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New co2, drop checkers not showing much colour change.

Joined
16 Sep 2016
Messages
31
Location
Widnes
Hi guys, I'm looking for a bit of advice please. I've been running a co2 art dual stage regulator and FE on a 4ft 200l tank for 4 days now.
The working pressure on the second stage is just under 4 bar with 3-4 bps. The gas runs for 2 hrs before the lights come on.
I'm using 2 drop checkers, one with jbl liquid and and one with co2 art liquid.
With a kh of 4, the starting ph is approx 7.4 and around 3 hrs in, the ph has dropped to 6.6, so I'm sort of comfortable using the charts that there's between 20 -30 ppm of co2 being saturated.
The issue is neither drop checker is showing a massive change in colour from the default blue. The DC with jbl liquid is showing maybe a dark green but the DC with the co2 art liquid is only showing a light blue. Bother are positioned mid tank front and back.
Without wanting to gas the fish and being mindful of a ph crash (as I dont think i should go much lower than 6.6) I didn't want to overdo the co2.
Not sure what to do next really, any advice please?
 
First thing i'd check is there isn't any scum on the surface of the water inside the drop checker, stops them working completely. If not then it's probably your distribution, try moving the drop checker to another part of the tank if the colour is different then it proves there's something wrong with your distribution. At that point you need to look at your flow, on a 200 litre tank you want a filter turning over 2000lph or if the filter is lower than that adding powerheads to help distribute your co2.
 
Ok thanks. I have a jbl 1501 filter running also a powerhead aiming the flow from the filter down into the length of the tank. I have ordered another powerhead for the other end to get a more complete circulation. I'll check the dc's for any film.
Could the co2 set liquid be less responsive than the jbl stuff?

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It's brand new from Co2 art. I'll try a few things for tonight's photoperiod, I'll put the jbl liquid in both dc's and try a few different positions around the tank. Im also going to increase the bps and perhaps use the fish as a limiting factor.

Sent from my phone using tapatalk
 
It's brand new from Co2 art. I'll try a few things for tonight's photoperiod, I'll put the jbl liquid in both dc's and try a few different positions around the tank. Im also going to increase the bps and perhaps use the fish as a limiting factor.

Sent from my phone using tapatalk
 
The power head is is a hydor 1600 and its pushing bubbles pretty much the full length, but there's not an awful lot at the far end...the new powerhead is a 2200 and will be here early in the week. That should get things moving round quicker and I'll just use the 1600 for some surface agitation at the other end. Incidentally I've increased the bps tonight and both dc's are showing a definate green, (still only dark green though) I'm just surprised how much co2 it's taken to get this level of response after seeing so many videos and and reading so much information about only using a bubble or two to get 30+ ppm.
 
The power head is is a hydor 1600 and its pushing bubbles pretty much the full length, but there's not an awful lot at the far end...the new powerhead is a 2200 and will be here early in the week. That should get things moving round quicker and I'll just use the 1600 for some surface agitation at the other end. Incidentally I've increased the bps tonight and both dc's are showing a definate green, (still only dark green though) I'm just surprised how much co2 it's taken to get this level of response after seeing so many videos and and reading so much information about only using a bubble or two to get 30+ ppm.

Have you checked for leaks? in my 60p i used to have to do about 3bps until I realised that my bubble counter was leaking, now i only need about 1bps.
 
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