# CO2 overdose question...



## lowfi (Apr 18, 2007)

hey everyone,

I cleaned some GSA off of my glass and then did a little bit of a water change. I left my CO2 running when my tank was at a low water volume. I filled the tank up and thought it would be fine. I went to the pet store and got 3 cardinal tetras and 5 rummynose tetras to get my 20H to a total of 7 cardinals and 11 rummynose. I acclimated my fish for a while (25 mins or so, maybe more) and when I decided to dump them in...they all went straight to the top, gasping for air. The other fish that were already in the tank were fine. I only ended up losing 2 rummynose which was quite a relief. I agitated the water and kept helping the fish that were sinking/spiraling around. I cant believe i didnt lose them all. This all happened last friday, and on sunday I found a dead cherry shrimp, that was in the tank before the CO2 incident happened . Anyways my question is this...what would this do to my water quality??? I know that a huge shot of CO2 can lower the pH, but is there anything else? I took some water to the fish store and they said I had a bit of ammonia in the tank, which I thought was pretty weird considering my tank has been up for over 2 months and the filter should be fine, it was brand new when I set up the tank. I am getting some cherry shrimp this week and now im nervous about putting them in the tank! Is there anything I can do? Should my tank be fine by the middle of the week? 

Thanks!

Sean


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## eklikewhoa (Jul 24, 2006)

Lower your co2 before getting them then acclimate them to it.


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## lowfi (Apr 18, 2007)

LoL thanks, will do that for sure, do you think the CO2 increase could raise ammonia levels though?


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## houseofcards (Feb 16, 2005)

If your running co2 24/7 than just turn it off for a while before acclimating fish. If your running co2 during lights on only then acclimate early in the day when co2 isn't that high. Either way you could just turn off co2 that day or raise your spray bar to reduce co2 levels. Fish from LFS aren't used to living in co2 rich environments.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

CO2 will not have any effect on ammonia, good or bad. You shouldn't have had any measurable amount of ammonia in the tank, so if the store test was accurate you may have a dead fish hidden somewhere, or a root tab exposed somewhere, etc. I'm not sure if your trouble was ammonia or CO2, but it wouldn't hurt to lower the CO2 level the day you introduce new fish, then slowly raise it back over a day or two.


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