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Basic drop checker question.

papa_c

Member
Joined
22 Jan 2013
Messages
368
Evening all!

I have a CO2art complete drop checker set have filled the bulb as directed with the solution. Place in the tank initially 2cm under the surface and also move it to10cm below the surface. It continually stays dark blue.

Details on the tank 170ish litre's, good circulation of water from spray bars on the back, I can see the odd piece of leaf doing a complete rotation of the tank. Currently at about 4bps through an inline diffuser. Tank has been set up for two weeks with good growth of plants and no algae. Gas on at 1.00 off at 9.00, lights on at 4.00 and off at 10.00

Should I bed paranoid about achieving a green drop checker.
 
yup it is the same colour from lights on to lights off. I think there is good co2 flow the tank as I get a fine mist of tiny bubbles (guessing smaller than 1/4mm) from the spray bar.
 
A good idea (that I got from Ceg4048) is to get a pH meter. These can be brought cheaply from eBay and usually come with calibration powders (that need to be mixed with distilled or RO water).

Take the pH reading every 30 minutes and post the results. Typically you are expecting the pH to drop by 1 point by lights on. (There are other factors involved but this will give an idea).

Drop checkers are just a tool and not always that reliable. What I would say is 4bps seems low for a 170litre tank.
 
Andy, ph meter I have shows only a small drop by max 0.2 so it looks like it is time to up the bps slowly over the next dew days.....

Andy/Clive, comp time....what do you think bps will it will end up at before I see a more defined colour change!
 
If there are no fish in the tank then increase the bubble rate far beyond your capability to count bubbles - and do it quickly...

Cheers,
 
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