Using a PH Controller/Timer for Co2 at night?

[gittarheero]

This is my first post! I tried searching for the answer but was a little overwhelmed and for some reason the search function wasn't recognizing "CO2" as a valid search.

So here goes! I have a 75 gallon tank with 260 watts compact fluorescents on top. It is well planted and I have been using Flourish Excel but plan to change to CO2. After I am done moving plants around and things have grown out enough, I will add discus!

Here's my situation, I plan on going with the GLA CO2 kit, with PH controller (is this advisable?), with Solenoid (not even sure what that does Ha!), bubble counter, diffuser, etc. I know that the plants (or fish for that matter) don't need CO2 at night, but will the PH swing be too much for the discus if I turn it off? If I keep it on, will it harm them while it keeps the PH down? Should I use peat/better substrate/driftwood/etc to get the PH lower so that the CO2 doesn't have to work so hard to keep it down?

I appreciate any advice, please bear with me as I am trying to learn how to make the best environment for my future Discus!

[Fraise]

personally i leave my PH controller on all the time because i like the idea of keeping my PH fluctuations to within 0.2 though i'm haven't tried shutting it off completely at night. i dont think that it would make much of a difference since my co2 usually shuts off at night already from the controller.

ps. do you have the coralife freshwater light?

[gittarheero]

Thanks for the response. I think I will be leaving it on too. I'd like to get my PH lower before adding CO2, so that I can use as little CO2 as possible at night. I don't want to gas the fish! But after I do that, I think I'll leave it on just to keep the exact PH dialed in.

Yes, I'm using the Coralife Freshwater 4x65 light strip. Why, is there an issue with using that fixture? I know there are probably better or worse options, but I haven't had any issues with fan noise or broken parts. And the plants seem to be liking it.

[jerzguy]

You plugin the Solenoid to a power outlet and if you turn off the power outlet then your co2 will shut off. Here what happening in my tank. My ph is 6.7. In the morning my timer turns on the lights and the CO2 and in the evening my ph lowers to say 6.3. Then my timer shut off the lights and co2 and turns on the air pump and my ph is back up to 6.7 in the morning. I do not see any stress in the fish. From what I read the ph shift caused by adding co2 is not going to affect the fish. Experts here will give you more information regarding this.

[JRunyon21]

Here what happening in my tank. My ph is 6.7. In the morning my timer turns on the lights and the CO2 and in the evening my ph lowers to say 6.3. Then my timer shut off the lights and co2 and turns on the air pump and my ph is back up to 6.7 in the morning. I do not see any stress in the fish. From what I read the ph shift caused by adding co2 is not going to affect the fish. Experts here will give you more information regarding this.

Calling all Experts.

Is this way of adding CO2 ok?

I was looking to add CO2 so my tank has around 15ppm(CO2) and was wondering if I could leave out the pH controller and solenoid valve?

Thanks in advance

[Fraise]

Thanks for the response. I think I will be leaving it on too. I'd like to get my PH lower before adding CO2, so that I can use as little CO2 as possible at night. I don't want to gas the fish! But after I do that, I think I'll leave it on just to keep the exact PH dialed in.

Yes, I'm using the Coralife Freshwater 4x65 light strip. Why, is there an issue with using that fixture? I know there are probably better or worse options, but I haven't had any issues with fan noise or broken parts. And the plants seem to be liking it.

I think the coralife fixtures are great. i have 2 of them on my 120g and one on my qt tank as well. they're pricey but the output and colour rendition is great.

Why do you want to lower you5r PH before adding Co2? the best way to set it up is to measure your KH and calculate your desired PH based on your desired co2 concentration. my tap water is approximately 4.5dkh and i have my ph controler set to 6.9 center value with a .2 differential.

[gittarheero]

I think the coralife fixtures are great. i have 2 of them on my 120g and one on my qt tank as well. they're pricey but the output and colour rendition is great.

Why do you want to lower you5r PH before adding Co2? the best way to set it up is to measure your KH and calculate your desired PH based on your desired co2 concentration. my tap water is approximately 4.5dkh and i have my ph controler set to 6.9 center value with a .2 differential.

Got it, thanks for telling me that. I found http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm and this helped so much! Just need to measure my KH!

[Larry Bugg]

Personally I don't care much for PH controllers. Think they are a waste of money. As someone mentioned earlier it is said that the decrease or increase in Ph due to Co2 is a non issue. I have three tanks running pressurized Co2 on a solenoid and timer. The Co2 shuts off at night with the lights and the PH rises about a full point. Then when the lights come on in the morning and the PH rises again. NEVER been a issue with any of my fish.

[exv152]

Here's my situation, I plan on going with the GLA CO2 kit, with PH controller (is this advisable?), with Solenoid (not even sure what that does Ha!), bubble counter, diffuser, etc. I know that the plants (or fish for that matter) don't need CO2 at night, but will the PH swing be too much for the discus if I turn it off? If I keep it on, will it harm them while it keeps the PH down? Should I use peat/better substrate/driftwood/etc to get the PH lower so that the CO2 doesn't have to work so hard to keep it down?

I appreciate any advice, please bear with me as I am trying to learn how to make the best environment for my future Discus!

I have to agree with Fraise, why do you want to reduce the pH before adding CO2? The best thing to do is work with the water you're given, and if the pH coming out of your tap is relatively neutral, then there's really no need to soften it anymore. PH anywhere in the 6-7 range is fine for plants or discus, and for most aquarium fish for that matter, but Iv'e heard of discus living in much harder, and much softer water than that with no ill effects. Keep in mind though, when you're keeping your pH very acidic the KH gets depleted much faster in a planted tank, just something to keep an eye on. PH meter is a good way to keep an eye on it, and one with an alarm is even better.

[gittarheero]

Got it, I won't fuss with the PH. Out of the tap it's 7.2-7.4, but I am adding ADA soil and some driftwood that might lower it. Either way, I will use this calculator http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm to find out how much CO2 I need and at what PH to set the controller. I just need to measure my KH! I think I'll test to see how much the PH swings if I turn the CO2 off at night, and if it's a large amount then I might leave it on. 15 ppm is a good target for CO2?

Thanks for all the advice!

[gittarheero]

I tried to reply but it's requiring a moderator to approve? Maybe because I tried to put a link in it.

Got it, I won't fuss with the PH. It's about 7.2-7.4 out of the tap, but that's before I'm adding the ADA soil. Thanks for telling me to measure the KH, I found a calculator online that will help me find the right PH to set the controller to get the right CO2 dosage.

Thanks again for all the advice!

[zamboniMan]

I have all might lights on a timer. The only Co2 (one tank) turns on/off with the lights.

[underwaterforest]

I've played with a few different techniques and found when I left the co2 on all night the fish would look very distressed in the morning, and I lost a few to this. The theory behind this is as the plants go into their dark cycle they start to use oxygen (dark reactions) and therefore since you are adding co2 this can lead to a o2 deficit for the fish. The solution that I use is just running the co2 during the day and then running an air stone at night. If pH worries are a big problem for you, especially with very soft water you could run the co2 all the time and run an air pump at night to keep the fish healthy and full of o2. I only run the co2 during the day because it helps me conserve on co2 gas and the fish don't seem to mind. Just my .02.

Alex

[theblondskeleton]

You'll hear a lot of varying opinions on this, and basically it comes down to personal preference. I wouldn't get a regulator without a solenoid. Whether you go with the controller or not, you'll be much happier automating some portion of the process, otherwise, you'll be shutting it off every night by hand, and spending a few minutes each morning adjusting your needle valve when you open it up again. It can be done, but is very tedious and - what if you forget to turn it off?

pH swings of 1 point daily can be stressful on fish long term, so I like to keep my controller on all the time. I can constantly monitor the pH, so that if any of the fish are acting strangely I can rule out a sudden pH shift by simply checking the monitor. Also, I will have less trouble with BBA with more stable CO2. Set and forget. It gives me more time to enjoy the tank.

[gittarheero]

Thanks for all of the input. It makes sense that adding CO2 at night has no purpose except to stabilize PH, and can actually be harmful. I'll have to see how much my PH swings, and if the fish mind.

Does the PH controller remember what it was set at after the timer turns it off and then on again?

[jerzguy]

Thanks for all of the input. It makes sense that adding CO2 at night has no purpose except to stabilize PH, and can actually be harmful. I'll have to see how much my PH swings, and if the fish mind.

Does the PH controller remember what it was set at after the timer turns it off and then on again?

If you set the PH controller @ say 6.5 then when the ph goes below 6.5 it will shut off the solenoid. When it raises back to 6.5 it will turn back on. Its very simple.

[gittarheero]

If you set the PH controller @ say 6.5 then when the ph goes below 6.5 it will shut off the solenoid. When it raises back to 6.5 it will turn back on. Its very simple.

I get that, but I will be turning off the controller/solenoid/CO2 at night, so I want to know that when the timer turns back on in the morning the controller will remember what PH it was set at.

[Fraise]

I can't speak for all c02 controllers but the pinpoint will remember the setting as it is set with little pots on the front

[gittarheero]

I looked at a photo of the Milwaukee controller I'm getting and it looks like it has a knob on the front to set the PH, so I think I'm all set!

[theblondskeleton]

That's correct. It's a manual analog dial to set the set point on the Milwaukee as well. It also has a power button so you can shut it off during water changes. I have my CO2 injected via reactor so if I forget to shut it off, the CO2 fills the reactor and the filter hose - big gas pocket very bad for filter, haha!