# Complete co2 systems for 75gal



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

I have a fully planted 75gal with 2wpg of light I been dosing flourish excel like it says to on the bottle but after 2days my ph goes way up even though I'm following the directions. So I figured I should get some sort of c02 injection but I'm not sure which one to buy I saw somw reasonably priced ones on big als made by red sea is this any good which co2 units are good and not to expensive. Also I was wanted to know what peoples experiances are with the diy set-ups any tips would be great in helping decide what I want to do.

click here standard

click here deluxe


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Wow, I didn't know they made regulators to fit paintball CO2 cylanders.. pretty far out









DIY is good if you stay on top of it, don't have too much light, (which you don't) and notice if your reactor dies back from producing CO2 in a reasonable time frame.
But with a 75g, DIY IMO is not a reasonable solution, because you would need like 4 2l bottles going at all times.
That little setup looks decent! But I don't know anyone who has used it, I only know ppl that use Milwaukee and JBJ for full sized CO2 cylanders.


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok, What do you use on your tanks. I was also thinking of diy pressurized I figured I could buy all the parts and put it together but not sure what I want to do. I definitally need to do some thing cause know that my plants are starting to grow in I am having ph flucuations cause the plants keep sucking up all the c02.


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

nswhite said:


> Ok, What do you use on your tanks. I was also thinking of diy pressurized I figured I could buy all the parts and put it together but not sure what I want to do. I definitally need to do some thing cause know that my plants are starting to grow in I am having ph flucuations cause the plants keep sucking up all the c02.


I have the Milwaukee CO2 regulator/pH controller combo. I have no complaints.

DIY is good, you just have to be on top of it, making sure that it is working, which is hit n miss. If you have high light, DIY is out, because it won't keep up with your plants demand for it.


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Well I went ahead and purchased the Dr. Foster and Smith CLICK HERE TO SEE I will get a 5 lbs co2 bottle and should be good to go. Is ther anything else I may need?


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

nswhite said:


> Well I went ahead and purchased the Dr. Foster and Smith CLICK HERE TO SEE I will get a 5 lbs co2 bottle and should be good to go. Is ther anything else I may need?


A check valve so water doesn't back siphon into your regulator. Maybe a glass diffuser, or a CO2 reactor.. I run mine through my canister filter though..


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

> A check valve so water doesn't back siphon into your regulator. Maybe a glass diffuser, or a CO2 reactor.. I run mine through my canister filter though..


Well The system I bought from dr. foster and smiths includes: CO2 Pressure Regulator with solenoid, Grasslin Timer, CO2 Glass Diffuser, Bubble Counter with built-in check valve, 20 feet of Silicone Tubing. So I think I'm Good. Also this morning I orderd a 5lbs new aluminum Co2 Cylinder from aquariumplants.com shipped for $59 dollars. I wanted a 10lbs but would be to big to fit under my stand. I also looked around locally for it but the cheapest I could find used was $80 bucks so I got a good deal so all and all I spent $198 for the whole set-up thats pretty good.


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

A check valve so water doesn't back siphon into your regulator. Maybe a glass diffuser, or a CO2 reactor.. I run mine through my canister filter though..
[/quote]

Well The system I bought from dr. foster and smiths includes: CO2 Pressure Regulator with solenoid, Grasslin Timer, CO2 Glass Diffuser, Bubble Counter with built-in check valve, 20 feet of Silicone Tubing. So I think I'm Good. Also this morning I orderd a 5lbs new aluminum Co2 Cylinder from aquariumplants.com shipped for $59 dollars. I wanted a 10lbs but would be to big to fit under my stand. I also looked around locally for it but the cheapest I could find used was $80 bucks so I got a good deal so all and all I spent $198 for the whole set-up thats pretty good.
[/quote]









Make sure you have the regulator turn off with the lights. Bubble rate depends on how many gallons, and how much light you have.


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

> Make sure you have the regulator turn off with the lights. Bubble rate depends on how many gallons, and how much light you have.


Ok I will make sure the regulator turns off with the lights, And about the bubble rate I have 75gal with 2wpg of light the tank is almost fully planted but I have had the plants in the tank for about 2 months know and they are really growing good but need to get the co2 under control. Also I meet some local people that are part of a colorado aquarium society and they gave me lots of plants including Bacopa australis, Cryptocoryne wendtii, Potamogeton gayii, Hygrophilia sp. Ceylon and a few other I cant remember the names right know. But I'm going to attend their monthly meeting hopefully I learn something. But the tank is filling in very nice. Once I get the co2 injection set-up I think I will have the tank looking like yours in no time. Well that is the goal. The green water problem I was having is all cleared up know also thanks to your tip on telling me to get a UV sterilizer do you think I should run the UV sterilizer all the time our only when I'm having green water problems? I figured I would just let it run all the time and just replace the bulb as needed. Well thanks again dippy for your help. I will get some new pics up soon so everybody can see what you and I slowlly have put together.


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Wow, sounds like you will be doing very well for yourself in this hobby! Cool! -Getting together with other hobbyists is an excellent resource for anyone interested.
I can't tell you how much help the Pgh club has been for me.

About the U/V, some would argue that it is absolutely fine, and some argue that it neutralizes micro nutrients. 
I, personally, have no clue. I run mine when I have a problem only though.


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok, So I think I will do the same with the U/V just use it when needed. Also what does Pgh stand for I know the P is for Pittsburgh, (does that make you a steelers fan?) I ask because the club I found is an aquarium club I was looking for a aquatic plant specific club.

Also This is off the topic but I have GW fertz and I know to refridgerate the 250ml bottles once they have been mixed up but was wondering if the powder will start to mold just beeing at room temp in a tuperware container? Also should I refridgerate all the mixes or just csm+b thats the only one that I say was molding. Does pota. nitrate and pota. phosphate mold if left out in its mixed with water form. Thanks Dippy


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Ya the Pgh is for Pittsburgh. It is an aquarium plant specific club, called PAPAS (Pittsburgh Area Planted Aquarium Society)

The Greg Watson mix doesn't have to be stored in the fridge, but I keep them there too for some reason.. The dry powder does best sitting in a cool, dry, dark place. So I have mine in a closet in the brown paper bag that it came in. It's doing fine.
I'm not sure about mold on any mixes of those chems, but I only mix enough for a week or 2 at a time because they tend to rock up at times. I find that, especially potassium sulfate likes to go back to a solid form if I make too much of it at one time.


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

I want to try and find a club like the one you go to.

And about the ferts what I'm seeing is with the csm+b I mixed up 250ml and a couple weeks later their were white chunks floating on the bottom I thought it was mold so I dumped it out a made a new batch. So the"rocking up" must be what I'm seeing then. Is it ok to still use it if its "rocked up" or should I do like I did and just dump it out?


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

It is absolutely fine to use it if there are chunks in there.. I sometimes drop the chunks in if I'm feeling lazy about making another batch lol..


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok thats good to know. I just got all my co2 injection stuff yesterday. I tryed a place that said over the phone they would fill the co2 bottle but when I went there they said they couldn't fill a botle that big (5lbs). So today I'm going to get the bottle filled and hook up the regulator, bubble counter and glass diffuser. I have a high pH right know cause no co2 so I'm going to gradually introduce the co2 start out with like 1 bubble a second and see where that puts my pH at and then increase as needed from there.

I'm also going to order some Iron from GW I think the tank looks like it could use some extra Iron. How much Iron do you usually dose at a time and how many times a week, Just so I can get an Idea of what I may need to do. Thanks again Dippy


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

I wouldn't have put so much light on the tank without CO2.

Now that you are getting the CO2, I would gradually raise it (1ce every half hour or so) until the leaves start to pearl. And I would do it in one day.
I have 3wpg of power compact bulbs with reflectors, and I dose 20ml Fl. iron every other day. I have lots of stem plants that grow fast, don't forget.


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Well I was dosing flourish excel but I couldn't keep enough in their. So thats when I decided to get the co2 injection. But the glass duffuser that was sent to me from dR.fosterandsmiths was broke so the co2 isn't duffusing right its coming out of the side of the duffuser instead of the top. I ordered a better duffuser but it won't be here untill tuesday. I should probably get an iron test kit.


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok, Know I have had the co2 injection hooked up I got the pH down to 7.4 but once the lights go out and the co2 turns off the pH starts to rise it went from 7.4 last night to about 8.0 this morning before the lights and co2 where turned on. Why is this I always thought that the co2 increased at night. But maybe I should run the co2 longer than the lights or it may be because my duffuser is broke and its not duffussing right. I have no idea any help please.


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

nswhite said:


> Ok, Know I have had the co2 injection hooked up I got the pH down to 7.4 but once the lights go out and the co2 turns off the pH starts to rise it went from 7.4 last night to about 8.0 this morning before the lights and co2 where turned on. Why is this I always thought that the co2 increased at night. But maybe I should run the co2 longer than the lights or it may be because my duffuser is broke and its not duffussing right. I have no idea any help please.


What is your KH? Your KH should be at least 3. Your pH will be more stable that way. That fluxuation is normal, and shouldn't hurt anything. 
CO2 levels went down because your regulator was off during the night. -Normal. 
Check this chart, and there you can find what your CO2 level is.. you should, depending on how bright your light is, have between 20-40ppm CO2.

(20 being lower light, 40 being higher light)


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

Ok thanks. The KH is 9 so I need to turn it up a little. I didn't want to turn it up anymore cause I dont have the new duffuser. But when that gets here I think it will help. Is my KH high?


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

nswhite said:


> Ok thanks. The KH is 9 so I need to turn it up a little. I didn't want to turn it up anymore cause I dont have the new duffuser. But when that gets here I think it will help. Is my KH high?


Your KH is high if you were trying to grow sensitive plants. If you stick with hearty ones, you should be perfectly fine.
Were you able to read the chart ok?


----------



## nswhite (Mar 23, 2005)

No the chart didn't come up but I have another chart whcih one were you trying to show me does it show KH 9. Cause the one I have dosen't it goes from 8 to 10. But my KH used to be lower 6 to 7 but since the addition of some black rocks and the canister filter something made it go up, All the plants I have right know are all doing good the co2 injection has made an incredible deferance just in a few days. I also got my new duffuser hooked it up so today when I get home from work I will check my co2 level to see where its at. I think it will be about perfect.


----------



## DiPpY eGgS (Mar 6, 2005)

Here is that chart for ya.. sorry it took a while..


----------

