Question: CO2, PH & “Breaking Water”

1337 Views 6 Replies 5 Participants Last post by DiabloCanine, Jan 14, 2008

TheLoneBadger

Discussion Starter · Dec 17, 2007

I have a 37-gallon tank, 3 UV lights, Fluval canister with mostly swords and java ferns. I fertilize with tablets in the gravel and with supplements in the water. I have one angel fish, a few baby guppies, some red guys and a few neons. I pump gobs of CO2 in via two 2-liter bottles with sugar/yeast and a timer on the bubbler, changing one bottle every two weeks. It’s been up two years, and we haven’t had a single death and the plants are growing like weeds.

My question: Yesterday I went into my pet store and a tank-nerd started pontificating on my tank, telling me that I was in for a “catastrophic failure” because I was not “breaking water” (both my intake and outlet of my pump are below the water-line and I have a very placid tank at the top) and that my PH was “sure to crash” at some point, causing massive death. He seemed very passionate about it, almost giddy with excitement.

I consider my tank incredible healthy. Here’s a video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oLveVY7cdZs

So, is this guy on top something?:fish1:

Thanks.

:fish1: Jeff:fish:

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mrbman7

· #2 · Dec 17, 2007

sounds like hearsay to me.

Why would your PH crash? Because you're not venting off the co2? It will vent naturally even if the top is not agitated. As long as you're not cramming co2 into the tank, then believe your actual results (you can see the tank is healthy) versus what some guy postulates.

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JenThePlantGeek

· #3 · Dec 17, 2007

Doooooom! Gloooom!

On nooooo!

:hihi: I think you're fine. I'm pretty sure the guy was not speaking from any sort of personal experience or knowledge. Just like you, I've had tanks running for YEARS and YEARS with no surface agitation and plenty of CO2.

Your tank is lovely, by the way.

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jaidexl

· #4 · Dec 17, 2007

Haha, that same guy probably sells fish and new tanks to people on the same day. They're always concerned with the wrong things. Honestly, I have to say I'm more comfortable with some surface movement, not necessarily breaking, but whatever is working...

Ask that guy to explain photosynthesis to you if you wanna have a laugh. They always have me laughing, especially the nerdy know-it-alls. And if I ever catch one pontificating in my tank, I'll knock him out. :hihi:

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TheLoneBadger

Discussion Starter · #5 · Dec 18, 2007

Thanks for your replies. I'll keep doing what I've always been doing. Seems to be working.

Jeff

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TheLoneBadger

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 13, 2008

Also, here's an updated video of the tank. Doing well!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=gjmd1e4JAHI

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DiabloCanine

· #7 · Jan 14, 2008

TheLoneBadger said:
I have a 37-gallon tank, 3 UV lights, Fluval canister with mostly swords and java ferns. I fertilize with tablets in the gravel and with supplements in the water. I have one angel fish, a few baby guppies, some red guys and a few neons. I pump gobs of CO2 in via two 2-liter bottles with sugar/yeast and a timer on the bubbler, changing one bottle every two weeks. It’s been up two years, and we haven’t had a single death and the plants are growing like weeds.

My question: Yesterday I went into my pet store and a tank-nerd started pontificating on my tank, telling me that I was in for a “catastrophic failure” because I was not “breaking water” (both my intake and outlet of my pump are below the water-line and I have a very placid tank at the top) and that my PH was “sure to crash” at some point, causing massive death. He seemed very passionate about it, almost giddy with excitement.

I consider my tank incredible healthy. Here’s a video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=oLveVY7cdZs

So, is this guy on top something?:fish1:

Thanks.

:fish1: Jeff:fish:

Are you turning the CO2 off via a timer? What do you mean by "a timer on the bubbler"?........DC

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