Hi all,

I would like to think I have an OK plant tank. I have read articles,
watched videos and monitor the parameters of my tank closely, but I am still
yet to see pearling on a regular basis.

I understand that it is where the plants continue producing o2 after the
saturation point of the water is reached, but I am yet to see it on a
regular basis. The only time i really see it is just after a water change.
I turn my filter off for the water change and keep the CO2 (pressurised)
running. Any hints or tips for me?

I have a 200 liter tank (sorry don't know gallons but it's a 2'x2'x2' cube),
150watt metal hallide 5200K, ph hovers between 7.4 and 6.8 (lower at night
after co2 injection), I use dupla plant and dupla plant 24, KH 2-3 degrees
and GH 3 degrees, Fe between 0.5 to 1.0 (I haven't tested in a while but I
am dosing as I used to when I had the test to keep it at this level)

There is healthy plant growth in the stem plants and others including the
Madagascan Lace Plant... but still no bubbles...

The tank has been running for 7mths with only one major re-landscape, which
was to position plants based on light requirements as I just guessed when I
first planted....

As of tomorrow I will be starting to use the Seachem range do you think this
will help?

Any hints would be appreciated.

Thanks all.

Justin.

A pH of 7.4 with a KH of 2-3 represents very little CO2 content during
the day. What you want is the 6.8 pH during the night, during the day.

How are you regulating the CO2?

What is the pH of the water being used for water changes?

Nikki

Justin wrote:
Hi all,

I would like to think I have an OK plant tank. I have read articles,
watched videos and monitor the parameters of my tank closely, but I am still
yet to see pearling on a regular basis.

I understand that it is where the plants continue producing o2 after the
saturation point of the water is reached, but I am yet to see it on a
regular basis. The only time i really see it is just after a water change.
I turn my filter off for the water change and keep the CO2 (pressurised)
running. Any hints or tips for me?

I have a 200 liter tank (sorry don't know gallons but it's a 2'x2'x2' cube),
150watt metal hallide 5200K, ph hovers between 7.4 and 6.8 (lower at night
after co2 injection), I use dupla plant and dupla plant 24, KH 2-3 degrees
and GH 3 degrees, Fe between 0.5 to 1.0 (I haven't tested in a while but I
am dosing as I used to when I had the test to keep it at this level)

There is healthy plant growth in the stem plants and others including the
Madagascan Lace Plant... but still no bubbles...

The tank has been running for 7mths with only one major re-landscape, which
was to position plants based on light requirements as I just guessed when I
first planted....

As of tomorrow I will be starting to use the Seachem range do you think this
will help?

Any hints would be appreciated.

Thanks all.

Justin.

Hi Nikki,

Thanks for the response. At the moment, I just keep an eye on my CO2
permanent test. If it's dark green then it says it's ok. I watch my KH and
have only recently learnt the trick of adjusting the KH in the water I am
adding to my tank. I must confess, I don't actually check the PH of the
water I am putting in, I test the PH of the tank after I have added the
water and it is normally sitting at netural.

I am looking at buying a PH controller for my tank to turn the CO2 off and
on. I looked at the Dupla, but that's AU$650, so I am trying to hunt down a
LFS here in Oz that sells Red Sea. Have you heard of them? If so are they
good?


"Nikki Casali" wrote in message
...
A pH of 7.4 with a KH of 2-3 represents very little CO2 content during the
day. What you want is the 6.8 pH during the night, during the day.

How are you regulating the CO2?

What is the pH of the water being used for water changes?

Nikki

Justin wrote:
Hi all,

I would like to think I have an OK plant tank. I have read articles,
watched videos and monitor the parameters of my tank closely, but I am
still yet to see pearling on a regular basis.

I understand that it is where the plants continue producing o2 after the
saturation point of the water is reached, but I am yet to see it on a
regular basis. The only time i really see it is just after a water
change. I turn my filter off for the water change and keep the CO2
(pressurised) running. Any hints or tips for me?

I have a 200 liter tank (sorry don't know gallons but it's a 2'x2'x2'
cube), 150watt metal hallide 5200K, ph hovers between 7.4 and 6.8 (lower
at night after co2 injection), I use dupla plant and dupla plant 24, KH
2-3 degrees and GH 3 degrees, Fe between 0.5 to 1.0 (I haven't tested in
a while but I am dosing as I used to when I had the test to keep it at
this level)

There is healthy plant growth in the stem plants and others including the
Madagascan Lace Plant... but still no bubbles...

The tank has been running for 7mths with only one major re-landscape,
which was to position plants based on light requirements as I just
guessed when I first planted....

As of tomorrow I will be starting to use the Seachem range do you think
this will help?

Any hints would be appreciated.

Thanks all.

Justin.

Justin wrote:
Hi Nikki,

Thanks for the response. At the moment, I just keep an eye on my CO2
permanent test. If it's dark green then it says it's ok.

I used to use a Hanna pH checker in combination with the chart in
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm to obtain CO2
levels. I do have a cheap pH test kit which is accurate to 0.5 pH, which
is rubbish really with this sort of application.

I watch my KH and
have only recently learnt the trick of adjusting the KH in the water I am
adding to my tank.

Why do you need to adjust KH?

I must confess, I don't actually check the PH of the
water I am putting in, I test the PH of the tank after I have added the
water and it is normally sitting at netural.

It sounds like you just need keep your water at that pH throughout the
day. I used to get a spurt of extra pearling with water changes. I don't
now as I keep the pH at optimum using a pH controller; I get that extra
pearling all the time.

I'd be interested to see a controller that displays real-time CO2
content. The only value that would need inputting is the KH.


I am looking at buying a PH controller for my tank to turn the CO2 off and
on. I looked at the Dupla, but that's AU$650, so I am trying to hunt down a
LFS here in Oz that sells Red Sea. Have you heard of them? If so are they
good?


I haven't heard of Red Sea pH controllers in the UK. I have an Aqua
Medic. It was time consuming monitoring manually before the controller
as I tend to be paranoid about these things. Like looking after a baby!
The luxury of it is worth the cost. The investment is paying dividends
in terms of free time.

Nikki

pH controllers seem to be a waste of money for added complexity. Just
measure your pH with a cheap kit-the accuracy doesn't matter that
much-it's the change in ph before and after adding CO2 that matters!

You cannot intelligently use pressurized CO2 without knowing your KH
level and your pH change.

I also echo Nikki's question-what is the reason for changing KH? Also
her recommendation: read Chuck Gadd's excellent page on CO2 at
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

wrote in message
ups.com...
pH controllers seem to be a waste of money for added complexity.



apparently you have never used one. They do not add extra complexity. They
make things 1000% percent easier and you know what your ph and co2 levels
are on a constant basis. Without the controller your ph will fluctuate as
will your co2 concentrations. Trying to get the bubble count "just right"
without a controller is much more complex and time consuming.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/200302152...qs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

"Margolis" wrote in message
...
wrote in message
ups.com...
pH controllers seem to be a waste of money for added complexity.



apparently you have never used one. They do not add extra complexity.
They
make things 1000% percent easier and you know what your ph and co2 levels
are on a constant basis. Without the controller your ph will fluctuate as
will your co2 concentrations. Trying to get the bubble count "just right"
without a controller is much more complex and time consuming.

I can vouch for this:

My pH has risen to 7.4 today, after being 6.9 two days ago, and it came from
7.8 to start with two weeks ago, and will doubtless be less than 7.4 in the
morning when I measure again - the cause of these fluctuations? DIY CO2. I
am almost gob-smacked at how quickly it rises if your bottles start running
down - this is why a counter (at least) is necessary IMO.

I hope nobody in my tank is suffering osmotic shock - I did see a red gill
or two this evening and my ammonia is 0 ;(

Oz

--
My Aquatic web Blog is at http://members.optusnet.com.au/ivan.smith

Thank you for the numerous responses people!! You are all really really
helpful and I appreciate it.

Why do I measure my KH... I read on a persons site that had about 4 tanks
how they set them up and maintain them (plant tanks of course) that they
actually measure the KH (+GH) of the water before adding it to the tank and
they know exactly how much KH+ powder to put in every water change. They do
a 100lt water change once a week and they always put in the same amout of
KH+ powder to maintain a stable PH... Is this wrong?

I have since gone back to the stone age CO2 (no offence anyone) my regulator
and solenoid broke when I was trying to tighten it (I had a gas leak, 800gms
of gas was lasting 6 weeks, not 6 months and I got a head spin when I went
into my enclosed cabinet...) so I am now on DIY, which you really have
absolutely no control over!!!

I will take Nikki's advise and get a PH controler... I am opting in for the
Red Sea controler (availible in Australia in July, it will take that long to
save after buying a new car anyways) I did have a look at the Aqua Medic
controler Nikki recommended, but that is only for PH and not availible to us
Ozzy's. The Red Sea controler is for multiple sensors, the base model comes
with LCD display, sensor bank with PH and temperature probes and 1 power
controller unit which controls up to 4 power plugs. It can be programed for
moonlight etc. There is also optional software to download data stored on
the unit into your PC. I have cable heating and that is currently
controlled by a dupla T-control delta, so I will replace that with the Red
Sea controller and have an all in one solution...

wrote in message
ups.com...
pH controllers seem to be a waste of money for added complexity. Just
measure your pH with a cheap kit-the accuracy doesn't matter that
much-it's the change in ph before and after adding CO2 that matters!

You cannot intelligently use pressurized CO2 without knowing your KH
level and your pH change.

I also echo Nikki's question-what is the reason for changing KH? Also
her recommendation: read Chuck Gadd's excellent page on CO2 at
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

How will you "control" your C02 level with a jug of yeast? Isn't it
going to produce X amount a day? Won't the controller only allow you
to know how much you've got, but very precisely?

thanks,
steve

steve wrote:
Won't the controller only allow you
to know how much you've got, but very precisely?

A controller will control - hence the name - the amount of CO2 dissolved
very precisely, usually within 0.1 pH, depending on hysteresis.

Nikki

"Nikki Casali" wrote in message
...


A controller will control - hence the name - the amount of CO2 dissolved
very precisely, usually within 0.1 pH, depending on hysteresis.




a controller will do that with a tank of pressurized co2, but I don't see a
practical use for a controller with diy co2. Somebody might figure out a
way though.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/200302152...qs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

Margolis wrote:
"Nikki Casali" wrote in message
...


A controller will control - hence the name - the amount of CO2 dissolved
very precisely, usually within 0.1 pH, depending on hysteresis.





a controller will do that with a tank of pressurized co2, but I don't see a
practical use for a controller with diy co2. Somebody might figure out a
way though.


I think you would need a movable diaphragm where CO2 can collect whilst
the solenoid is closed. A balloon would do! Otherwise it's down to a
pressure release valve to ease the yeast bottle pressure. Yes, that
would be needed to prevent the diaphragm from rupturing anyway - pop!

Nikki