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Water Properties - optimum CO2 levels
>
>Date: Tue, 4 Aug 1998 14:51:27 -0700 (MST)
>From: "Roger S. Miller" <rgrmill at rt66_com>
>Subject: Re: CO2 levels and nasty bugs
[snip]
>
>> I took the following samples:
>>
>> pH 7.4+
>> Carbonate Hardness 120ppm
>> Phosphates 1mg/l
>> Iron negligible
>
>> From an old
>> table that I found pH vs KH, I figure my CO2 level is around 8ppm - is
>> this correct?
>
>I can't see your table from here, but it sounds about right to me.
>> What do I have to do to be able to increase my CO2 levels?
>You probably don't need to increase your CO2 levels. 8 ppm is fine.
So, what I want to know is how the Dupla CO2 indicator works. At what ppm
is it supposed to turn green? Is something in my water inhibiting its'
function? Like I said, it has NEVER changed colour, which (according to
the instructions) means the CO2 concentration is less than 'optimal'.
>As I think you found out, lowering (or trying to lower) pH with a
>non-carbonate buffer doesn't permanently change your CO2 concentration.
>If you really feel that you need higher CO2, then tune your DIY CO2
>system to get a higher CO2 yield, or find a better way to get CO2
>dissolved in your water. You don't really describe in this post what
>you're using for a CO2 reactor. Lots' of folks get good performance by
>bubbling the CO2 into a powerhead.
I am currently using DIY CO2 through a powerhead. The CO2 bubbles out
nicely and gets blown around the tank. I have also previously used the
mid-sized Dupla reactor, that is connected to a powerhead which blows
water through a chamber of CO2. Both methods have the same result (ie. no
colour change).
> You also might be able to increase the
>CO2 concentration by reducing the loss of CO2 from your tank by reducing
>turbulence or removing aeration.
There is virtually no surface turbulence and I certainly have no source of
aeration.
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