[SpaceLord]

Hello.

I read on this forum that HOB filters are bad for planted tank because the water fall effect will take out the CO2 from the tank which the plants need.

By this same theory, should I have my air pump off during the day and on only at night(when plants give off C02 instead of O2)?

Would this create more CO2 which will help the plants grow faster.

Thanks.

 

[roostertech]

Yes surface agitation will cause gas exchange and reduce the concentration of co2 in the tank. I only run air pump a little at night to clear up bio film build up. But this only really matter if you are going for high tech (compressed co2, high light, fert and all that).

 

[SpaceLord]

Yes surface agitation will cause gas exchange and reduce the concentration of co2 in the tank. I only run air pump a little at night to clear up bio film build up. But this only really matter if you are going for high tech (compressed co2, high light, fert and all that).

I don't have compressed C02 tanks or that much crazy ferts. Once in a while I might put some Leafzone which has like Iron in it and a few other things.

So I would not benefit at all from leaving the air pump off during the day?

Thanks

 

[lksdrinker]

So I would not benefit at all from leaving the air pump off during the day?

Thanks

Any benefit that you might see is soooooo minuscule. There is a better likelihood of doing more harm than good. No surface agitation means no gas exchange. If you're not heavily planted chances are the plants are not producing enough oxygen to saturate the tank. All this can potential lead to oxygen deprived fish.

 

[SpaceLord]

Any benefit that you might see is soooooo minuscule. There is a better likelihood of doing more harm than good. No surface agitation means no gas exchange. If you're not heavily planted chances are the plants are not producing enough oxygen to saturate the tank. All this can potential lead to oxygen deprived fish.

Does dosing with compressed CO2 do the same thing? Could you kill your fish with the higher Co2 levels?

There are no oxygen monitors for Aquariums like with digital thermometer type of thing?

Thanks.

 

[Nordic]

Filters should never be switched on and off for extended periods...

There are no oxygen monitors for Aquariums like with digital thermometer type of thing?

Lies!... we call them fish

 

[JJ09]

My low tech planted tank has an HOB. I also have a small sponge filter on an airline in the opposite corner, because there was a 'dead' area with no flow. I found out by trial and error that turning this airline off during the day caused more problems than just leaving it running all the time.

This thread was helpful for me:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/100-low-tech-forum/982329-sooo-air-stone-will-increase-co2-low-tech.html

 

[lksdrinker]

Does dosing with compressed CO2 do the same thing? Could you kill your fish with the higher Co2 levels?

There are no oxygen monitors for Aquariums like with digital thermometer type of thing?

Thanks.

pressurized co2 can potentially gas fish to death yes. The idea is that you provide enough co2 so your plants thrive and produce enough oxygen for the fish to thrive.

 

[SpaceLord]

pressurized co2 can potentially gas fish to death yes. The idea is that you provide enough co2 so your plants thrive and produce enough oxygen for the fish to thrive.

Even if you have enough plants to make this work in the day, at night the tank will turn into a death trap since plants stop producing oxygen at night and to make matters worse, will produce C02 instead.