# Nutrafin Co2



## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

I found if have the CO2 ladder straight up and down, you loose the CO2.

If you tilt it to one side a little, the bubbles will stick until they are dissolved or if there is an overflow, they will then be bumped to the next tier. 

Hope this is helpful to anyone frustrated by losing valuable CO2.


----------



## John S (Jan 18, 2005)

ya i know what u are saying but it sounds like your not getting to many bubbles of co2 couse if u where then all that does is they hit each other and one big bubble goes up and i think u lose more co2 that way the letting the single bubble work its way up the ladder and if u notice the bubble getting smaller all the way up ive tryed it the way u where saying and i found out that i get more co2 in the water having the ladder straight up and down


----------



## John N. (Dec 11, 2005)

Hi Jimbo, 

I'm trying to conceptualize what you're proposing. Correct me if I'm wrong, so tilting the ladder slightly will keep the bubble stationary on last rung of the track longer? 

But like John S. stated, wouldn't the bubbles bounce into in other, and create large bubble that works its way the the surface?

I can't see how the bubble will dissolve before the next bubble hits it. 

-John N.


----------



## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

*Nutrafin CO2*

Regardless of the size or the number of the bubbles, those suckers stay stuck until they dissolve. If they grow incredibly large - the extra will just get pushed to the next rung up the ladder.

I suppose it is pretty to see the tiny bubbles slowly float up the ladder, but they eventually get to the top; and then go - bye bye!

I want those suckers stuck down there until they are done doing what I want them to do - DISSOLVE!

Stay right put - and feed my plants!!!


----------



## BrianK (Feb 11, 2006)

How long have you been using the system? I used one for a little while. During the first couple of days, the bubbles would go all the way up like you said, but that was for a short period. After a couple days, the bubbles would dissolve fairly fast, so by the time each bubble got halfway up the ladder, it was very small and slowed down to a stop. I got around a bubble every seven seconds and once the system got in its groove, it didn't waste any CO2.

The system wasn't enough for me anyway so I moved to pressurized.


----------



## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

*Nutrafin CO2*

That sounds very nice.

Right now, I am trying to blast my tank with everything that is good for the plants!

By the way, have you heard anything negative about the Bio-wheel and plants and CO2?

I have 4-6 Mollies, Seachem Onyx Gravel and roughly 100 watts of light in the tank. Someone told me that the bio-wheel can gas out the CO2.

Do some people have the filter shut off at night time while the lights are timed to be shut off?

Suggestions are welcome.

I just always liked the Bio-wheel filter so much. Never would have thought it would have been bad. But then again, it seems like ALMOST EVERYTHING that you learn for a fish tank you have to UNLEARN for a plant aquarium tank.

What do you think?


----------



## neonfish3 (Feb 12, 2004)

Sorry
Yes, the bio-wheel is bad for a CO2 injected tank.
If it was possible I would turn the bio-wheel off at the daytime, not the night, but leave the filter running 24/7. I don't think you can do that.
But, you can disable the bio-wheel and leave the filter running all the time. It's not a good idea to turn off your filter for more than an hour or 2. I believe with out the water running through the filter the helpful bacteria will die.
It is a great filter, but it's for a fish only tank. I'ts kinda like a wet-dry filter they work awesome , but not nessarily for planted tanks


----------



## Jimbo205 (Feb 2, 2006)

*Nutrafin CO2*

I know that undergravel filters are horrible for planted aquariums.

Which filter is best for a planted aquarium?

Thank you for your suggestions. I will try them.


----------



## skrezyna (Apr 13, 2006)

hey guys,

i just put the Nutrafin natural plant system in my 12g nano but its not doing anything. Zilch. Natta.

I put the sugar, two packetys and luke warm water, put on the cap but its not producing any bubbles. :-x


----------



## youjin (Apr 1, 2006)

Hi skrezyna

This normally do not happen. It should start to bubble latest one day, else, it is really fast (a few hours). Check that there is no leak and that the outlet is placed at the bottom-most ladder. Make sure there is no break on the tubes. also, make sure that the cap is tighten really well.


----------



## erijnal (Apr 5, 2006)

to put it simply, larger bubble = smaller surface area per volume of co2. that means that even though you have a bigger bubble sitting around, less co2 is actually exposed to the water, and it's not efficiently dissolving at all

also, while the bubble is running through the ladder, it is continuously exposed to more water, which accounts for the "shrinking bubble" effect, whereas the rate of dissolving for a bigger, stationary bubble will be a function of the water circulation by the bubble.

bigger bubble = more co2 in the gaseous form = something your plants can't utilize

hope this clears that up


----------



## skrezyna (Apr 13, 2006)

andrew tan said:


> Hi skrezyna
> 
> This normally do not happen. It should start to bubble latest one day, else, it is really fast (a few hours). Check that there is no leak and that the outlet is placed at the bottom-most ladder. Make sure there is no break on the tubes. also, make sure that the cap is tighten really well.


Andrew,

I think I see bubbles sitting on various stairs on the ladder, this a better sign than nothing as it was before? They arent moving but they ate there... Its been plugged in for maybe a few hours for the first time..


----------



## PascM (Mar 1, 2006)

skrezyna said:


> Andrew,
> 
> I think I see bubbles sitting on various stairs on the ladder, this a better sign than nothing as it was before? They arent moving but they ate there... Its been plugged in for maybe a few hours for the first time..


bubbles should walk on the ladder try to turn the ladder a little so the bubbles should go all the way up but not too fast.


----------

