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Re: DIY CO2 and asphyxiated fish




>Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 09:33:53 -0400
>From: "Dinyar Lalkaka" <lalkaka at concentric_net>
>Subject: DIY CO2 and asphyxiated fish
>
>The first concrete results of my DIY CO2 experiment were visible this
>morning: four dead Debauwi cats (Eutropiellus buffei). Their mouths were
>wide open in the piscine version of Munch's "The Scream." pH was down to
>5.5. The other fish in the tank were also obviously in distress. A costly
>experiment. I think that from now on I will leave the spray bar just above
>water level and let it create better aeration, even if that allows most of
>the CO2 to escape. Healthy plants are nice but healthy fish are nicer.
>
>Dinyar

Dinyar,

I don't know if by asphyxiated you meant the fish died from lack of 
O2.  That is not the case.  CO2 does not displace O2 in water as it does in 
air.  If anything, the O2 content should go up with additional CO2, because 
of additional photosynthesis by the plants.  Your fish died from the pH 
swing.  If your water was better buffered (higher KH), then you could pump 
in more CO2, and both fish and plants would be happy.  The key is to 
monitor your pH well initially until you know how much or how fast to 
inject CO2.

Hoa

______________________________________________________________
Hoa G. Nguyen
Freshwater Planted Aquarium:  http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/2637/