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311 Posts
So,
I've been wanting to get more flow in the tank to get water (e.g., CO2 and nutrients) moving around more throughout the tank, so I bought a couple of these:
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from the Doctor.
Pro:
They ROCK! Very "volumous" flow without the "power" of a power head (blasting everything in site) - I'm moving LOTS of water around in the tank - I have one in each corner alternately switching on-and-off every 15 minutes... I even think the fish like it better. One aspect that I love is that (even though they're 4" under the water) I'm getting more ripples across the top of the water - which really, really enhances the sunlight-effect of my metal halides.
Con:
Within a day of putting them in, my pH (CO2) went from 6.7 to 7.2 (@ ~5dkh), so one of the following has happened:
1) the added agitation on the surface is rapidly degassing my CO2, or
2) there was less CO2 in the water than I thought there was... and with better and more random currents in the tank I had less CO2 in the tank than I thought I did (which is unlikely, because the meter never "swayed" during cleanings when the flows changed quite a bit).
So - I had to turn up my CO2 even more - from uncountable bubbles to almost blasting through the bubble counter. I did this last night and now CO2 is at 6.9... still not quite where I want it.
I know I'm rambling a little-bit here (I use a 2"x18" PVC reactor, 3" to 3/4" reducers were hard to find) - but what are other large tank owners experiences on getting the CO2 IN the tank, and once in, keeping it there???
Thanks,
- Jeff
I've been wanting to get more flow in the tank to get water (e.g., CO2 and nutrients) moving around more throughout the tank, so I bought a couple of these:
from the Doctor.
Pro:
They ROCK! Very "volumous" flow without the "power" of a power head (blasting everything in site) - I'm moving LOTS of water around in the tank - I have one in each corner alternately switching on-and-off every 15 minutes... I even think the fish like it better. One aspect that I love is that (even though they're 4" under the water) I'm getting more ripples across the top of the water - which really, really enhances the sunlight-effect of my metal halides.
Con:
Within a day of putting them in, my pH (CO2) went from 6.7 to 7.2 (@ ~5dkh), so one of the following has happened:
1) the added agitation on the surface is rapidly degassing my CO2, or
2) there was less CO2 in the water than I thought there was... and with better and more random currents in the tank I had less CO2 in the tank than I thought I did (which is unlikely, because the meter never "swayed" during cleanings when the flows changed quite a bit).
So - I had to turn up my CO2 even more - from uncountable bubbles to almost blasting through the bubble counter. I did this last night and now CO2 is at 6.9... still not quite where I want it.
I know I'm rambling a little-bit here (I use a 2"x18" PVC reactor, 3" to 3/4" reducers were hard to find) - but what are other large tank owners experiences on getting the CO2 IN the tank, and once in, keeping it there???
Thanks,
- Jeff
... and the thread's been split at least once because of it's size (I believe it's now well over 1000 posts (due to performance issues)). I'm sure someone has figured it out - I just need to find it... but I want to keep enough ripple to get the "sunlight" effect 
