DIY CO2 Question

[Bill M.]

I want to set up a DIY CO2 injection system, but I am worried that it would cause a crash in my pH. What precautions should I take when adding CO2?

[RobbieG]

Some people run an airstione at night to balance it out

I don't and haven't had any problems

[genitor]

I don't do anything and I'm fine but then my substrate has limestone in it so maybe that has something to do with it.

[Chrona]

I want to set up a DIY CO2 injection system, but I am worried that it would cause a crash in my pH. What precautions should I take when adding CO2?

Changes in pH from CO2 only do not have any effect on fish whatsoever. Case in point, people with planted tanks regularly do 50-75% water changes (which drastically reduces CO2 levels), which will often swing a tank's pH up by 1.0 in a matter of minutes (or in my case, as I have a small tanks, in seconds). Noone has ever had any problems (me included). There are only two possible harms that can come from CO2 is overdose, one of which is asphixiation from extremely high levels of CO2, but it's extremely tough to do with DIY CO2 and only really occurs when a pressurized Co2 system has an end of tank dump, where the regulator basically burps off the last bit of CO2 extremely quickly. The other one is high CO2 levels/low surface agitation at night (when both plants and fish are using oxygen). Just aim for a pH drop of 1.0, which will indicate exactly 30ppm of CO2, the ideal. Or just get a drop checker for a few bucks on ebay. With a proper CO2 level, you don't have to worry about anything, though running an airstone at night (tied to a timer) can't hurt. It just wastes a bit of CO2.