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CO2 Reactor idea, DIY CO2 Recipe suggestions, Potassium dosing, carbon and planted aqauria



rod wrote:

1) I'm using a DIY yeast system and what I want to know is; How many
bubbles
per second should I target for a 80 gallon tank fairly heavily planted.
I
know that bubble size is variable but I'm just looking for a target to
reach.

I reply:

You should use enough bubbles to make the pH drop at least .6 maybe 1
1/2 bubbles per second. Since you have no output control with yeast CO2
it is kind of a moot point anyway.

Rod:

    1a) With an 80 gallon tank should I be using 2' 2 litre bottles?

Wayne:

It can work but I woudln't.

Rod:

    1b) This is the recipe I have been using for 1 2 litre bottle.
            2000mls (8.5 cups) Water
            1000mls (4.2cups) Sugar
                 20mls (4tsp.)  bakers yeast
                 20mls (4tsp.) baking soda

Wayne:

I have never had a recipe like this work very well. Too much sugar, too
much trouble wrong kind of yeast. For the way I think it should be done
see my last months post at
http://www.actwin.com/fish/aquatic-plants/month.200202/msg01077.html

Rod:

            Should this be okay for one bottle? Would two bottles
combined
be enough for 80 gallon?
            Changing the second (older bottle) every two weeks?
      1c) I just bought this cheapo Tetra check valve today because
twice
(yes I'm a bozo) when I
            have been changing the bottle I just walked away only to
come
back and find a few gallons
            of aquarium water siphoned onto the floor. Is this valve
okay to
be using? Yes when I get more$$$

Wayne:

Use a check valve. It helps to even out the bubble rate as well.

Rod:

2) I just bought a Fluval 404. I did not insert the carbon packs becuase
I'm
worried about it filtering all the plant nutrients out. Is this
something I
should be concerened with. If so what can I use instead of carbon that
will
not take out my plant nutrients.

Wayne:

I use nothing. Just a sponge over the intake. I don't have high fish
loads though.

Rod:

3) Flourish Potassium - How often should I be adding this? It seems
there is
no way to test these levels. Is there great danger of overdosing?

Wayne:

That stuff is too expensive IMO. Visit Chuck Gadd's page and learn about
a cheaper way.

Rod:

4)  Now here is my last question? I have been reading all this stuff
about
reactors and stuff for Co2. I was injecting it into my Magnum 350 but
now I
have stopped using that and I'm using the Fluval 404 (I really hope the
Fluval works better than the Magnum 350 as I wasn't overly happy with
it. Is
it?)

    I had this idea tonight which may or may not be a great idea but so
far
I'm thinking it would work. I wanted to ask some if you on this list
what
you think.

    I'm thinking that hey I have a few of those bio-max ceramic pellets
left
over from the new Fluval Media Pack. I decided tonight I was going to
inject
the CO2 into the uplift tube from my UGF to the power head and then this
idea dawned on me.

    If I used those uplift tube connectors (small sleeve to connect two
tubes together) and I cut a small section of tube say 4"-5" and used two
connecters, one at the bottom and one at the top of this 4" tube. Then I
silicone (epoxy) a small plastic grate into the top connector and the
bottom
connector. Could I not fill this 4"-5" tube with those biomax ceramic
rings
and then reconnect them to the uplift tube and replace the power head at
the
top. Then continue to inject the CO2 at the bottom of the uplift tube.
The
bubble(s) would have to travel (with the water) through this short 4"
column
of biomax ceramic rings before they reached the impeller in the power
head.

Wayne:

Just the impellor alone makes a pretty darn good difuser. The trick is
to use rigid fermenting bottles so they don't get sucked flat by your
water pump. I don't think it is necessary to go to a lot of trouble to
make a difuser. However, for all your plumbing needs I advise a trip to
the sprinkler section of Home Depot. They have every thing you could
possibly need.

Personally I use something like an 802 powerhead. I inject the CO2
before the impellor. I split the water flow from the power head and run
it outside my tank through 1" PVC to opposite ends of the tank. To come
back inside the tank I reduce to 1/2" CPVC and direct the return water
to the farthest corners of the tank. I don't glue any connections inside
the tank. I rarely see any sign of undisolved CO2. Cannister filters are
much the same thing. Buy the time the water gets back into the tank the
CO2 is disolved. Just be very very careful you do not set up a situation
where during a power failure the pump chamber becomes pressurized with
CO2. The pump might not reprime by itself and you will ruin your
impellor. It is actually kind of tricky. It is best to always keep the
impellor above the pump outlet in the tank or provide a small vent in
the line just below the water surface. I have screwed myself a couple of
times by not paying attention to this.

Rod:

    Would this not be a fairly functional and workable way to help
diffuse
the Co2 into the water? Any ideas? Suggestions on how I could improve
this
idea? Any ideas as to why it wouldn't work?

Wayne:

I think your difuser needs more volume. I think it is better to have
difusers outside the tank. I would be inclined to skip it altogether. If
you don't see undisolved bubbles shooting out of your filter output then
everything is fine. I don't like to see a whole lot of equipment in the
tank as it detracts from a nice looking tank.

















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