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Too much Co2 in a fishless tank

Garuf

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30 Oct 2007
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Hello, so in an attempt to rid myself of some diatoms and also to get over a bout of deficiencies I upped my co2 levels to around double what is needed to get a green DC the thing is nothing has gotten better, if anything I'm in a worse situation does anyone have any Ideas on what it could be, is it possible that there's so much CO2 that I'm making deficiencies worse by inadequate dosing?
 
I see your point Sam but while I was reading to try and get to the bottom of my problems I read that excessive co2 can actually be the cause of deficiencies as the plants use as much as they can and then bottom out on other nutrients. I'm not sure if this is right or not or if I'm even going about anything right.
 
Garuf - What you suggest in your second post sounds feasible but then we aren't talking about CO2 being too high, rather nutrients being too low!!

Seeing as you are fishless you could double, triple your nutrient dosing to match the CO2 input and plants additional requirement and see if that works. You will of course be doing a decent water change(s) pre stocking and therefore remove any excess so it won't hurt.

AC
 
Hmm, see I figured the same but wanted to try out something so for a week I've been doing every day water changes, which If I'm honest has offered no noticable improvement. I've lowered the co2 and increased the dosing we'll see where that takes me. This tank is turning into the biggest frustration.
 
Maybe playing with fire a little with my limited science knowledge but:

The way I see it if light is the limiting factor then you already had your limit set. Unless you increased your light and the CO2 was already circulating well and keeping the DC light green / yellow in several areas around the tank on the DC then you were 'probably' at a non limiting level of CO2 already.

If you were also dosing non limiting nutrient then there would be no increase in plant growth from increasing dosing and CO2 because you were already non limited for the amount of light you were and still are using.

If there were problems prior to upping the CO2 then something wasn't non limited :)

AC
 
Hmm, I'll reduce the co2 and double dose the ie and see If I get things to pick up.
Do you think I should reduce the light again or would I be further fanning the flames?
 
I would just leave the CO2 high, double the nutrients and leave the lights.

Let the nutrients do the job for a couple of weeks if that was indeed the defficiency and then after everything is cured think about backing off the CO2/nutrients a little until you are happy with the levels.

AC
 
Hmmm. I can't help but think I should be lowering not increasing. it's counter intuitive.
 
If it wasn't working before then either nutrient or CO2 wasn't enough for the light provided.

You can back off the light and then reduce the CO2/nutrient but then when/if you increase the light again you are at the same crossroads!!!

AC
 
Gareth, assuming CO2 and nutrients are up to par, the only way you'll get rid of diatomic algae is to severely restrict the light intensity...

Cheers,
 
That simple? I'm thinking of backing of the co2 even more and adding ottos and shrimp to clear it up then loading up the ferts to get the plants going. I just can't help but feel I'm doing something wrong and I just can't see it. :?
 
Well, I'm not a fan of adding fish to solve algae problems, that's for sure. Having to lower CO2 is a no-no in my book...

Cheers,
 
No me neither really, but I can't think of anything cleverer.
It's an odd thing to balance, I'm using your guide for 20 gallons as my dosing for ei I use easy carbo and do water changes of 50%+ every week but I can't crack it. It is a new set up but I don't remember it ever being this slow even when I wasn't dosing on my first tank.
 
Well that's why I reckon you'd have to look at lowering the light intensity. That's the engine driving every thing else.

Cheers,
 
Hmm, I'll drop the lighting back down then. I won't change the dosing or the wc rate and in say 2-3 weeks I'll see a change for the better correct?
If there's no change then I up the dosing not the light
 
One problem after another! the mermaid weed I rescued has melted the middle section of that rotallas have all gone black on the stem and separated and the downoi and bolbitis have both done melty and disgusting since taking a tube out.
 
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