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Measuring CO2

L

lindacoates80

Seedling
Joined
2 May 2009
Messages
16
Location
Dumfriesshire, Scotland
Is there any other way of measuring how much CO2 is in your water, As I understand it the drop checker is basically a permanent PH test , Problem I have is my substrate (Fluval Stratum) is buffering the PH of my water down to 6 so my drop checker is a lemon yellow colour all the time. I am using DIY CO2 in my Fluval Flora 30l tank.
 
I am using Fluval stratum and not seeing this with fire extinguisher CO2.

With no CO2 I get nice blue drop checker. Turn on CO2 a bubble or two a second I get "not so blue" drop checker, turn up to many bubble a second CO2 and I get green drop checker. Not been able to get it to go beyond green though and I have tried.
 
I've seen a few posts online saying the Fluval Stratum lowers the ph. , Water is coming out the tap at 7.6, ive just set the tank up a week ago so maybe it will change as it matures?
 
lindacoates80 said:
Problem I have is my substrate (Fluval Stratum) is buffering the PH of my water down to 6 so my drop checker is a lemon yellow colour all the time.
Click to expand...

hey, this is incorrect as the drop checker only reacts to the air within it which is altered by the injection of co2. Your fluval stratum is irrelevant when using a DC, however it will lower the water ph as will co2 depending on the quantity.
A yellow DC means you have more than 30ppm co2 which can be bad for fauna.

have a read here:
http://ukaps.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=467

:thumbup:
 
As I only set the tank up last Saturday all I have in it is Eleocharis Parvula and Glossostigma Elatinoides and a couple of pieces of rock. No Fish will be going in until it is cycled and it hopefully lets the plants settle in :)Will the higher levels of CO2 do any damage to the plants?
 
hell no, they will love it. I believe that with DIY co2 most people tend to make up the next batch a few days early so it can output levels off and then be sure to change it before it begins to die. Otherwise the fluctuations will induce co2 related algae such as BBA. Using DIY successfully is a lot of work :crazy:
 
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