Skip wrote:
Hello all,

Just set up a pressurised co2 system with a home made reator (PVC
tube filled with bio balls and a small airstone on the inside)that
feeds into the sump. The tank is a 75 gal overflow tank that was a
failed salt water tank. Soon to be failed planted tank as well.
Tank was doing great in the begining, plants growing. then the
plants started to die and clog the overflow. Figured time to invest in
co2. Since i had the co2 tank left over from a beer keg system, and it
was still full I used it.
I am using a small garden fountain pump in the sump to pump clean
water to the reactor where the co2 and bio balls break up and help
disolve the co2. from the reactor back to the sump where the co2
enriched water should be pumped back into the tank. Problem is the ph
in the tank has not changed since day one. the co2 test kit registers
nothing. so i take the return hose coming from the reactor and place it
directly on the intake of the sump pump. it took 3 bubbles per second,
the little fountain pump on its highest setting and my tank filled with
thousands of tiny bubbles for the ph to finally lower from its regular
7.6 to its now 7.2.
The millions of bubbles were driving me crazy so I moved the
return hose next to, instead of on top of the sump pump. so far bubbles
are gone, co2 tests are in the green zone. that is only after an hour
or so. No idea what it will look like tomorrow. I have a digital cam
and can take pics. Just would really like to know how everyone else
with an esablished planted aquaria, and a pressureised co2 system set
it up.
I failed at a reef tank and dont want to fail at this. please
help. any tips and tricks to a planted tank would be great
PS I also have substrate fertiliser and I use liquid fertiliser with
every water change, (20 gal. per week on 75 gal tank)

Thanks,
Steve the Newbie


For your best interest I suggest heading over to Plantgeek.net and
reading those forums. It sounds like you're on the right track, and
you'll need to fine tune your C02 and fertilizers to make it work the
best. I'm not sure how much of each fert component your liquid has,
and because of that I went with the dry chems from Greg Watson. Using
Chuck Gadd's fert caculator I tailored my dosing regime to fit my tank
parameters. It worked! I'm algae free for well over a month now.

pics and journal in link.
http://aquaria.info/members/ervis/
steve