High CO2 levels

[laurance]

Yesterday I converted from a JBL CO2 system using disposable bottles to a 5kg FE. Unfortunately I reset the regulator too high and after a few hours of not observing the tank I returned to find all my fish gasping for air at the top of the tank. I immediately closed the regulaor and pumped air in via an airstone and airpump, I also performed a 50% water change. REgulator is now reset and my JBL CO2 checker is showing PH6.8, KH4-6 and CO2 Ok.
My question is will keeping the air pump on while injecting CO2 have an adverse effect on the CO2 uptake of the plants, will I need to increase CO2 levels. Does the increased oxygen allow me to run higher CO2 levels.
After everything settled down my plants were pearling non stop but today this has returned to normal low levels, any suggestions to what is going on. :?

 

[Ed Seeley]

Having the airstone on will not directly effect the CO2 uptake by the plants but it will gas off much more CO2 from the water. This will mean that you will have to inject much more CO2 to get sufficient CO2 in the water for your plants indirectly making it harder to keep the CO2 levels stable and high enough.

Increasing the O2 levels has no direct bearing on the CO2 level or the amount the fish can tolerate.

From the sounds of the readings you gave you aren't using 4dKH solution in your CO2 checker? Without a solution you know is 4dKH then you can't be sure that you have CO2 levels of 30ppm (generally agreed to be the highest safe level to consistently inject into a tank with livestock).

BTW the reason you saw pearling yesterday was almost certainly down to the much increased O2 levels in your water, not the CO2 level. Cool, new water contains much more O2 in solution and, as it warms, some of this is forced out of solution forming bubbles on the plants and hardscape. This new water coupled with the walready high O2 levels from the aeration gave rise to the pearling you saw.

 

[aaronnorth]

if you arent using "pure" 4dkh in the DC, then you can get it from Aquaessentials or make your own. this guide explains more:
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=467

BTW the reason you saw pearling yesterday was almost certainly down to the much increased O2 levels in your water, not the CO2 level. Cool, new water contains much more O2 in solution and, as it warms, some of this is forced out of solution forming bubbles on the plants and hardscape. This new water coupled with the walready high O2 levels from the aeration gave rise to the pearling you saw.

Also because any oxygen produced by the plants cannot dissolve into the water due to the saturation levels.

 

[laurance]

Having the airstone on will not directly effect the CO2 uptake by the plants but it will gas off much more CO2 from the water. This will mean that you will have to inject much more CO2 to get sufficient CO2 in the water for your plants indirectly making it harder to keep the CO2 levels stable and high enough.

Increasing the O2 levels has no direct bearing on the CO2 level or the amount the fish can tolerate.

From the sounds of the readings you gave you aren't using 4dKH solution in your CO2 checker? Without a solution you know is 4dKH then you can't be sure that you have CO2 levels of 30ppm (generally agreed to be the highest safe level to consistently inject into a tank with livestock).

BTW the reason you saw pearling yesterday was almost certainly down to the much increased O2 levels in your water, not the CO2 level. Cool, new water contains much more O2 in solution and, as it warms, some of this is forced out of solution forming bubbles on the plants and hardscape. This new water coupled with the walready high O2 levels from the aeration gave rise to the pearling you saw.[/Thanks for the feedback, I have turned off the airstone now and just leting things settle while I make small adjustments. I am using 4dkh which yesterday did not show high C)2 level, I also changed this yesterday, I renew the solution every 7-10 days. ]