# bubbles



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

I just planted my 55 gal. tank this week and put in a DIY co2. all the tinny tiny bubbles are all around the top of my tank and around the plants that tuch the surface. shudn't they pop or dissipate or some thing? what does this bildup of bubbles mean?


----------



## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> I just planted my 55 gal. tank this week and put in a DIY co2.


How are you feeding the CO2 into your tank? Reactor, diffuser, injected into filter...?

IMO, a buildup of bubbles on the surface is not CO2, something else may be going on.

I know the CO2 tank is new. Is this a newly set up tank?


----------



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

the tank is new . the co2 gos in throught a stone in the botam of tank, may not be the best thing to get the co2 in to the water :? but the all plants collor improved, can see the bubles coming from the stone have watched them flot around, have a filter that hangs on the back of the tank also for water move ment.


----------



## Satirica (Feb 13, 2005)

If you watch the bubbles coming from the stone closely you will see that they get smaller as the rise. They probably will not completely dissolve.

Rena ceramic bubblers are okay for CO2 distribution -- not great but okay. I used the longest one (6"?) in a 55G for a year without problems. Foster and Smith sells some fine pored ceramic stones that put out finer bubbles, but they may require more pressure than youy DIY delivers -- never used DIY so I don't know.


----------



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

did a 25% water chang yesterday,bubbles arn't hanging around as long, some of the bubbles coming out of the stone are biger and i can realy see how they shrink as they go up. neat.ph went from 7.2 to 6.8 so it's working . this is all a lot of fun>


----------



## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

yellowfox said:


> did a 25% water chang yesterday,bubbles arn't hanging around as long, some of the bubbles coming out of the stone are biger and i can realy see how they shrink as they go up. neat.ph went from 7.2 to 6.8 so it's working . this is all a lot of fun>


I hope you realize that this is a deadly serious hobby! None of us is permitted to have fun. We must instead, wrinkle our brows, snarl a few times at the algae and have bad dreams about it. Now, go back to your aquarium and refrain from smiling, please


----------



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

ha ha he he


----------



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

my nitrite spiced to day . whats the danger lvl for plants?


----------



## redstrat (Apr 3, 2006)

are the bubbles just sitting on the surface of the water??? if so then they are probably not popping because 2 reasons, they are probably pretty small, and there is probably a thin layer of surface film (undissolved organics, usually wastes). Its not a problem unless its really thick and nasty, in which case you can aim your spraybar higher if you have one or add a surface skimmer to your filter. Sounds like its not that bad so I wouldn't worry about it unless it bothers you, its probably helping by some small ammount to help keep the co2 in the tank. 


I wouldn't worry to much about a nitrate spike unless its huge like more than 30ppm. Even then its not a danger to the plants, its more of a concern for the fish if you have any.


----------



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

My nitrite lvl spiked to day, ammonia droped some. tank is still cycling, Whats the danger lvl for plants ?


----------



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

oops Thanks


----------



## redstrat (Apr 3, 2006)

sorry I just realized you said nitrIte not nitrate... regardless this is normal in a new cycling tank, its not really much to be concerned about still unless it gets out of controll... to avoid it in the future, try adding live stock slower, a couple fish a week or even wait untill after cycling is over, even then take it slow, I know its tough to resist adding fish but patients is key. Good luck!!


----------



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

I dont have any live stock in the tank just plants and a few tiny snails (3 that i can see)that came in on the plants. Im wating for it to stabilize befor i get my fish. nitrate spiked today did a 25% water change. but plants are looking beter every day.


----------



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

My java fern is having some problems. from the tip of the leaves it gets lighter and then starts to become transparent.I think its lacking or getting to much of some thing. but what? my tank has 2 -15w and 2 -25 w lights and it gets some sun.I have some of the small snails that came on the plants are they bad for the plants ? why don't people want them in the tank? I keep getting a film on the top of the water also. have some brown agley but not much. and I get some things that look like gray dust balls? they dont stick to anything.:-k


----------



## $eaba$$ (Dec 6, 2006)

*sorry to hikack, but one quick question yellowfox.*

I just finished my DIY co2 and put it in the water. After how long did your's start producing co2?


----------



## epicfish (Sep 11, 2006)

40 minutes with warm yeast/sugar water.


----------



## $eaba$$ (Dec 6, 2006)

*Hmm.*

Mines been in there for around 1 hr, and nothing so far. Is that ok? I put in 2 cups sugar, 1/4 teaspoon active dry yeast, they look like mini pellets right? and around 3 cups water. It was around 90 degrees, the water, or maybe a little under. Did I do something wrong?


----------



## yellowfox (Nov 14, 2006)

i just used cold tap water and 1/2 tsp yeast. i think it took about 4 hours for it to bild up pressure. lasted about 2 and 1/2 weeks.


----------



## Sammie7 (Oct 3, 2006)

yellowfox said:


> *My java fern is having some problems. from the tip of the leaves it gets lighter and then starts to become transparent.I think its lacking or getting to much of some thing. but what? * * my tank has 2 -15w and 2 -25 w lights and it gets some sun.I have some of the small snails that came on the plants are they bad for the plants ? why don't people want them in the tank?* I keep getting a film on the top of the water also. have some brown agley but not much. and I get some things that look like gray dust balls? they dont stick to anything.:-k


That is just the way java fern is sometimes when its growing try looking it up. It usually isn't a deficiency just the way it is. Some snails can overpopulate really fast and become a nusaince if you don't like the look of them; though, they should limit their population if you don't overfeed. Another concern is if they eat plants. Most don't and it's only some that do, I believe its a species of apple snail (briggs pomacea), but I could be wrong. They also poop a lot and it is visible all over the substrate if you have a lot of them.


----------

