CO2 and EI

[Christos Ioannou]

Fact 1: CO2 is a super important in a planted tank.
Fact 2: EI fertilization method will provide more than adequate fertilization to your plants.

I assume that bubbles per second for CO2 is not a constant for all tanks: 3 bps will give less ppm of CO2 in a 50G tank than in a 10G tank.

Other than the monetary issue, seems to me that the only restricting factor for CO2 will be how much fish can handle.Is that a reasonable argument - the more CO2 the better? (without of course gassing fish/ shrimp)

Thank you.

 

[Sacha]

*popcorn*

 

[Paulo Soares]

the only restricting factor for CO2 will be how much fish can handle

Yes indeed... in my case i agree. I can´t puch to hard cause of the fish.

 

[ian_m]

I assume that bubbles per second for CO2 is not a constant for all tanks: 3 bps will give less ppm of CO2 in a 50G tank than in a 10G tank

Maybe, possibly. Depends on how well you dissolve your CO2 and how well you distribute it, might be easier and more successful in a larger tank.

When I first setup my tank, I used an in tank diffuser at 3-4 bps and got a slightly green drop checker. Moved to a inline diffuser and same tank at 1-2bps drop checker is yellow.

Use your bps to determine for your setup and your tank if you have gas flowing and is it high or low flow rate. Other than that you can't compare bps between different setups and tanks.

 

[Marcel G]

Let's say that your plants need 35 mg/L CO2 at most. Do you think that it's of any gain to add more?
What I want to say is that each organism has its limits of nutrient uptake. And I think that most plants in our tanks don't need too much CO2 to reach an unlimiting growth rate.

 

[Christos Ioannou]

What I want to say is that each organism has its limits of nutrient uptake. And I think that most plants in our tanks don't need too much CO2 to reach an unlimiting growth rate.

Same stands for macro/ micro nutrients. EI sort of guarantees that these nutrients are readily available for plants.
Testing for a value of 35mg/L of CO2 could be an issue in its own right - so why not pump as much as possible? Does this ensure that CO2 is also readily available?

 

[Marcel G]

I assume that if you pump too much CO2 into your (critter-free) tank, then your pH could drop too much. If you have a pH aboud 6, then most of the nitrifying bacteria go dormant. At pH around 5 most of the bacteria (not only the nitrifying ones) are not working anymore. That's potential risk for planted tank. Also, if you reach some extreme level, then the high concentration begin to work against plants ... I mean, too much CO2 could prevent further growth and cause destruction (the same apply for other nutrients and light also).
It's always better to keep your parameters in some reasonable range.

 

[Christos Ioannou]

I assume that if you pump too much CO2 into your (critter-free) tank, then your pH could drop too much. If you have a pH aboud 6, then most of the nitrifying bacteria go dormant. At pH around 5 most of the bacteria (not only the nitrifying ones) are not working anymore. That's potential risk for planted tank. Also, if you reach some extreme level, then the high concentration begin to work against plants ... I mean, too much CO2 could prevent further growth and cause destruction (the same apply for other nutrients and light also).
It's always better to keep your parameters in some reasonable range.

This makes perfect sense now, thanks for your input!

 

[Sacha]

The Rubisco in the plants will re- adjust to whatever Co2 level is available. Basically, if you give the plants loads of Co2, they will get adjusted to this high level, so then if you need to reduce the Co2 level in the future, the plants will suffer because their uptake level will be affected. It will be a shock to their system that they are having to "search harder" to find the Co2.

 

[parotet]

The Rubisco in the plants will re- adjust to whatever Co2 level is available.

I'm pretty sure this 'whatever' has in practice a limit, due to side effects or limitation in uptake.

Jordi

 

[Sacha]

Yes I'm sure it does. But remember that the vast majority of the "aquatic" plants we keep are not aquatic at all. In the wild, they grow exposed to the air, where Co2 levels are in the region of 400 ppm. So the Co2 level that they have adapted to is more than 10x that which we provide in our tanks.

 

[pepedopolous]

If you have a pH aboud 6, then most of the nitrifying bacteria go dormant.

Ow! If what you're saying is true then my tanks are screwed! The pH is 7 before CO2 comes on and drops to around 5.8/5.9.

I've already artificially increased the KH from 0 to 4-5.

Cheers,

P

 

[PARAGUAY]

Recently started using EI in my 55gallon CO2 tank,to the rec. bottle dosage, plants going good but nitrate is getting very high, lightly stocked fish look ok. It recommends a weekly waterchange, I am thinking maybe more waterchanges, APF say the nitrate level not an issue but if I add new fish?Anybody?

 

[ian_m]

but nitrate is getting very high,

What's the problem ? Due to a pump failure I ended up dosing nitrates at 400ppm with no issues. Where fish bothered ? Nope. Plants bothered ? Nope. Me bothered yes....that was 1 litre of EI solution wasted. Did 50% water change after it had been like this for a couple of days and just carried on EI dosing and weekly water changed.

 

[PARAGUAY]

The fish in the tank are a hardy lot(black widows,penguins,cardinals)and look ok.But the nitrate level a lot higher than when I used Tropica+, My main concern is adding new fish from another source so maybe do a 50% change just before adding.

 

[ian_m]

I assume you are not relying on a nitrate test kit to get your nitrate readings ?? If you are they will be hopelessly wrong, due to other substances in the water and you will be "wasting your worries" chasing something that isn't wrong....

 

[PARAGUAY]

Interesting that,but is that just nitrate testing results that are not so reliable, as the same results came when I checked with my local fs. I accept it may not be totally accurate but it is a indicator. The test kit used correctly gets a thumbs up from Nathan Hill PFK.

 

[ian_m]

Iteresting that,but is that just nitrate testing results that are not so reliable

All of the results from hobby test kits. Remember shops just use slightly bigger boy hobby test kits and will get the same misleading results. The number of people that come here chasing a "non issue" as their test kits told them so...

No problem doing 50% water change before adding new fish, will certainly lower the organics and other waste in the water. But if your tap water is high in nitrate (50ppm max in UK) you will still have nitrate in the water. Are fish bothered, not really.

 

[Sacha]

PARAGUAY, please donate your test kit to your nearest charity shop. With the nights getting colder, hopefully somebody on the streets will be able to use it as good fuel for a fire.

 

[the.tech.guy]

Hi all, newby to the site here. OMG for give me.

Now I know this has probably been asked somewhere before on UKAPS but as I'm new to the site I just can not find it.

I have just added a pressurised CO2 system to my tank for the first time and am running it at 2 BPS but the Drop checker will not go green ( I'm scared I will kill the fish if i get this wrong). I am using Ei dozing for the plant fertiliser which is all so new to me.

The question I have is will a PH automatic controller he any good?

Any help with this will be most appreciated even if it's to point me to the right part of the site.

(Tank is 48" by 15" by 18" tall but it's not fill all the way to the top so it's about 177 litres of water ) heavily planted.

(Ei Dozing is the start set from Aquarium Plant Food UK, KN03,KH2PO4,MGS04 + Chelated Trace)

(Co2 is from co2 supermarket the sodaStream set up)

HELP HELP HELP