# Can I have too much CO2?



## jschall (Apr 13, 2009)

Apart from killing the fish (which I already did) is there any harm to the plants in leaving my DIY co2 on the tank, without trying to slow it down? It's running at LEAST 40 ppm.
I turn on an airstone at night, but come morning my drop checker is close to yellow and remaining shrimp are dying even so.

I've heard that plants RELEASE co2 at night. Could I have too many plants for the tank?

Since I added my zoo med 501 and simultaneously upped the level of CO2, I've noticed my plants don't pearl as much. Is too much CO2 inhibiting their growth? Is it just the flow removing bubbles from the plants (doesn't make much sense, I think I had more flow before.)









I'm not big on pruning, as you can see. Pic taken with iphone, probably the worst camera ever.


----------



## jeremy1 (May 6, 2007)

From my experience, it's very hard to have toxic levels of CO2 using DIY, unless you have multiple batches of DIY systems running together. Did you actually see your fish gasping at the surface? This would be a tell tale sign if it was too much CO2. The airstone at night is a good idea to degas or you could use a small HOB filter at night for added circulation and degas.

Cheers,
Jeremy


----------



## jschall (Apr 13, 2009)

jeremy1 said:


> From my experience, it's very hard to have toxic levels of CO2 using DIY, unless you have multiple batches of DIY systems running together. Did you actually see your fish gasping at the surface? This would be a tell tale sign if it was too much CO2. The airstone at night is a good idea to degas or you could use a small HOB filter at night for added circulation and degas.
> 
> Cheers,
> Jeremy


The fish were gasping at the surface then got lethargic and died. The tank was cycled, I tested nitrite and it was 0ppm. The drop checker was yellow.
The drop checker still goes close to yellow at night, even with the airstone.

Anyway, I'm asking about the plants, not the fish. Can there be too much CO2 for them?


----------



## Rodan (Apr 19, 2010)

Tom Barr highly recommends reading this CO2/light article from Tropica's Ole Pedersen, Claus Christensen and Troels Andersen called "CO2 and light stimulate the growth - part 1, 2, 3 and 4." 
http://www.tropica.com/article.asp?type=aquaristic&id=142

It gives you answers to your question. Good article!


----------

