a bad way. I can't imagine running that even faster, I would have to trim every few days.



Is there more to maxing CO2 than just plant growth? For example will some plants grow in a more desirable way (e.g. shorter, better colors, more carpety ... ) if CO2 is @35PPM vs 25PPM?

It's to maximize/optimize plant growth, to help combat algae, get the best colors, etc. It's definitely not necessary with most plants (some really do require it though).

When slathering on the co2, it also allows us to pump the lights a little harder, to speed up growth and bring colors out of certain plants.

But there's more than one way to skin a cat. If your method gets you results you're happy with, then awesome!

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[Greggz]

I have added several new fish over the last couple weeks, and what works well in my tank is turning off my c02 the night before I add any new fish/ shrimp. Then on the day I add them I leave it off for the entire day.

Agreed.

Some fish react very badly when added to a CO2 injected tank. Especially smaller/younger ones. They shoot to the surface and show great distress.

Ask me how I know? Happened many years ago. I quickly removed them and put them in a bucket with a bubbler. Saved them all, but it was touch and go.

Since then, If I am adding fish, I turn CO2 off the entire day. Next day back to normal, never a problem.

 

[Xiaozhuang]

I question what is the point of injecting an absolute maximum possible CO2? I know it's highly popular and the majority of people focus on how to get the absolute max in there, many stating similar - go until you see your animals gasping then you know you are just above "optimal levels".

I have mine set to a .8pH drop vs 1.2pH because (1) I don't like stressing animals (or taking the chance), (2) I also use Excel so plants get some carbon from that, and (3) My .8pH drop (maybe 20-25PPM CO2) results in ridiculously fast plant growth. I have to trim weekly or the tank will be in a bad way. I can't imagine running that even faster, I would have to trim every few days.

Is there more to maxing CO2 than just plant growth? For example will some plants grow in a more desirable way (e.g. shorter, better colors, more carpety ... ) if CO2 is @35PPM vs 25PPM?

Some picker species such as the Red Eriocaulon, Rotala florida, grow better, more robust at higher levels. It acclimatizes plants that are transitioning better (from a different tank, or weakened plants) so for collectors that frequently get new samples that they do not want to lose, higher CO2 levels increase their chances of surviving samples.

For the majority of common aquatic plants, it just gives faster growth as a whole. Many stem plants actually have shorter internodes at slower growth rates (say by lower CO2 levels).

 

[Discusluv]

When I was running CO2 in the 1.2 pH drop range, new livestock would be incredibly stressed / suffocating if I added them in during the photoperiod hours, some never make it through that initial day. It wasn't so bad if I added them in prior to the solenoid opening up for the day. I'm thinking ahead at my future livestock plans and want to take it a little more serious with regards to livestock health.

How do you all running 1.0+ drop's in pH acclimate your new livestock to your tanks? I'll likely be quarantining my shipments of fish in batches as the tank matures, so I'll have time for longer acclimations.

Picture just for fun / remind me of when I actually had some livestock :wink2:

So beautiful...

 

[Quagulator]

So beautiful...

Thank you! I'm currently stocking up on all the equipment and planning out my next tank, hopefully I'll have it look good like this again but with some added focus on the livestock too :wink2:

 

[ProndFarms]

So this is an interesting question, one that often troubled me when I first started.

I typically do one of two things when adding new livestock, and that largely depends on what time of day the livestock arrives.

My co2 is set to come on at 3:30p every day. If new livestock arrives several hours beforehand, I don't change anything. I add the fish, give them a few hours to acclimate, and let the co2 and tank do its thing naturally. If, however, the livestock will be arriving in the afternoon, I don't want to add them to my high co2 water, so I will delay, or in some cases, even turn off co2 for the day. After the initial day, all systems and processes return to normal.


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[Quagulator]

So essentially, the general consensus is to add new livestock prior to the CO2 coming on for the day, ideally as long before as possible, and then let the tank / CO2 run as normal??

I guess the majority of the times I have added livestock would have been during the photo period hours now that I look back... Thanks again for everyone's input.

 

[ProndFarms]

So essentially, the general consensus is to add new livestock prior to the CO2 coming on for the day, ideally as long before as possible, and then let the tank / CO2 run as normal??



I guess the majority of the times I have added livestock would have been during the photo period hours now that I look back... Thanks again for everyone's input.

Basically, yes. I like to add the livestock at least a few hours before lights and co2 come on. If that isn't possible, I simply turn off the co2 for the day to give the new livestock a full day's acclimation.

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[Sam the Slayer]

Not to discount anyone else’s experiences in any way but I just temp acclimate them and drop them in. Over the past 5-6 years of co2 use at a drop of 1.2-1.4 in ph I have never had an issue regardless of co2 being on or not. I don’t do this with shrimp but all of the garden variety fish I usually keep do well. Keep in mind my lfs stocks good quality fish and I seldomly have purchased fish from petco/petsmart


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