Is this gasping for air
Two days ago I started injecting CO2 using the Hagen natural plant system.
To avoid loss of CO2 I turned off the air driven under gravel filters. UGFs seem to be frowned upon for planted tanks anyway. The surface is still agitated by the Millennium 2000 hang on back type filter. This filter takes in air at the impeller and bubbles it across a grid before the filter pad which they call at wet/dry filter. Other than that no air has bubbled though this tank. The filter is set to low to further minimize surface agitation. This morning I looked at the fish before the lights turned on. The zebra danios and the golden clouds were all swimming about 1 inch from the water surface. They did not seem to be in distress as best as I could tell in dark. These fish do not normally stay at the surface during the day so this is different behavior. The clown loaches, SAEs and ottos were much deeper in the water and appeared normal. Is this gasping or some other sign of low oxygen? My PH has dropped from off the scale (I am using the test kit for my pool, Max is 8.0) to 8.0, so I believe the CO2 injection is working. I can see the bubbles get smaller as they travel though the diffuser, which also tells me the CO2 is dissolving in the water. I don't know actual levels. The Red Sea Plant Care Mini Lab test kit is about worthless. I tried to measure CO2 before injecting. The test indicated more than 20ppm. What is a good test kit For Kh, PH and CO2? The Red Sea kit does not measure PH and Kh like I thought it would but rather a single test which reads CO2 directly. If it worked witch it doesn't I do know the total alkalinity of my tap water is very high. I need to a lot of Muriatic acid to my pool at the start of each season. Muratic acid seems strong to add to the fish. So I haven't. Aquarium PH down does nothing however. |
Is this gasping for air
Two days ago I started injecting CO2 using the Hagen natural plant system.
To avoid loss of CO2 I turned off the air driven under gravel filters. Yikes! Make sure you monitor your water parameters. Check for ammonia and nitrite. You just killed off your biological filter. It might be okay, if you have another filter on the tank, and lots of healthy plants. Still...keep an eye on it. Is this gasping or some other sign of low oxygen? It might be. I noticed oxygen was low in my tank when I saw all the fish in the top half of the tank in the morning. They weren't actually at the surface, they weren't gasping...but it was unusual, that they were all in the top half of the tank. Putting in a powerhead fixed the problem. However, I would measure for ammonia and nitrite before assuming it's low oxygen. My PH has dropped from off the scale (I am using the test kit for my pool, Max is 8.0) to 8.0, so I believe the CO2 injection is working. I can see the bubbles get smaller as they travel though the diffuser, which also tells me the CO2 is dissolving in the water. I don't know actual levels. It would be good to know just how much CO2 is in the water. It is possible to have too much. What is a good test kit For Kh, PH and CO2? I use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. Judging from what has been posted here in the past, the Red Sea test kits are worse than useless. I don't buy them, even if they are the only ones in the store. If your water is very alkaline, look for a high-range or wide-range pH test kit. I think my wide-range pH test kit is by Tetra, and it works very well. Leigh http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/ |
Is this gasping for air
Leaving the UGF in the tank without circulation causes a void where
anaerobic (swamp gas) conditions can occur. Your fish are starting to suffer from Nitrite and ammonia that is slowly diffusing though the gravel. Gasping is a sign of stress that can be caused by lack of oxygen, chlorine, ammonia, nitrite, high or low pH, and disease. If you're not going to use the UGF, take it out. One of the reasons that plants don't due well with them is that the roots like to be covered with gravel. That empty void stops the roots from growing properly. "Scott Rogahn" wrote in message ... Two days ago I started injecting CO2 using the Hagen natural plant system. To avoid loss of CO2 I turned off the air driven under gravel filters. UGFs seem to be frowned upon for planted tanks anyway. The surface is still agitated by the Millennium 2000 hang on back type filter. This filter takes in air at the impeller and bubbles it across a grid before the filter pad which they call at wet/dry filter. Other than that no air has bubbled though this tank. The filter is set to low to further minimize surface agitation. This morning I looked at the fish before the lights turned on. The zebra danios and the golden clouds were all swimming about 1 inch from the water surface. They did not seem to be in distress as best as I could tell in dark. These fish do not normally stay at the surface during the day so this is different behavior. The clown loaches, SAEs and ottos were much deeper in the water and appeared normal. Is this gasping or some other sign of low oxygen? My PH has dropped from off the scale (I am using the test kit for my pool, Max is 8.0) to 8.0, so I believe the CO2 injection is working. I can see the bubbles get smaller as they travel though the diffuser, which also tells me the CO2 is dissolving in the water. I don't know actual levels. The Red Sea Plant Care Mini Lab test kit is about worthless. I tried to measure CO2 before injecting. The test indicated more than 20ppm. What is a good test kit For Kh, PH and CO2? The Red Sea kit does not measure PH and Kh like I thought it would but rather a single test which reads CO2 directly. If it worked witch it doesn't I do know the total alkalinity of my tap water is very high. I need to a lot of Muriatic acid to my pool at the start of each season. Muratic acid seems strong to add to the fish. So I haven't. Aquarium PH down does nothing however. |
Is this gasping for air
You can calculate your CO2 levels by measuring your KH and PH.
Look he http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm "LeighMo" wrote in message ... Two days ago I started injecting CO2 using the Hagen natural plant system. To avoid loss of CO2 I turned off the air driven under gravel filters. Yikes! Make sure you monitor your water parameters. Check for ammonia and nitrite. You just killed off your biological filter. It might be okay, if you have another filter on the tank, and lots of healthy plants. Still...keep an eye on it. Is this gasping or some other sign of low oxygen? It might be. I noticed oxygen was low in my tank when I saw all the fish in the top half of the tank in the morning. They weren't actually at the surface, they weren't gasping...but it was unusual, that they were all in the top half of the tank. Putting in a powerhead fixed the problem. However, I would measure for ammonia and nitrite before assuming it's low oxygen. My PH has dropped from off the scale (I am using the test kit for my pool, Max is 8.0) to 8.0, so I believe the CO2 injection is working. I can see the bubbles get smaller as they travel though the diffuser, which also tells me the CO2 is dissolving in the water. I don't know actual levels. It would be good to know just how much CO2 is in the water. It is possible to have too much. What is a good test kit For Kh, PH and CO2? I use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. Judging from what has been posted here in the past, the Red Sea test kits are worse than useless. I don't buy them, even if they are the only ones in the store. If your water is very alkaline, look for a high-range or wide-range pH test kit. I think my wide-range pH test kit is by Tetra, and it works very well. Leigh http://www.fortunecity.com/lavender/halloween/881/ |
Is this gasping for air
I turned the air pump back on. The gang value to the airstones does not
adjust well, they are either on or off. so I can't slow the air bubbles. Would a power head agitate the surface less than the air stone. If so would I need a power head for each riser? If I use one power head what stops water from being draw down the other riser rather than through the gravel? "rnj" wrote in message ... Leaving the UGF in the tank without circulation causes a void where anaerobic (swamp gas) conditions can occur. Your fish are starting to suffer from Nitrite and ammonia that is slowly diffusing though the gravel. Gasping is a sign of stress that can be caused by lack of oxygen, chlorine, ammonia, nitrite, high or low pH, and disease. If you're not going to use the UGF, take it out. One of the reasons that plants don't due well with them is that the roots like to be covered with gravel. That empty void stops the roots from growing properly. "Scott Rogahn" wrote in message ... Two days ago I started injecting CO2 using the Hagen natural plant system. To avoid loss of CO2 I turned off the air driven under gravel filters. UGFs seem to be frowned upon for planted tanks anyway. The surface is still agitated by the Millennium 2000 hang on back type filter. This filter takes in air at the impeller and bubbles it across a grid before the filter pad which they call at wet/dry filter. Other than that no air has bubbled though this tank. The filter is set to low to further minimize surface agitation. This morning I looked at the fish before the lights turned on. The zebra danios and the golden clouds were all swimming about 1 inch from the water surface. They did not seem to be in distress as best as I could tell in dark. These fish do not normally stay at the surface during the day so this is different behavior. The clown loaches, SAEs and ottos were much deeper in the water and appeared normal. Is this gasping or some other sign of low oxygen? My PH has dropped from off the scale (I am using the test kit for my pool, Max is 8.0) to 8.0, so I believe the CO2 injection is working. I can see the bubbles get smaller as they travel though the diffuser, which also tells me the CO2 is dissolving in the water. I don't know actual levels. The Red Sea Plant Care Mini Lab test kit is about worthless. I tried to measure CO2 before injecting. The test indicated more than 20ppm. What is a good test kit For Kh, PH and CO2? The Red Sea kit does not measure PH and Kh like I thought it would but rather a single test which reads CO2 directly. If it worked witch it doesn't I do know the total alkalinity of my tap water is very high. I need to a lot of Muriatic acid to my pool at the start of each season. Muratic acid seems strong to add to the fish. So I haven't. Aquarium PH down does nothing however. |
Is this gasping for air
I'd cap one uplift tube, buy a new gang valve and run the single tube with a
minimal air stream. Just enough to pull enough fresh water into the UGF to prevent anaerobic conditions. "Scott Rogahn" wrote in message ... I turned the air pump back on. The gang value to the airstones does not adjust well, they are either on or off. so I can't slow the air bubbles. Would a power head agitate the surface less than the air stone. If so would I need a power head for each riser? If I use one power head what stops water from being draw down the other riser rather than through the gravel? |
All times are GMT +1. The time now is 12:06 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
GardenBanter