Goin' pressurized tomorrow

[dan2x38]

Well tomorrow I am able to fill my CO2 bottle. Today tweaked my inline diffuser. Had to really work at positioning to make space for my filter & bottle in the cabinet's small compartment with a door.

Bit nervous setting it up especially since to much CO2 kills. Any suggestions from you pros would be appreciated.

It's a Milwaukee regulator, bubble counter, & needle valve. I also have CO2 airline. I'm using a DIY inline bio-ball diffuser on the output of my filter. The water passes through a spraybar about an inch under the water. The water flow out is  at about approx. 45d angle downwards.

Any tips or pit falls I should watch for? TANKz

[fischkopp]

Bit nervous setting it up especially since to much CO2 kills. Any suggestions from you pros would be appreciated.
...
Any tips or pit falls I should watch for? TANKz

Congrats! You wont regret it

Watch your fish: if they become calm and lazy then it is too much ...   

[dan2x38]

Congrats! You wont regret it

Watch your fish: if they become calm and lazy then it is too much ...   

Going for the standard to start - 1 bubble per/sec.

[charlie]

Dan , just make sure that the control vlave on the regulator is screwed all the way out( to the point where it`s loose) before you crack open the valve on the bottle.

[charlie]

Did you get the instructions on how to set up the regulator? I have found in the past the the Milwaukee tends to be more consistent when the the output pressure of the regulator is set to about 20-25 PSI, i think the manual suggest 10 PSI.

[BigDaddy]

Same thing with the needle valve; you must make sure the valve is completely open before you open the main bottle valve.  Otherwise you risk wrecking the regulator, the needle valve or both.

[Toss]

I set mine at around 40psi. I find it easier to set the bubble that way

[BigDaddy]

I actually find the milwaukee needle valve not precise enough to accurate adjust the bubble count.  I set it, and then I use the main regulator valve to get the bubble count exactly where I need it.

I run mine between 20 and 25 psi and am pushing around 5 bubbles a second

[zima]

If this is one of your bigger tanks in the living room we're talking about, crank the needle valve to more than 1 bubble/second for sure. Like BigDaddy, I run mine on about 5 bubbles/second on the 55 gallon. And make absolutely sure the control valve is open all the way out until it's loose. I know it's been said twice in the thread, but it is extremely important - I paid the price of a new regulator when I didn't open the control valve on the old one (the main membrane cannot withstand the sudden high pressure if it is even slightly closed).

There are things to watch out for when you introduce pressurised CO2. One is to make sure your KH is at least at 3 or even 4 degrees to avoid a drop in PH. If it is lower, baking soda goes in in small doses (a teaspoon per day).

A simple solution to monitor the CO2 level for me was to get the CO2 monitor (indicator). It tells you the level of CO2 in water with colours. MOPS has them for about $12.

[dan2x38]

Guys thanks very much. I got it filled. Waited for the gas to warm up then connected it just as you guys said all went well. I am using the solenoid connected to my lights timer. Count is at 1/sec and PSI @ 20. My diffuser is working perfectly almost totally dissolving the CO2. So far so good!

In a trade awhile ago I got a CO2 drop tester so it is in there to to give me a baseline. Tomorrow after a full day of dosing at lights out I will test pH/KH. Will also leave a cup of water sit out testing pH when taken out then again 24hrs later.

Thanks again guys anything else to watch for?

[BigDaddy]

Sluggish fish or fish gasping at the surface.

Otherwise, crank it.  On your big tank, I can pretty much guarantee 1 bubble per sec is not going to get you 25ppm of CO2

[charlie]

Sluggish fish or fish gasping at the surface.Otherwise, crank it.  On your big tank, I can pretty much guarantee 1 bubble per sec is not going to get you 25ppm of CO2

, this was once  deemed the "Chinese checker" by one of our renown planted tank hobbyist

[Toss]

HAHA That's so true and it works. I hope he reads this post

[fischkopp]

, this was once  deemed the "Chinese checker" by one of our renown planted tank hobbyist

Works like a charm as long as you do it every hour ...   

[zima]

Guys thanks very much. I got it filled. Waited for the gas to warm up then connected it just as you guys said all went well. I am using the solenoid connected to my lights timer. Count is at 1/sec and PSI @ 20. My diffuser is working perfectly almost totally dissolving the CO2. So far so good!

Wouldn't you want to turn on the solenoid a couple of hours before the lights go on to build up the the content of the gas in water? That's how I would do it anyway; in my experience, it takes a good couple of hours to build up the desired CO2 levels in larger tanks.

Also, not to threadjack, but are people worried at all about ph swings that would occur when you turn the solenoid on and off? I leave my CO2 running at night because I'm worried about ph changes in water...

[BigDaddy]

Yes I hook mine up to a second timer that turns on before lights on and turns off before lights off.

pH swings are not something to worry about.  In nature, the pH of blackwaters, clearwaters and whitewaters change by full points ever day.

[dan2x38]

Yes I hook mine up to a second timer that turns on before lights on and turns off before lights off.

How long before lights out to shut down? How long before lights on to turn on?

[BigDaddy]

I do 2 and 2.. but I'm also injecting a hell of a lot more per second than you are right now

[dan2x38]

Doing a 24hr. pH CO2 test. Since I tested pH also tested KH... wow it did not register. I have 2 kits used both same results. I have crushed corel I use in a breeder filter so I added a filter bag in my filter.

Seeing the KH off the chart scares me! In that tank it was always arounf 4. Why would the KH fall off like that?

[charlie]

Doing a 24hr. pH CO2 test. Since I tested pH also tested KH... wow it did not register. I have 2 kits used both same results. I have crushed corel I use in a breeder filter so I added a filter bag in my filter.

Seeing the KH off the chart scares me! In that tank it was always arounf 4. Why would the KH fall off like that?

You said the KH did not register, what did the PH register at?