It's a bad idea to play around with c02 and discus.
Hi guys,
Pls help. I recently add co2 to my 60 gallon planted discus tank. As I started , my two adult discus (not Hans) went to die. I stopped co2 , changed water then start again, around 2 bpm and this time I reduced diffuser reactor to lowest option. Co2 Indicator did not show any co2 level at all, it's blue , so I don't know why discus did so bad?? Was that related with diffuser?
It's a bad idea to play around with c02 and discus.
When I started my setup I was only doing 1 bubble per sec. Then over about 3 to 4 weeks I increased it to 2bps with no issues at all. Are you sure all equipment was working properly? No leaks?
DiscusLoverJeff
Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.
Confucius
Fixed it for you.
Injecting Co2 lowers pH. If you lower pH too quickly is can strip the slime coat off the fish, and this will kill a discus very quickly. You can also suffocate the fish if you inject too much Co2. Color changing "drop checkers" are all but useless in my opinion.
If you are going to inject Co2 you need to do it right. You need to determine your KH and insure it is stable, then you need to inject Co2 with a a pH controller and target the proper pH for your water's KH and you need to make the adjustments in pH through Co2 injection over weeks, not a single day.
Last edited by rbarn; 05-10-2013 at 09:12 AM.
800hp Mustang, V-tail Bonanza, Fly Fishing, Golf, Discus
Got too many damn hobbies. .............
Thx for quick response guys. I have mc122 too but one of the guy in LFS suggested me to connect co2 to light timer instead of PH reader. He said if there is any problem with that, at least it's 8 hours not 24/7 which PH reader will be on. I'm completely confused. He said, I don't need co2 be on all day so I can save while it's gonna be too dangerous when I use PH reader because co2 will work till PH adjust at the point that I want, but instead , I can use timer and just goes onanistic off with my lights. Last night I reduced diffuser to minimum and everything went fine for 2 hours. I don't really know relations between bubble counter and diffuser! I'm trying to search but I couldn't find out yet. I have Red Sea co2 pro with solenoid and diffuser reactor.
Thx for quick response guys. I have mc122 too but one of the guy in LFS suggested me to connect co2 to light timer instead of PH reader. He said if there is any problem with that, at least it's 8 hours not 24/7 which PH reader will be on. I'm completely confused. He said, I don't need co2 be on all day so I can save while it's gonna be too dangerous when I use PH reader because co2 will work till PH adjust at the point that I want, but instead , I can use timer and just goes onanistic off with my lights. Last night I reduced diffuser to minimum and everything went fine for 2 hours. I don't really know relations between bubble counter and diffuser! I'm trying to search but I couldn't find out yet. I have Red Sea co2 pro with solenoid and diffuser reactor.
You are being fed lots of bad information.
KH + Co2 = pH.
A controller will turn the Co2 on and off to maintain a certain pH level. It does not run 24/7. It comes on only when it needs to be on.
If you have fluctuating Co2 levels by just putting it on a timer with the lights then you will have fluctuating pH, and fish hate this.
You set the ph level you want to maintain by testing for your water's KH, then setting the proper pH for the proper Co2 concentration
Try this forum for information
http://www.barrreport.com/forumdispl...CO2-Enrichment
800hp Mustang, V-tail Bonanza, Fly Fishing, Golf, Discus
Got too many damn hobbies. .............
As several here have said the only way to correctly run Co2 is with a controller and a PH probe. I personally use Apex controllers. Here is a link: http://www.neptunesystems.com/produc...x-controllers/
Running Co2 isn't cheap but your plants will love it and your fish will benefit of having a very stable PH.
Last edited by -gb-; 05-10-2013 at 03:29 PM.
- don't eat my fish
There are really couple of schools of thought on how to control Co2.
Some very smart and informed people like Tom Barr will tell you to dial in Co2 diffusion rate with a pH meter, but not to worry about trying to "control" it exactly. And he will turn it off at night and the tank will go through pH swings from 8.0 at night to 6.8 during the day with Co2 on.
Others like myself prefer to control the pH with constant Co2 injection and everything is run by controller.
I think the 1st method works well in tanks where the plants are the main focus and the fish are more of an add-on. When dealing with ultra sensitive fish like Discus it is my opinion that pH should be stabilized as much as possible, and Co2 concentrations kept on the weaker side of what the plants would prefer, but allows the fish to breathe easier.
800hp Mustang, V-tail Bonanza, Fly Fishing, Golf, Discus
Got too many damn hobbies. .............
interesting and informative thread so far
Its me "Prabhu" I am just a little angry these days
Yes, very good advice here.
This is why it is not recommended to use pressurized CO2 in a discus tank, unless and until the user is both very well familiar with keeping discus, as well as operating a CO2 system with the right equipment to properly control water conditions, particularly pH.
@rbarn, tnx a lot the chart is so helpful and you are right about unstable PH but if I set my ph controller, how do I know about amount of co2 that pump in the tank? I don't know if I can explain. For example, Los Angeles tap PH is around 7.8 to 7.9. , my concern is co2 so if I set PH to 7.4 it could pump more co2 to set PH at that level, am I right? If yes, it could be dangerous for fish. Right now, I set needle valve around 1.4 bpm. After 90 minutes, discus look fine to me.i changed reactor to simple glass diffuser and there is no problem yet. I will do your suggestion because I already have controller.i just want to make sure what PH I have to set on conroller? 7.4? Or 7.6? Which one is better for fish and plants?? So confusing. I checked another aquarium store today and the owner simply said , he has no idea....lol.
i use ph controller set at 6.8-6.9 (KH is 6 with new WC and around 4 a week later) and i also have solenoid regulator on timer to turn on with light on and off with light off. when co2 is off, ph is around 7.1-7.2
this is a pretty stable ph swing that i can run this way right?
my priority is discus but without co2 in my size tank, plants would suffer greatly.
there is a balance point one can use for both plants and discus.
my question is even tho ph is stable, can co2 overdose occur with ph controller? (and also with co2 off at night w/ timer)
Under what scenario can this occur?