[mistergreen]

FInding a cure for BBA is like finding a cure for the common cold

 

[mistergreen]

Zorfox - how are we sure that CO2 causes or contributes to BBA?

From what I've been able to gather from the data in the APC thread it seems more common in tanks where CO2 is injected. If our hypothesis says CO2 will stop BBA from growing then that is 100% proven false simply by its presence in more than 50% of the high tech CO2 results we collected.

Perhaps CO2 lessens the extent of BBA? But then why would it seems to grow on filter outlets, and on CO2 diffusers? The old advice that low CO2 = BBA simply isn't right based on the data we have.

At one point many years ago I had a really bad BBA outbreak, so I removed all my fish and added so much CO2 my water fizzed like soda for weeks. The BBA grew on every surface like I've never seen it grow before, so if anything I'd say it seems to promote growth.

I've a sneaky suspicion that drastic co2 shifts triggers BBa, whether this the co2 itself or the ph swings. When I kept my co2 constant, BBa seemed to disappear. This was with the help of a co2 sensor. I don't trust a ph sensor to control co2 because of the constant calibration and other variables.

All my low tech dirt tanks are free of BBa btw and I rarely change the water. Doc must be a lot.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[mistergreen]

I built a CO2 sensor for my arduino for $250. Pricey but affordable. The trick is to making it waterproof which I failed in the long run.

 

[mistergreen]

Now this is interesting.

Do you have a thread on how you built yours?

Any idea how accurate the probe is?

They sell CO2 detectors for rooms, but they are only accurate to within 5-10% which isn't very good IMO.

yup, it's here
http://aquatictechtank.net/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=11
It is 10% accurate for CO2 in the air or ppmv - v for volume.
But most people don't know that in water, we use ppmw - w for weight or the weight of the CO2 molecule. So basically, the 10% accuracy is negligible for ppmw.

 

[mistergreen]

Mistergreen,

Did you see the link I posted there? That article describes how they built theirs with quite a lot of detail. If I remember correctly they used a PTFE tube sealed with plasti dip.

Oh yeah, thanks for the post! When I have time, I'll give it a read.