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Flow, Co2 and lighting timings

Franks

Member
Joined
26 Aug 2015
Messages
310
I've a few questions related to these all important planted tank controls.

I'm about to embark on injected Co2. I'm just putting together my Co2 art kit and will install it this Saturday to run and monitor performance.

The tank is a Fluval Osaka 155 running two 24w T5HO bulbs 22 inch from the substrate. I also have installed a stick on led strip inside the light unit which is very dim and is like a moon light for nighttime TV viewing. I doubt they offer any form of PAR intensity as they barely light the inside of the tank if turned on while it's daylight.

I double dose Easycarbo every morning along with a full fert (from dry mix)

I run a spraybar and wave maker and everywhere dances nicely in the flow.

Here's the questions;

1. I intended to dial in the gas starting at the usual 1bps and noting timings as the DC changes colour before adjusting for the next day. (aiming to hit lime green DC within the initial 2 hours before main lights are on) Should I still dose the Easycarbo and if so, why and for how long?

2. The gas will be solenoid timed 11am-7pm. 2 hours before lights on and 1 hour before lights out. During the night, is flow still important? I find that if the wavemaker has been running for over 12 hours straight, it tends to slow as it collects the odd leaf which fouls efficiency. This can be corrected by stopping and starting it again. I was considering timing the wave maker too so optimum flow is established during the lighting/gas stage. At night, it'd be nice to have it off completely if that's acceptable and flow isn't so crucial and I'm not risking an algae outbreak? Plus the fish could rest more easily!
The spraybar would still obviously offer basic circulation until the morning.

So to summarise;

Fert and Easycarbo dose 9am daily
Wave maker on 9am-9pm
led moonlight on 9am-9pm
Co2 11am-7pm
T5 lights 1pm-8pm

Does that sound acceptable? I may even add a 15min off period for the wavemaker during the middle of the day to guarantee no decline in output performance.

Any advice appreciated!

Thanks.






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Hi Franks,

1. I intended to dial in the gas starting at the usual 1bps and noting timings as the DC changes colour before adjusting for the next day. (aiming to hit lime green DC within the initial 2 hours before main lights are on) Should I still dose the Easycarbo and if so, why and for how long?

Sounds like a plan. It is a common practice to ensure that the water column has sufficient CO2 before the lighting comes on. In your case, it is difficult to assess whether you need to dose Easycarbo or not as I don't have a good idea what is the plant mass you intend to have in your tank. Personally, I used Seachem Excel (equivalent to Easycarbo) to deal with algae problems and thankfully I have not used it for awhile. Generally speaking, I don't see any harm in using Easycarbo especially during the start-up stage as your new aquatic plants take root.

During the night, is flow still important?

From my personal experience, if your pump allows you to have flowrate that is at least 8x to 10x the capacity of your tank, you won't really need more circulation at night. If you are worried about the oxygen level from overstocking, you can put in an airstone. Water rich in oxygen typically has less algae problems as the nitrifying bacteria need oxygen to convert the ammonium and nitrite into nitrate.

I have observed algae (BBA) growing at the outlet of filters because the filter has not been cleaned/maintained for a long time. So more water flow will not prevent algae problems.

I was considering timing the wave maker too so optimum flow is established during the lighting/gas stage.

If you can control the timing, that would be good. You also get the added benefit of moving decaying materials from the dead spots to the spots with water column moving so that these materials get carried to your filter. I don't even think it is necessary to have the wave maker function throughout the lighting/gas stage. But again it depends on how densely you have planted. In my humble opinion, I assume densely planted is when 50% of the volume in your tank is taken up by plants.

Fert and Easycarbo dose 9am daily

Are you following the EI dosing regime?

Co2 11am-7pm
T5 lights 1pm-8pm

Looks good to me. I would have done that myself. For my own 5ft tank, my lighting period is from 3pm to 9pm. From 9pm to 10pm, I set the LED lights to run down from 100% intensity to 0%. My CO2 running from 2:30pm to 8pm. I feed the pressurised CO2 via an inline atomiser into the outflow. I have a lightly planted tank using a leaner version of EI dosing.
 
I'm using Lush Max dry mix fert. Injecting to their hi tec regime daily. (it's a micro macro complete fert)

From a topdown view, 90% of the floor space is plant mass, it's just a little thinned out since my MC carpet has all but melted, some is doing well and I'd hope that gas will be the key to its survival.

Other plants are, anubus, java fern, bacopa caroliniana and bacopa compact, hottnia palustris, ludwigia Palustris (going crazy at 60cm tall and deep red!). Staurogyne repens, eleocharis parvula, echinodoris ozelot and finally ludwigia glandulosa which isn't very red, but leaf structure is good and I'm not losing any leaves like I have in the past which then resulted in a complete melting of the plant).

Everything apart from the MC carpet is doing well after being in for 3 weeks and so I just want the Co2 to ramp it all up.

The odd plant I have pulled has good rooting starting so I'm looking forward to adding Co2 and improving things somewhat.

I had a bba issue which is on the decline and was from the tank when it wasn't as loved as it now is.

Thanks for the feedback.

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Hi
Your starting plan sounds good to me. Over time with trail and error you will find what works best for you and for your tank.
I would make plenty of surface movement with your spraybar when using co2,I have found the higher o2 levels provided by this means you should be able to run better co2 levels for the plants without distressing the fish.
I use the EI method,But instead of doing a massive water change once a week,I do two roughly 30% water changes per week,One on sat one on sun,Not saying this is a better way its just what works for me and my tank,time i have available ect.
You will prob do the same find what work best for you and your tank.
Regards.
 
,I have found the higher o2 levels provided by this means you should be able to run better co2 levels for the plants without distressing the fish.

This is your goal. The most important issue on a tank: O2/CO2 - gaz exchange.

I use a air pump conected to a CO2 difuser. I have 6 to 8 PPM of O2.

After this you can rest on CO2 and others.

Those two hours of Co2 before lights are not in the bible book. You may need 3 or even 4 . It all depends on rate injection.

I rather have an inferior rate but sustainable (in my case i start to inject 3 hours before). I Reach the same objective 30 PPM Co2 or more in a longer period of time than injecting too much in a shorter time and in result all water chemistry suffers a BRUTE force changes. No good for the living that´s for shure..

Big hug.
 
Thanks. I'm going to ensure good water surface agitation. Bearing in mind the tank is an open top so won't have a lid further restricting gas exchanges.

So is the general opinion on the wave maker being off during night time a good idea?
Surface agitation will still be provided by the spraybar during the night, but the lower levels of the tank will rest more calmly without the turbulence of the wave maker.



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I have observed algae (BBA) growing at the outlet of filters because the filter has not been cleaned/maintained for a long time. So more water flow will not prevent algae problems

BBA is one of the general exceptions to the flow rule. In nature it is most commonly found in fast moving water.

Most other algae are inhibited by ensuring adequate flow.
 
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