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Re: CO2 with undergravel filter?



>From: ROCKWELL at D0BNL3_FNAL.GOV
>Date: Wed, 2 Aug 1995 23:34:24 -0500 (CDT)
>Subject: C02 into undergravel filter?
>
>I'm thinking of adding DIY yeast CO2 to a 29 gallon tank.  The tank has an
>undergravel filter with a power head.  Has anybody tried sticking the CO2 hose
>into an undergravel filter in order to mix the CO2 into the tank water?  The
>tank has java fern and mexican oak leaf attached to drift wood; so no comments
>about undergravels being bad for plants :)  I guess my main concern is that 
>that white stuff that builds up at the end of the CO2 hose from yeast systems
>would be a problem in the undergravel.
>
>Thanks,
>Tom

Tom,

depending on your KH (buffering ability) you might find that putting CO2 into
the powerhead will cause a rapid pH drop - I did when I tried this in my 125
gal tank.  I had been just bubbling the CO2 into a Tetra Diffusion Chamber
and I went back to doing this.  I suggest you try either using a chamber (you
can just used an upturned cut-off soda-bottle-bottom) or an airstone to see
what effect on pH you get.  In my 25 gal tank without UGF, I just use this
method & I have to turn an airstone on overnight to avoid CO2 gettting too
high & pH too low overnight (& thats with a KH of 8!).

I never had a problem with white stuff on my CO2 hose though - are you leaving
a good 2-3" airspace at the top of your bottle to allow for foaming/frothing
of the mixture so that it doesn't get into your tank?  Also, I'm careful not
to shake it so much so that mixture does not go into the tank.

Joanne.