# check valve



## Luke (Mar 30, 2004)

i have recently set up a co2 system, co2 bottle/with a small glass diffuser in the aquarium....there is a bubble counter attached right at the co2 bottle....the co2 is set to turn on/off with the lights by a timer....i placed one of those *hagen* check valves in the line....but after the first night, in the morning the bubble counter was filled and the hose was full of water......it was working during the day....but the check valve didnt do its job in the night.......is this not the right kind of valve........what kind of valve would work......and does it matter where in the line the valve is placed(middle, or close to one or the other end)


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## Sir_BlackhOle (Jan 25, 2004)

I know that the tetra check valves usually work good. I have seen them right above the aquarium, and also under water just above the diffuser.


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## Pigheaddd (Feb 27, 2004)

yeap... tetra check valve works ok. i place cv near bubble counter. its between my glass diffusers and b counter. i turn on my co2 24 hr/day. im using manifold. used to use timer, but after it turn off. i had same problem as you. one of my tank's water flow back even i have cv. i think it may cause by different pressure. 

Tim


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## Luke (Mar 30, 2004)

i looked at it again....it *is* actually the tetra tec....for some reason i thought it was hagen.....i had it at the top of the aquarium with the diffuser inside and at the bottom of the aquarium.....the co2 bottle and bubble counter are below the tank inside the cabinet.....i was gonna try placing the check valve near the bubble counter and try that...but if you had the same problem.....i may not risk it.....do you have a ph swing with it running all night.....and approx. how many bubble per second [bps] are you running......i just started the tank, so i was only running about 1 bps...later i was going to up it to 2 or 3......


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## Pigheaddd (Feb 27, 2004)

Luke said:


> i looked at it again....it *is* actually the tetra tec....for some reason i thought it was hagen.....i had it at the top of the aquarium with the diffuser inside and at the bottom of the aquarium.....the co2 bottle and bubble counter are below the tank inside the cabinet.....i was gonna try placing the check valve near the bubble counter and try that...but if you had the same problem.....i may not risk it.....do you have a ph swing with it running all night.....and approx. how many bubble per second [bps] are you running......i just started the tank, so i was only running about 1 bps...later i was going to up it to 2 or 3......


no no. i was placing cv between manifold and bubble counter. i dont know if the problem is casued by that. i dont have pH that thing. 2bubbles/sec for my 20gh, 1bubble/2sec for 5.5g, and 1bubble/2sec for 2.5g. if your tank is open top, co2 24h/day should be fine. pH will keep stable. what kind of plants do you have? what size is your tank? co2 depends on tank size, dissolving completely, and livestock/plants condtion. hope this helps.

Tim


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## Luke (Mar 30, 2004)

thanx for all your help so far....
the tank is as follows:

40 gallon
glass top[with a 2 inch open space all along the back]
hood with 3 [36 inch] 30 watt flour. bulbs =90 watt for about 10 hrs
rena filstar canister filter [low flow]
ph was 7.4 - 7.6 before co2....but is now in the 6.4 range after co2 of only one drop a second........
this is a new tank...and plants have only been in a few days...

plants:
1 dwarf anubius
1 amazon sword
12 dwarf water onion
3 bunches of rotala magenta
java fern
java moss
4 bunches of dwarf hairgrass
3 bunches of giant hairgrass
soon to add some cabomba and micro sword

livestock:
a few large minnows(similiar to large danios) that were recently taken out......now has cherry, malaysian, and ghost shrimp....
soon to add:
15 rummy nose tetras
5 ottocinclus
possibly a small school of corries [if i can keep the heat down in the tank, i live in the extremely hot southern california]the tank gets up to 82F in the day.....[the house is up to 86 or more]
maybe some cardinals
and a pair of blue rams if they wouldnt bother my shrimp....

wont be adding most of the fish untill i get a stable ph.


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## Pigheaddd (Feb 27, 2004)

have you turned on your light yet? dont need the light for your plants in first 7~10 days. they stop grow in the new environment. after 7 days. 2hrs day one, 4hrs day two, and so on until 10hrs/day. 

good luck,

Tim


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