Yellow Drop Checker?

[bjorn]

Is it safe to assume a drop checker should be clear/strong Yellow when there are dangerous levels of CO2 for fish? Or can it occur at lime green too? I'm struggling to figure out if I have enough or not of CO2.

I did a 48 blackout the last 2 days where I had no Co2 at all (trying to get rid of some algae). My PH stabalized at pH6.86.. and now I'm trying to get it to around pH5.90 or so.. Thinking that a drop of 1.0 in PH means 30ppm?

But I can't see much difference on drop checker now and when the pH was 6.10.. My Dwarf Neon Rainbows are at surface, but they sometimes to hang about up there any way.. so hard to know if it's normal or not. No signs of my Cory's or Shrimps which is normal.

 

[gmartins]

Hi,

the colour of the DC is going to depend on the reference solution you use. If 4kh, then yes you'd know that you have > 30 ppm. It may be either 40 or 100 pmm though.

However, do remember that it's not only CO2 that leads to changes in pH. So you cannot rely on changes in pH on its own to estimate your CO2 concentration. And that is actually the primary reason why people use DC's with reference solutions.

Let me know if this covers your question

cheers,

GM

 

[bjorn]

It's a 4kh solution. Problem is that my pH and KH is lowered by the ADA Substrate. So I'm struggling with figured out if I have enough Co2 or now. The drop checker is lime-green-ish... The Rainbow fish I have are hanging about skimming the surface but no other fish seems to be doing anything out of the ordinary, like the Oto's, Cory's or the shrimps.

 

[gmartins]

hi,

if you're using a 4kh solution and your DC is lime green that you should be ok.

Your DC is independent of your tank so the substrate or anything else wont affect it its readings.

cheers,

GM

 

[bjorn]

hi,

if you're using a 4kh solution and your DC is lime green that you should be ok.

Your DC is independent of your tank so the substrate or anything else wont affect it its readings.

cheers,

GM

Well.. I've had issues with Rhizoclonium which it seems is either because of not enough CO2 or low nutrients. And because I'm doign EI dosing it should not be the nutrients. My dropchecker is kind of lime-green most of the time, from PH6.20 to PH5.95 which is a rather large difference in CO2..

 

[gmartins]

Hi,

You need to get you CO2 concentration as stable as possible during the light period. This is important. CO2 fluctuations can drive algae blooms.

Also important is water circulation. There is also a possibility that water circulation in the tank is not good so that the plants are not getting their nutrients even if these are added at correct concentrations.

you need to think these issues carefully and see what you can improve.

hope this helps.

GM