[ccar2000]

In an earlier post another poster said that my Marineland HOT canister filter with the "Biowheel" screams degassing to him. Does that mean that it is a bad thing for a planted aquarium?
I actually have two filters, both are Hang On Tank type, One with the polishing micron filter cartridge and the other uses a filter sleeve and media canister with EHEIM Substrat pro bio filter media in it and the Bio Wheel. I have been using it for years and I assume it has a nice colony of aerobic and anaerobic creatures going on in it.

 

[Cboss]

It's not "bad" for your tank. It just reduces the amount of CO2 in the water if you are injecting it. So, the only problem is that you use more CO2 and that costs more money/time to get a refill.

That said, I have a sump, which some say is terrible for off gassing CO2, but I haven't had any problems.

 

[reflexhunter]

My wife dosent like it when I'm degassing

Cbos already gave you the answer,I just couldn't resist.

 

[wkndracer]

haha sumps are the gas! opps sorry degassing here LOL
(i use sump filteration)

 

[MaineAquatics]

I've used a sump with wet/dry on a 125... was I using more co2 than without a sump? Yup, way more.. but to be honest I ran the tank like that for 6 months on a 5lb co2 tank And it didn't run out

 

[ccar2000]

So... if I am running low tech and not injecting co2 does that mean that whatever co2 I had is gone?
I am thinking that the bio-wheel acts kind of like a waterfall. The filtered water sprays out of a header with orifices then on to the wheel, spinning it and into a catch tray before falling into the water where it is airborne for a fraction of an inch. Does this action entrain air into the water?

 

[iKine]

my wife dosent like it when i'm degassing

+100,000,000

 

[wkndracer]

As far as using a HOB goes I like that model and still own two of them.
Running it with the bio wheel it does work well enough. CO2 in the tank or loss of it?
I don't see it as much of a factor running a low tech tank.

I've used a sump with wet/dry on a 125... was I using more co2 than without a sump? Yup, way more.. but to be honest I ran the tank like that for 6 months on a 5lb co2 tank And it didn't run out

wet/dry = CO2 loss not the use of a properly setup sump for filtration

 

[ccar2000]

Great, Thank to all for the input. I believe my set up is good for the amount of work I want to put into it. I am happy I added this forum to my list of references.

 

[MaineAquatics]

I admit the wet/dry with co2 was a terrible idea, but it worked.. and like I said I never ran out of co2.. so.. anyway:

What is the ph of your tank water before you add co2?

Compare it to after you've run co2... the ph level should drop if the co2 is being dissolved into the water

 

[ccar2000]

Aquarium-
46 gallon bow front
Net 35 gallons water
Natural gravel, rocks and Ironwood

Filtration-
One Marineland HOT Magnum canister filter with polishing micron filter cartridge
One Marineland HOT Magnum Pro canister filter with Bio Wheel, filter sleeve and media canister with EHEIM Substrat pro bio filter media

Lighting-
Fixture +/- 20” from substrate
Glass hinged top on tank
Plastic lens on fixture
Fixture on factory stands
Chrome reflector
Coralife Lunar Aqualights Compact Fluorescent Strip Lights
Two 4-watt Lunar Blue-Moon-Glow LED lamps
Two SunPaq Dual Daylight 6,700*K/10,000*K 96W lamps
I am still trying to figure out if the timer program is right for my lighting components and whether it the system is low or medium range.
Schedule-
8am – 8pm single light
10am – 4pm both lights
8pm – 8am LEDs only

Fertilizer products-
Seachem
Florish
Excel
Iron
Phosphorus
Nitrogen
Trace
Potassium
Prime


9/5/11 tested parameters
Temp 82* F
Phosphate 1.0 mg/l
Calcium 100 ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm
Ammonia 0.1 ppm
pH 7.6
K hardness 40 ppm
G hardness 220 ppm
Nitrite 0.0 ppm
Free Iron 0.0 mg/l
Chelated Iron 0.0 mg/l

 

[VeeSe]

So... if I am running low tech and not injecting co2 does that mean that whatever co2 I had is gone?

No. You don't need to worry about it if you don't inject CO2. Your water should establish an equilibrium with the surrounding air where the amount of CO2 going in equals the amount leaving the water (through plant uptake and degassing) and you can go for good surface agitation and aeration.

 

[wkndracer]

Nice detailed stats on your setup!
Would make a great starting post on a tank journal :smile:

 

[ccar2000]

I am raising my nitrogen dosage from 2.5mL to 9.0mL. I am going to try raising the nitrate from 5ppm to 15-20ppm.

 

[kalawai2000]

My wife dosent like it when I'm degassing

Cbos already gave you the answer,I just couldn't resist.

Nobody likes it when you guys degass