# CO2 on 24hrs a day??



## milalic (Aug 26, 2005)

Do you guys keep CO2 24hrs a day? I am getting a pressurized system with solenoid and I was thinking about connecting the solenoid to a timer and shut it off at night. Will this be harmful to fish/plants? What is your experience on this?


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## vishy_100 (Jul 1, 2005)

Just get a pH controller if your getting a solenoid nice and easy you can crank the co2 up without worrying about the pH crashing at night or whenever, I need mine as my bottle is outside and as temp. varies so does gas output/pressure,
Matt


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

The timer is cheaper and easier. The controller has a .2 swing (not much I know) but a timer that sets the CO2 to come on 1 hr before lights on and 1/2 hr after lights off works for myself and many others. ~ $90.00 for a controller or $8.00 for a timer.


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## TWood (Dec 9, 2004)

I let mine run 24/7 without any problems. One less mechanical device to break. The water reaches a stabilized saturation level and gasses off the rest to the atmosphere, so there isn't much pH swing.

TW


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## plantbrain (Jan 23, 2004)

I've always shut mine off at night.
The argument for pH stability is quite the myth.

We add CO2 for the plants, not the pH.
pH is merely used to measure one part of the CO2, which we add for the plants.

Plants do not use CO2 at night, so there is no good reason to add it at night.

The lowest O2 levels and the highest CO2 level will occur in the monring if you add CO2 24/7, not adding it at night will allow you to add more during the day when your plants can use it and provides less long term CO2 stress to fish.

Yes, folks use CO2 24/7 with good success also. But if the KH varies, pH probe issues with a controller system, then you get into trouble, it works if you keep up on those items though. I certainly would never call it safer though.................

I've not used one except for a few client tanks and they have had more issues than any of my own personal tanks with CO2. Eventually they scaped the controllers and have gone on the light timer.

Amano does the same thing.

Regards, 
Tom Barr


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I run my pressurized only with lights on. It is hook to the timer and comes on/goes off with the lights. 

I run my DIY 24/7. Just because I don't get enough saturation for it to drop the PH to low.


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## ranmasatome (Aug 5, 2005)

i run mine along with the lights only because if i leave it on 24/7 i would find dead shrimps in the morning.. and sometimes dead sensitive fishes.


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

Mine is on 24 hours a day. One day I will get a solenoid and put it on a timer, but for now I prefer the lazy method and just leave it on all the time.


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

I have both. One tank is on a solenoid controlled system, the other 3 are on 24/7. I don't see any difference in anything comparing the 3 and the 1. Actually the solenoid controlled system I find a little harder to drop to my desidred pH than the 24/7. I also have hard water, which means my pH's don't swing as much.


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## Jenner (Jul 8, 2005)

I've starting running a bubbler at night now. I lost 5 SAEs last week because I kept my DIY co2 setup running over night.


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## marinesci (Aug 31, 2005)

For what it's worth, I have run my CO2 24/7 on a pH controller for years and never had any problems with it. I use RO water buffered to 4dKH in the tank. pH at night never drops below the minimum set value (6.65).


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## JaySilverman (Jun 19, 2005)

I turn mine off at night. Once I left it on and found all my fish gasping for air at the top of the water.


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