Nutrafin Co2 System - New to Planted Aquariums

houseofcards · 02-15-2005, 03:21 PM

Hi, New to the forum.

I know this system isn't the greatest, but it's my first entry into the world of co2 injection. I bought the system yesterday and have a few question for anyone familiar.

1.I started to get bubble production in about 7 hours after setting it up, but some of the bubbles aren't making it all the way through the diffuser and are popping half way up due to stuck bubbles. How does this affect the Co2 the tank is getting.

2. Do you stop this at nite or should it run 24/7?

3. If I used this system in combination with Flourish Excel would it make a difference in a 46g tank?

Thanks for any info.

JanS · 02-15-2005, 03:37 PM

Welcome to the board!

This system isn't such a bad thing (I like it better than DIY bottles), but you'd do better with 2 of them on a tank of that size.
It's not uncommon for it to burp the bubbles half way up at first, but if it keeps doing it for a few days it needs to be checked for correct positioning of the tube, or other obstructions in the way (my Oto's did it).

Running it at night is probably fine unless you have a very low KH. I don't know how you would stop it at night anyway.

trenac · 02-15-2005, 06:28 PM

One nutrafin system is good for a tank less than 20 gallons, one on a 46G tank is not going to get your tank where it needs to be in C02 saturation of 20-30ppm. It would be better to use the ladder only and hook up two DIY pop bottles to it.

When the ladder is new you will have bubbles popping off and getting stuck, once the ladder has a chance to build up a coating (1-2 days)the bubbles will slide right up. Just in case double check the plastic outlet piece to make sure it is in the proper position.

Running C02 24/7 is fine as long as your KH is at least 3 and your PH does not drop below 6.5. But I don't think that one nutrafin system will effect your KH/PH that much on a 46G tank.

Flourish Excel is just a carbon source and not the same as injecting C02, so using it or not is up to you.

Last but not least... Welcome to APC

houseofcards · 02-16-2005, 04:06 AM

Actually got up this morning to see bubbles going up ladder every 5 seconds

. There was some duckweed stuck at the last opening that was creating a monster bubble, once removed the bubbles are going through very smoothly.
It's that a good rate 1 bubble every 5 seconds for this system.

Also my filter return (eheim ecco) is under the water to minimize service aggation but it's very close to where the bubble breaks at the service, should I move something.

Thanks again!

trenac · 02-16-2005, 04:33 AM

That is good news, sometimes snails will crawl into the ladder and cause the bubble to go off coarse. I would say 5 bubbles per second is good for the Nutrafin system. You are going to need more C02 output for your 46G tank than one system can give you.

houseofcards · 02-16-2005, 06:04 AM

If I setup a diy system with bottles is there anyway to run
it through my filter. I have an Eheim Ecco Canister.

Urkevitz · 02-16-2005, 09:41 AM

I drilled a hole into the intake of my cannister, under the water line of course, and have my co2 go right into the filter. There is a chance of the filter getting air locked from the co2 but I have never had it happen to me.

MTechnik · 02-18-2005, 08:42 AM

Also, I put a bell atop the CO2 ladder. The bubbles run up the ladder, go up the arch at the top and there 'escape' to an inverted piece of plastic that holds it, hoping to get the CO2 more face-time with the water. After a while, I think (haven't seen it happen) the CO2 still overflows into the tank and away, but more time in the tank is more time in the tank. The plants in my tank love it.

The thing about the nutrafin systems is that at the end of the cycle they make your room smell like *UGH* and when you clean them out to re-pack, wow, better hope anyone else in that end of the house is GONE and that you have good ventilation. I was lucky my wife was knocked out by a cold. So she was both asleep and couldn't smell.

-MT

JanS · 02-18-2005, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MTechnik

The thing about the nutrafin systems is that at the end of the cycle they make your room smell like *UGH* and when you clean them out to re-pack, wow, better hope anyone else in that end of the house is GONE and that you have good ventilation. I was lucky my wife was knocked out by a cold. So she was both asleep and couldn't smell.
-MT

Boy, you aren't kidding about the smell. I almost can't think of a worse smell out there. That was one of the reasons I switched everything to pressurized (it sounded like a good excuse to me...

). I took them outside and wore a charcoal mask, and they still reeked.

Paul Higashikawa · 02-18-2005, 09:57 AM

Gosh, is it really that bad or maybe you guys just have a hyper sense of smell?! I guess I am either used to it or my olfactory glands are malfunctioned;P

All in all, I think this is a nice lil system, a semi-DIY, if you are not into building your own stuff. Recently, at City Pets I also saw another very similar product by another company. So I can only assume maybe the Nutrafin one is doing pretty ok to have spurred another competitor? And by similar, I mean they are just identical; only thing that's different was their packaging:P

Paul