Massive CO2 Waste?

[Henry]

I'm having trouble maintaining a lime green drop checker at anything under 3bps with a Fluval bubble counter. I know all tanks require different diffusion rates, but this one is only 24L. I'm using a Fluval 88g diffuser into the inlet of an Eheim 2213.

The CO2 is set to come on at 11, and the lights on at 3. By the time the lights come on, it just manages to achieve the desired drop checker colour. What on Earth am I doing wrong?

 

[zanguli-ya-zamba]

Hi Henry

how are you doing mate ?
I know I am not an expert and I am not in a good position to advice you on CO2 as I have some issue.
But if it takes time to have the drop of ph, like you are saying 4 hours to get a lime green drop checker, they must be two problems.

If it takes that much time, this means you have a distribution problem ! Flow is not adequate you must look to this direction, and emphasis it.
The other could be too much surface agitation, that is degassing too much you CO2.

I would look to the first solution even if you have a good filter. there is no reason that with a good flow it takes that much time to drop the ph.

hope I can help with that ?!

cheers mate and hang on

ps: I am in a kind of aquascaping blues loool

 

[Henry]

Hi mate, thanks for your quick reply.

The filter runs through a spray bar along the full length of the tank. It's very shallow (front to back), so I can't see it being a distribution problem. There is also absolutely no surface agitation. Is it possible the CO2 is gathering in the filter and not dissolving?

I think we all get the fish tank blues at some point

 

[darren636]

The filter runs through a spray bar along the full length of the tank. It's very shallow (front to back), so I can't see it being a distribution problem. There is also absolutely no surface agitation. Is it possible the CO2 is gathering in the filter and not dissolving?

shake the filter - see what happens.

Are you sure there are no leaks?

 

[Henry]

It does let out some gas when shaken, but I thought this was normal with this method. I left the blue sponge in the media thought, is this possibly effecting it's passage through the filter?

I checked all connections with detergent solution last night and everything seems tight.

Agh.

Edit: Just had a look at the filter, and there's about 1/2" of undissolved gas sat at the top. How do others prevent this?

 

[tim]

Try sticking the co2 tube straight into the inlet, sometimes easier for the big bubbles to be smashed up, where the small bubbles accumulate, keep a close eye on the tank if you have livestock though mate better diffusion can lead to disaster.

 

[NattyAntlers]

Edit: Just had a look at the filter, and there's about 1/2" of undissolved gas sat at the top. How do others prevent this?

Dont think you can unless you reduce the BPS so the gas dissolves before it builds up in the filter, the gas will eventually dissolve but by then the lights will probably be off.

I had the similar problem so now use a ceramic diffuser low in the tank and below the spray bar, might be worth a try to compare.

 

[Henry]

I had the similar problem so now use a ceramic diffuser low in the tank and below the spray bar, might be worth a try to compare.

I would normally do this, but the tank is quite wide and shallow, so I'm not sure how effectively the bubbles would be dissolved and distributed. Conundrum.

 

[Henry]

Decided to have a go with my Boyu inline diffuser today and it works an absolute treat! I'm getting a lime green drop checker at 1bps, which is significantly less than before
I have a feeling I was either using too much gas for the flow rate to dissolve effectively, or the sponge was allowing bubbles to gather and cause cavitation.

 

[Fern]

Hi Henry
I have just been looking at these diffusers, and seen from an image on fleabay that you can put them either inline or in tank.

I'm reluctant to cut the tubing to my filter, so would prefer to use it in tank, I'm sure it doesn't make any difference, but just wondered if this diffuser would help reduce the misting, which is what I am trying to achieve.
Thanks
Fern

 

[Henry]

There is the risk of cavitation when put on the intake, but others have had success with that method.

I've recently taken this tank down and am now using a regular ceramic disc in a cube tank.

 

[Fern]

Ok thanks, I'll give it a try