[grogan]

First the tank:
56gallon
- 156 watts 4 bulb t5 @ 6500k
-presurized co2 (3-4 bubbles per second) with a basic diffuser
-9 hours light synchronized with the co2

The problem: (yup lured you into another bba thread muwahaha)
I bought the co2 system because of the bba and Im not getting the results Im looking for. I have also order some Excel through the lfs, would buy it online but I like to support my local guys. I also have 4 flying foxes fighting the good fight and my feeding is sparse. I also dose with ferts twice a week.

Im thinking my c02 levels are still unstable. And if I need to increase them I want a ph monitor to control the whole system. Ideas on which one? The Milwaukee one looks tempting.

 

[grogan]

Forget about the issues with bba, I'm can figure that one out on my own research. Im looking for info on monitors.

 

[Craigthor]

Sounds like you should get a drop checker to watch the CO2 then up your ferts. that much light and only dosing twice a week is probably casuing more problems then helping your cause.

 

[Razorworm]

+1 on the Milwaukee. Mmmmm, might not be a bad idea to ease back on the lighting. Try 3 bulbs for a while

 

[wkndracer]

Sounds like you should get a drop checker to watch the CO2 then up your ferts. that much light and only dosing twice a week is probably causing more problems then helping your cause.

Agree on this with a big +1, that much light and dosing only 2 days wouldn't work here. Standard 75g tanks (63g actual), 4x54T5HO (216W) running 8hrs a day 2 bulbs and a 3hr burst with the second set. I kick the ferts daily in little bumps. BBA grows slowly on my Fluorite and older stems low in the tank if I'm lax and GDA on the glass. PO4 tested at 2ppm 2 days later will test 0.0ppm if I miss dosing. Drop checkers stay yellow/green 24/7.

CO2 levels controlled by American Marine controllers using the supplied pinpoint pH probes. I own three of them because I liked the first one that much.

 

[scapegoat]

+1 on the Milwaukee. Mmmmm, might not be a bad idea to ease back on the lighting. Try 3 bulbs for a while

most units run two bulbs in parallel, remove one of those bulbs and the circuit is broken and both are off.

OP's light doesnt match up though...

4 t5no would be 112 watts and 4 t5ho would be 224 watts

not sure how no stacks up on the chart, but i'm going to assume you're running 4 true t5ho bulbs (wattage doesnt matter) in which case you're running way too much light. I thought i was running 4 t5ho bulbs, turns out 2 were the actinic (blue) bulbs. 2 t5ho on my 55 are plenty.

i've been reading on here that the monitors are really not all that useful. What you need is a better delivery system (IMO) and reduce your lighting to 2 bulbs.

get yourself a glass drop checker from one of the vendors here and solution http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/s...ls/136430-fs-glass-drop-checkers-10-4dkh.html. this will give you an idea of what you've got in the tank. they say green yellow is good.

 

[TedP]

I might be stating the obvious, but you would want a pH controller, not a monitor.

 

[btimmer92]

I think that is what he/she means

 

[grogan]

He lol

okay I'll turn off two of my bulbs which won't be a problem because I'm using 2 fixtures. I'm thinking about trying this 3 hour burst with the other fixture, but ill see how it does with just the one light first. I will also start spacing out my dosage rather than doing it twice a week. Im looking into these drop counters.

Thanks for all the advise

 

[grogan]

most units run two bulbs in parallel, remove one of those bulbs and the circuit is broken and both are off.

OP's light doesnt match up though...

4 t5no would be 112 watts and 4 t5ho would be 224 watts

not sure how no stacks up on the chart, but i'm going to assume you're running 4 true t5ho bulbs (wattage doesnt matter) in which case you're running way too much light. I thought i was running 4 t5ho bulbs, turns out 2 were the actinic (blue) bulbs. 2 t5ho on my 55 are plenty.

i've been reading on here that the monitors are really not all that useful. What you need is a better delivery system (IMO) and reduce your lighting to 2 bulbs.

get yourself a glass drop checker from one of the vendors here and solution http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/s...ls/136430-fs-glass-drop-checkers-10-4dkh.html. this will give you an idea of what you've got in the tank. they say green yellow is good.

The 56 gallon is 30" long and I scored 2x 36" coralife fixtures. They over hang but my watt calculations are correct, 39 watts x 4. Its a weird sized tank, trust me I know lol.

 

[grogan]

How much should I dose? I use API leaf zone and was dosing 27 ml twice a week so thats 54ml a week. Should I just split that into 7 days making it roughly 8ml per day, or up it even more?