Hey guys, I'm ecstatic with my DIY co2 setup. Right now I'm getting about
26ppm (up 7ppm from yesterday which was a day after I started). What are
considered harmful levels? If there are more plants in the tank, I'm
guessing logically that more C02 will be used up thus decreasing the ppm is
this right? I'm going to be getting a ton of plants hopefully in the next
few days so this might be a good thing to help use this C02. (I think it's
kinda being wasted on a few javas and an anubias nana )

If my c02 keeps pumping up to toxic levels how can I stop it without cutting
off the supply and guessing when to introduce it again?

Thanx for all you help!
Dave.

I don't know what levels it should be at, but the main thing that will
be affected is your fish not getting enough oxygen. If they look like
they need more o2, increase surface agitation by adding a bubbler or
something. Be more worried at night, when more co2 accumulates. I hear
some people run a bubbler at night to help it out a bit.

Dave M. Picklyk wrote:
Hey guys, I'm ecstatic with my DIY co2 setup. Right now I'm getting about
26ppm (up 7ppm from yesterday which was a day after I started). What are
considered harmful levels? If there are more plants in the tank, I'm
guessing logically that more C02 will be used up thus decreasing the ppm is
this right? I'm going to be getting a ton of plants hopefully in the next
few days so this might be a good thing to help use this C02. (I think it's
kinda being wasted on a few javas and an anubias nana )

If my c02 keeps pumping up to toxic levels how can I stop it without cutting
off the supply and guessing when to introduce it again?

Thanx for all you help!
Dave.

oxygen levels are completely independent from co2 levels. read up on partial
pressures sometime in a chemistry book for details. maybe google "partial
pressures..." i've seen lots of highschool science stuff on the web that is
pretty well written. i'm always amazed about the stuff they teach in hs now
that wasn't even known when i was in college...e.g. proton pumps...

co2 in a heavily planted tank will cause the oxygen to get to fully
saturated levels if the plants have all the proper nutrients to allow them
to produce the oxygen. the result will be the pearling that you hear about.
it will be evidenced in the extreme by a lot of bubbles (i.e. champagne
glass) coming up or in the more likely case by a lot of oxygen bubbles
clinging to the leaves of the plants.

co2 can be a problem if it gets into the mid to upper 40ppm. it's relatively
hard to do since at those concentrations it is given off more rapidly to the
atmosphere than if it is in the 20-30ppm. even at the 50ppm there could be a
saturated oxygen condition and still cause stress on the fish due to
elevated co2. that's how "unrelated" they are.

my recommendation is to feed NPK, traces and CO2 in balance with your
lighting and plant demands and don't worry unless your co2 gets to 40+ppm in
the morning. i doubt you'll get there without out extraordinary measures
with a diy system.

jtm

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Hey guys, I'm ecstatic with my DIY co2 setup. Right now I'm getting
about 26ppm (up 7ppm from yesterday which was a day after I started).
What are considered harmful levels?

What you have is a good level. Up to 35 ppm is safe, despite what you
see on CO2 tables.

If my c02 keeps pumping up to toxic levels how can I stop it without
cutting off the supply and guessing when to introduce it again?

Use a powerhead, or adjust the output of your filter, if you can.
Surface turbulence will dissipate excess CO2 very quickly.

And/or add lots of fast-growing plants! ;-)