[Royal Pleco]

The title says it all. Should they be on opposite sides of the tank, or is it not a big deal. It's a 20 gallon long. And if not, why is this? Thanks. I'm new to this forum and to co2

 

[radioman]

I would think the co2 might off gas faster than if it was on a opposite side but that is just a thought.

 

[gmt980]

When i turned my tank into a planted, i changed my bubbler so that it only goes on at night. This way, it doesnt gas off my co2 when i need it during the day. When the lights are on, the two work against each other. The plants should be producing plenty of oxygen for your fish. At night, you want the bubbler on so that the fish continue to get oxygen without the plants help

 

[Royal Pleco]

I respect both of you opinions. just would like more. What do you people with co2 do? I have a semi-planted tank now. will get soe more plants when my co2 is up and running (it's the nutrafin yeast one, the bubbles are stuck in the ladder only after 1 day)
20 gallon long. I moved the air stone to the other side, away frokm the co2. I don't know what I'm doing..Thanks for your responces.

 

[D9VIN]

I agree with gmt. Logically, the reason you add co2 is because your fish don't produce enough to support your plants. Therefore, your plants are changing ALL of the co2 your fish breathe out back to oxygen if you had no co2, therefore you can't have a problem with low oxygen water, making the bubbler extraneous. You have to realize that adding co2 IS adding oxygen to the water. Two thirds of the gas is oxygen. Once the plants use the carbon, the oxygen is freed to be used by the fish. I would definitely add more plants, because more plants is more fun! I use sit co2 and keep it at around 20ppm throughout the day, but my fish don't have any problems throughout the night when the plants aren't producing oxygen and I am still adding co2 at the same rate. I don't have any bubbler, waterfall filter or anything that creates alot of surface agitation, most of the gas exchange in my tank is done by the plants.

 

[scapegoat]

I agree with gmt. Logically, the reason you add co2 is because your fish don't produce enough to support your plants. Therefore, your plants are changing ALL of the co2 your fish breathe out back to oxygen if you had no co2, therefore you can't have a problem with low oxygen water, making the bubbler extraneous. You have to realize that adding co2 IS adding oxygen to the water. Two thirds of the gas is oxygen. Once the plants use the carbon, the oxygen is freed to be used by the fish. I would definitely add more plants, because more plants is more fun! I use sit co2 and keep it at around 20ppm throughout the day, but my fish don't have any problems throughout the night when the plants aren't producing oxygen and I am still adding co2 at the same rate. I don't have any bubbler, waterfall filter or anything that creates alot of surface agitation, most of the gas exchange in my tank is done by the plants.

:icon_eek: i don't think there is much correct in this statement.

 

[radioman]

Do you have any other kid of surface agitation other than the bubbler?

 

[D9VIN]

Please elaborate scapegoat. I am still pretty new at this.

 

[DarkCobra]

D9VIN's statement is perhaps an oversimplication, but essentially correct.

When the lights are on, plants consume CO2 and produce oxygen; typically in excess of what fish need. The water may even contain more oxygen than could ever be produced with aeration! So running an aeration is unnecessary, will waste CO2, and may reduce oxygen.

But when the lights are off, plants consume oxygen instead of CO2. In a heavily planted tank, they may even consume more than the fish! And there is no source of oxygen other than gas exchange between water and air. This alone may be insufficient if you have:

1) Low surface agitation
2) A tight fitting lid
3) A deep tank (low volume to surface ratio)

All of which reduce gas exchange with water. Though it's difficult to predict by these descriptions whether you will actually have a problem, many err on the side of caution and add aeration at night if their tank meets any of these criteria.

 

[Royal Pleco]

I have a 20 gallon Long tank... so it is not deep. I am running 2 AC 30's on it so there is some surface movement.
I am using the Nutrafin ladder bubble counter, so I am waiting for that to really kick in and start working properly, before I turn off mt air pump in the day. (It's been like 36 hours and Iam getting a bubble per second, but its just not moving up the ladder (I have read it can take a couple of days for slime to produce so the bubbles can flow through it and co2 to be achieved.) I think I need more plants to really cut off the air pump. I have 2 wisteria bunches, a nice amount of java Moss, 2 Anubias Nana, an unkown plant growing from my driftwood (bought it at petsmart, thought it was java Fern attached, still might be. it is thriving. and 3 bunches of water sprite floating which are almost goners, not brown yet, just really pale/light green. hoping the co2 can revive them.. I don't know if the water sprite are giving off any oxygen... does it sound as of right now I can turn off my air pump in the morning? enough plants? I will definately wait for my co2 to start working properly.

I am going to add 3 crypt wendtti and another Java Fern or something else. as soon as co2 starts working.
Thanks for your responces, much appreciated

 

[DarkCobra]

You can turn off the air pump. 2x AC 30's will give you enough surface agitation, and you have a high surface area to volume ratio on a 20 long. Even without plants, aeration isn't needed on that setup.

 

[radioman]

The stuff on the wood is most likely java fern. Know this from working there and watching it slowly deteriorate in the tanks.