Hi all,

Thanks for all the feedbacks. They are very informative. After, my
tank was empty, I went to a second shop and trade in my other tank. I
screwed in every threads very tight this time with teflon tapes. I
hope that it will last me at least a month this time.

Any how, my current problem is with the reactor. As stated in my first
posting, I am using the modified gravel-vac reactor with the powerhead
to pump the water into the gravel-vac. What I find trouble some is
that I tuned my flowmeter in such a way that it will output a 10-15
fine bubble per seconds. However with this setting, the bubbles
eventually doesn't come out. Hence, it is very hard for me to control
the CO2 concentration. I have to occasionally come and increase the
bubble rate a few times every day.

Yesterday, I turned bubbles rate a bit higher, thinking that the
bubble rate will slow down by the night time.
Any how, a stragic event had occured in my tank during the night. The
pH I tested this morning was 6.0 or below; and I believe that it had
shoot up my CO2 concentration to at least above 24ppm. I have to sadly
reported that all of my buddies, 8 cichlids, 6 octos, and 1 plecos
have passed away over the course of the night. As for fishes, I will
wait and make sure that this won't happens again before I acquire
anymore.

As for my diy reactor, I do not have any bio balls just a sponges
covering the open end of the gravel-vac. As I am typing this my bubble
coming out of my wooden airstone has again disappear. I wonder whether
this is cause by the water pressure coming into the gravel-vac or
whether the CO2 is actually dissolve so efficent that I am not suppose
to see any.


Any comments on this would be great.

Thanks,

Joe