# Co2 And Diatoms'



## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

Allright I've had this issue in the past, diatom outbreak then through some research and interest in plants leading to a co2 injected system; the plants "out competed" the diatoms and they died off and went away. A double positive is co2 I've read aids in killing off diatoms as well. First off my Co2 concentration needs to improve, at the moment I'm about 1.5-2 bubbles a second but my dumbass has my spray bar from my canister right above my bubble wand. O2 bubbles going right in front of the spray bar and breaking surface, probably losing a ton of Co2. Let me back up, my Co2 is run into my intake for my canister, using this to difuse as I had before. Now obviously I'm pulling my aerator/wand out of that area but dont really have another asthetically pleasing area I want to see bubbles so my question is with the plants I have, moderately stocked (see my sig), and 3 HOB filters as well, 1 being a bio wheel adgitating the surface; will this be sufficient for O2 in my tank? Prior when I had no aerator I had a carpet of sagitaria and enough anacharis for a jungle constantly pearling so i had no issue removing my aerator however I have quite a bit less plants right now so I'm not convinced about pulling my aerator, especially being I just stocked 5 2" caribes this week.


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## pygocentrus da 3rd (Jun 19, 2007)

jestergraphics said:


> Allright I've had this issue in the past, diatom outbreak then through some research and interest in plants leading to a co2 injected system; the plants "out competed" the diatoms and they died off and went away. A double positive is co2 I've read aids in killing off diatoms as well. First off my Co2 concentration needs to improve, at the moment I'm about 1.5-2 bubbles a second but my dumbass has my spray bar from my canister right above my bubble wand. O2 bubbles going right in front of the spray bar and breaking surface, probably losing a ton of Co2. Let me back up, my Co2 is run into my intake for my canister, using this to difuse as I had before. Now obviously I'm pulling my aerator/wand out of that area but dont really have another asthetically pleasing area I want to see bubbles so my question is with the plants I have, moderately stocked (see my sig), and 3 HOB filters as well, 1 being a bio wheel adgitating the surface; will this be sufficient for O2 in my tank? Prior when I had no aerator I had a carpet of sagitaria and enough anacharis for a jungle constantly pearling so i had no issue removing my aerator however I have quite a bit less plants right now so I'm not convinced about pulling my aerator, especially being I just stocked 5 2" caribes this week.


i think you will have enough surface agitation and gas exchange for your tank if thats what your asking? sometimes cannabinoids affect my reading haha


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

I may just let the aerator go for the night and pull it this weekend when I can watch the tank for the majority of the day to watch the P's reaction.


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## TRIG (Jun 1, 2011)

jestergraphics said:


> I may just let the aerator go for the night and pull it this weekend when I can watch the tank for the majority of the day to watch the P's reaction.


If you are injecting co2 then you don't want to add aeration to the tank. Your plants will provide oxygen. You should get a lot more plants though, if you have a high tech setup and don't start out with a lot of plants from the start, you gonna run into problems, mainly algae. If you want you can aerate the tank at night time when the photoperiod is done but otherwise the oxygen you are putting in the tank is pretty much cancelling out that co2.


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## jestergraphics (May 29, 2007)

TRIG said:


> I may just let the aerator go for the night and pull it this weekend when I can watch the tank for the majority of the day to watch the P's reaction.


If you are injecting co2 then you don't want to add aeration to the tank. Your plants will provide oxygen. You should get a lot more plants though, if you have a high tech setup and don't start out with a lot of plants from the start, you gonna run into problems, mainly algae. If you want you can aerate the tank at night time when the photoperiod is done but otherwise the oxygen you are putting in the tank is pretty much cancelling out that co2.
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The plants that are in there are whats going to be for life, I'll be spreading/ puposely bushing some out but no more additions, not interested in a cluster f*ck again like I had with sagitaria and anacharis.....looked good but non stop pruning. As far as the set up I'm running 1.3wtspg for about 14hrs a day, the second set of lights kicks on bringing it to 2.6wtspg for 8hrs at mid day; pretty much the same schedule I did before. I guess you could say its "high tech" but I'm not maxing out the "tech" so the plants I have will be fine and prosper. It was clearly my own fault for putting my wand by the canister spray bar, that was just stupid. So yes in that area A LOT of Co2 was brought instantly to the surface you can see the bubble wall in the right side of my sig. HOWEVER if I were to put that wand on the otherside that water would be plenty saturated, yes too much adgitation is counter productive but its not "cancelling" out the co2, doesn't work like that both gases will co-exist just fine, there is only so much of each to be contained in said volume however. My main question was revolving around there being enough adgitation from HOBs to maintain o2....I was brainfarting for a minute. There should be though with 3,1 being a bio wheel, then yes compounded with the plants I do have releasing durring the prime photo period. My issue with diatoms I'm attributing to my error in sending my co2 NOWHERE due to my placement of the bubble wand, my light is good, nitrates and other adding trace elements are plenty but the 3rd part of the general equation was missisng thus the plants were barely surviving allthough I did see some new sprouts but they weren't able to use everything I through at them because of the part of the equation I was missing......but diatoms could!







Hate them damn things, I should have them starved off here before too long though.


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