# will someone help with my O2 CO2 problem....



## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

OK.....I started a planted tank awhile ago. I have a 20 gal long with a Filstar XP1. I have CO2 injection. For plants I have Anubiases, Dwarf Sag, Dwarf Hair Grass, Crinum calamistratum, Java Ferns, and HC on the way. I have Eco-Complete. Well my problem is that when I first put my Dwarf Puffers in the tank, they were breathing heavily. I put a power head with the outlet above the water line and that seems to help. I might just get a air stone in there to make it easier and I don't have a big powerhead sitting on the side of my tank. I turned my CO2 off since I put in the fish. My problem is that if I put a bubbler in there, isn't that gonna defeat the purpose of having CO2?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

With any surface agitation you will lose some C02.

_What type of C02 system do you have?_


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

Pressurized CO2 with a DIY reactor.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I personally don't use a reactor, but you should be able to adjust the flow where it will be comfortable for your puffers.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

Well I have had it off for 2 weeks now, since I introduced the fish. So what's gonna happen when I turn it on if the fish are already breathing hard?


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## JJJohnson (Mar 29, 2007)

Could it be that you just have too many fish in the tank? It doesn't take many to overload a 20...

Just a wild guess. Good luck.


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## Mud Pie Mama (Jul 30, 2006)

Another thing may be that you need a heavier plant mass. The plants you've listed are slow growers; the dwarf sag & hair grass are very short with corresponding lower plant mass. Perhaps some taller stems like bacopa or rotalla. 

It is also possible to use the spray bar with the XP filters and angle it in such a way that it just barely causes the water surface to ripple. You can intoduce some air exchange this way with out all the other hardware, ie., powerheads or bubblers. Also, with this method you can get some air exchange but not loose too much CO2. 

Also, many fish will breath harder and heavier when they are first introduced to a CO2 injected tank. As long as the levels of CO2 are not excessive they will adapt to it.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

I don't think it's overstocked. I have 4 Dwarf Pufferd, 3 Otos, and a few shrimp. They did it when it was only 2 DPs too. The spray bar idea would be nice, but I can't because of the background I'm using. Should I just wait till they stop breathing hard then turn the CO2 on?


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## rich311k (Jun 24, 2006)

The CO2 has been off for two weeks and they are still breathing hard. The CO2 would have gassed off in a matter of a few hours. Seems to me that something else not the CO2 is causing the problem. Have they shown any signs of coming around since you started to add more surface agitation? Are they hovering at the top?


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

I agree, the C02 is not the problem here.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

That is what I though, but for some reason I have high amounts of CO2 in my water. When I use the KH/PH chart, I have about 17ppm CO2. The fish act alot better with any surface agitation. They don't breath as hard, and even seem friendlier to eachother. They do not surface at all anymore. They did at first but I had some copepods in the aquarium somehow, and I think they were feeding on them. Now that those are gone, they never surface.


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## rich311k (Jun 24, 2006)

You must have some other buffer throwing off the KH/PH chart. Try running the airstone for a few days and see how the fish do. You may have to live with the spray bar in the tank. I am with you, I wish they were black, it would be a lot easier to hide them.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

My spray bar is black but it won't work with the background, I have a 3D background. I bought a air stone earlier today, we will just use that for awhile. I just don't wanna baby them too much cuz I'm gonna want to use CO2


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> That is what I though, but for some reason I have high amounts of CO2 in my water.


 Doubtful, even if it were to come out of the tap that way, in a few hours, it would equilibrate with the air and you would lose it. My guess is something is affecting your pH/kh measurements and throwing off the values. Get a drop checker to use as an indicator of CO2 levels


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

can you recommend a drop checker, I have a red sea one, but I don't know if I trust it


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> can you recommend a drop checker, I have a red sea one, but I don't know if I trust it


The maker of the drop checker has no bearing on its accuracy. The accuracy lies in having water at the correct kh, typically 4, to use with your drop checker. The water you can make yourself, or buy. I believe there have been some folks on the forum which have advertised selling kh4 water.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

The drop checker I have tells me to use water out of the aquarium


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

> The drop checker I have tells me to use water out of the aquarium


Bad advice!


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

Set the needle valve to one 3mm diameter CO2 bubble per 1.5 second. Turn off any PH. Light surface agitation is acceptable.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

furballi said:


> Set the needle valve to one 3mm diameter CO2 bubble per 1.5 second. Turn off any PH. Light surface agitation is acceptable.


What do you mean turn off PH?


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## furballi (Feb 2, 2007)

Power head.


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## NAL (Feb 27, 2007)

furballi said:


> Power head.


OMG, i'm fing retarded. Well I have a airstone going that is working good. I have DPs that don't do to well with a powerhead. They are not the best swimmers. The fish seem to be doing fine now.


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