Just added my diy CO2 injector..

[Ozonelayr345]

Lets hope for the best! thumbs2: I am using an air stone to help dissolve the CO2. The fish seem to be okay right now but I am going to monitor them to make sure they are doing alright. My pH was like 8 or something before so the pH should be ideal after the CO2 dissolves. Any further suggestions anyone? :thankyouyellow:

[ricardo48]

Do you mean you are running the co2 tubing into an airstone so it bubbles into the tank?

[Ozonelayr345]

Yeah..I know its pretty ineffective but I havent gotten around to looking for more efficient ways. I read that with the airstone I will still get noticeable growth.

[ricardo48]

You will get next to no results doing that.

You want co2 concentration to be at least 15ppm for plants. If you are just bubbling it in the almost all of your co2 will escape at the surface of the tank before it has time to dissolve into your water column.

You will need to find a way to make the bubbles alot smaller so they take longer to reach the surface of your tank which increases time they have to dissolve into water. Also smaller bubbles have greater surface area compared to one bubble which greatly enhances dissolving rates.

Do simple search on google for co2 reactors. Most can be made fairly easily for under $20

[Ozonelayr345]

The bubbles are really tiny. I have the smallest size of air stone I could find and I also have it next to the filter intake so most of the CO2 doesnt even make it to the surface...

[ricardo48]

Ahh! So you are misting the co2 into your filter intake. Is this an internal filter and if so is it spraying the co2 mist out around the tank?

[Ozonelayr345]

Yeah it is. I have a before pic of my tank right now as my profile picture and I will update it in a couple weeks to see the difference..hopefylly the co2 will get the job done!!

[-Lp]

That's what I was going to suggest. I have the air tube on my DIY fed directly into the filter intake. The impeller 'chops' the bubbles, if you will, and they're discharged into the tank. Albeit not the best method for c02 absorption, it's been working for me.


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[Wild Turkey]

I use the method the OP uses and it is most certainly effective.
I base this on my results for co2 testing, not on plant growth alone.

You will get excellent results on a small to medium size tank with it.

I would spend the 10$ on a drop checker to find out what the co2 levels were long before i spent 20$ on a diffusion reactor, which is almost never needed for the average DIY applications IME.




Running the bubbles into the intake is a cheap way to aid in diffusion but its effects are minimal if you are already running an airstone, and I have heard of it slowly causing cavitation of the impeller blades so Ive stopped recommending it.

Note: never run the bubbles into the intake of your canister filter.

[-Lp]

I have heard of it slowly causing cavitation of the impeller blades so Ive stopped recommending it.

Really? Hmmm...interesting.


Note: never run the bubbles into the intake of your canister filter.

Agreed.

[Wild Turkey]

Really? Hmmm...interesting.

My first response was the same lol but it does make sense when you think about it. The effects would be over the long term since its a small amount of bubbles but no one likes replacing impellers so I figure rather safe than sorry since it doesnt make a a large difference ime

Your tank looks great btw

[Ozonelayr345]

sweet betta tank LP!

And I didnt know about the co2 possibly damaging the impeller...I might have to look into finding a better way to disperse the co2 into my tank..does anyone have any experiences using other methods?

[Wild Turkey]

sweet betta tank LP!

And I didnt know about the co2 possibly damaging the impeller...I might have to look into finding a better way to disperse the co2 into my tank..does anyone have any experiences using other methods?

Are you testing your co2 levels currently?

What size tank is it?

You are probably okay with just a line and airstone for your diy co2. That will usually suffice for smaller tanks.

If you tested your ph before and after thats another way to calculate the dissolved co2

Edit: A check valve is also a good idea.

[Ozonelayr345]

I dont have a method to check the co2 levels...you said eariler that a co2 counter would run like $10?

its a 10g and most of the plants are on the side where I am bubbling the co2 through the airstone

Also I added the co2 like 2 days ago...when should I start to see noticeable growth?

[Wild Turkey]

As long as your tank has good circulation it should matter too much where the plants are placed so your good. It may be a week or two before you can gauge a difference, you may also find later that a comprehensive fertilizer like flourish may be needed since the co2 is excelling growth, it depends on how intense your lighting is, and other factors.

Yes a drop checker is about ten bucks heres a link to the kind i have,
Red sea co2 indicator ([Only Registered Users Can See Links.])
nothing special but it does its job. Sometimes you can find homemade ones on ebay for a little bit cheaper but i usually dont bother.

[Ozonelayr345]

sweet thanks for all the help...should I get a substrate with nutrients (like eco-compete) since I added the co2 or would flourish do basically the same thing? and I have a 15watt bulb with 6700k value(not 100% sure on this) on my 10g

[Wild Turkey]

sweet thanks for all the help...should I get a substrate with nutrients (like eco-compete) since I added the co2 or would flourish do basically the same thing? and I have a 15watt bulb with 6700k value(not 100% sure on this) on my 10g

Flourish will do the same thing for you. Plant substrate just helps with root feeders and really most people recommend you still dose with it so it depletes itself slower. You should be fine your current substrate.

That light is not too intense so you should be fine to just wait and see how it goes without ferts if you wish.

[Ozonelayr345]

OK sweet.

Update...I have started noticing a lot of new growth with my crypts and lily pads.. but no difference with my java fern and it still hasnt attached to the substrate or rock under it...its tied down and I thought it would have attached by now...any thoughts?

[Wild Turkey]

Java ferns are pretty slow growing plants, you have the right idea tying it down, as long as the rhizome is exposed you are in good shape.

[-Lp]

I hope you achieve the results you're looking for.

Thanks for the comps! :22: