T.Frakes Tanks hey thanks for the kind words man. Similar to a convict goby or ninja bee shrimp! Haha The elusive yet intriguing inhabitant within your aquarium. I will keep uploading even if I am not consistent.
Dave, your presentation of healthy aquarium knowledge is one of the best over the whole internet! I like your style, honestly. Glad to see this new video. Best wishes for 2018!
Well I prefer foreign language practicing, and it's good of you to learn russian or any other language if it gives any additional opportunity, and like it's said "ты человек столько раз, сколько языков знаешь" :)
I have ran my current fish house for just over a year, 13 tanks in multiple rooms 7 of which run co2 through a 6 way splitter, a two way manifold, and a lot of co2 line. I thought I knew a thing or two about co2 distribution in tank; running good levels and keeping multiple tanks HEAVILY planted including an all Crypt tank and an all Eriocaulon tank, until I watched this video. PekTek sent me your way and now I am a subscriber. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your time and effort and your information is definitely useful and needed. I will stay tuned for more.
C_Town Hey thanks. Well it sounds like You're doing pretty well to me. Basically if you have a set volume the quicker the CO2 leaves that volume the more you can pump into that same volume. It creates the same CO2 levels because the flux is higher, so it would be more even distribution. I hope that makes sense. It is more of a concern with larger and deeper tanks. I have a small tank with a pretty large canister, so of course I am going to have good distribution. But someone with poor circulation, and poor surface agitation will most likely have poor distribution, and more than likely a surface biofilm, which depends on O2 levels and organics in the water. We want the biofilm. We just want it growing predominantly in the filter. Similar to water treatment plant some the biofilm is a natural coagulant and traps organics to be decomposed. So my new theory is this, do not touch your filter media. In most cases it will not be over come by too much sludge. After a long period of time, once detritus from the filter starts entering the aquarium through the outflow than you can clean your filter. Just keep the organics low in your aquarium, the detritus and decaying plant matter and don't overfeed. But don't clean or touch your filter. This will better decompose the organics. And of course try to have high O2 through surface agitation or a wet dry filter, or even surface skimmer. Hope this gives you some more ideas. More efficiently decomposing the organics also uses less O2, because the bacteria will be more mature, so this helps the O2 levels be more stable as well. It all has to do with basic husbandry, but we often take it for granted or don't know the actual underlying reasons as to why we are doing the husbandry. It has to do with having good water quality. High O2 and low organics. This has to come first, even before we worry about nutrients, light, or CO2.
Just started watching your videos again, been a while since I had a tank up and running but I'm excited to get back into it. You really have some of the best videos, and tanks I have seen on TH-cam. Looks like you haven't made videos for a while, would be great to see more. But thanks a lot for all the great information you have shared.
Finally! I think this is the first video I watch that explains this !!! Its so overlook and ignore . I'm happy I came across this video. Thanks for the help man 😎
I realy love the way of explaning, it is so clear. Thank you for the time that you stick in making this vids. May all peaple stay healty in this time so we can enjoy the hobby. Dirk from Netherlands.
Happy New Year Dave! I like that adjective moment, keeping it real. Thanks for the video, it’s nice to be reminded about co2, light, water quality etc. We sometimes get too familiar. Have a great day!
Dave, i just want to thank you for your videos. Its a really high level knowledge and relevant themes. Very hard to find a source of good information like this. Thank you. (Sorry for my english mistakes, Im brazilian)
Great vid!! Nice to see something other than someone’s opinion on complex topics like these. Conditions vary from aquarium to aquarium and people tend to preach what works for them as the golden rule. Your vids go a step further and explain how these processes actually work, and that’s invaluable. Knowing this information helps your viewers understand these things and then make decisions on what works for then. Def earned a sub! Keep’em coming.
Struggling a lot with surface film I finally bought Eheim Skim 350 and this small device is A BEAST against bacterial film, it only runs 4 times * 15min a day and does very great job. It costs not that much and consumes only 5W.
Brilliant vid Dave, best I’ve seen on the subject. Just discovered you and subscribed too to see more. Look forward to seeing your other ones and those to come.
I have been battling GSA and it's been a nightmare. It's even growing on ludwigia repens and water wisteria! I've messed with the lighting, nutrients, water change frequency and volume...I've added co2 just today to try to help with a better balance! Thank you for this video!
Had previously watched a similar video by Dennis Wong and your video helps to reinforce what I learned from Dennis and extends with additional info on biofilm. The 2 of you are the best on YT who readily share your knowledge with the community at an understandable yet deep level that I actually apply to my planted tanks. I have watched your past videos on fertilization but wanted to ask if you will be again covering this topic with your current fert schedule. I am always modifying my mixes but am interested in the micro nutrients as there has been past and current discussion (sometimes heated) on micro toxicity/deficiency on The Planted Tank forums that have included Tom Barr. Keep the videos coming.
Rod S hey thanks for the kind words Rod. Yes, Dennis did a great video on the topic and it reminded me that we needed even more information on optimizing. Haha. Yeah the old toxicity club. Well I am no totalitarian when it comes to dosing, but just the other day I was thinking about how I could make a couple simple videos where I share my current dosing and talk about dosing methods. Also, maintenance methods. Just simple explanations so more people can follow along.
Rod S I know K can be abundant and not impede uptake of other nutrients. But as far as aquatic plants and micro toxicity I am don't know. I have never noticed any issues with ample amounts of nutrients in the water column.
Well essentially he was being questioned (at times critically) to provide scientific type of data to justify his use of higher concentrations of nutrients. He would mentione he did not experience the type of plant growth issues that were being discussed but did provide some dosing info based on the tank and plants and he did not strictly follow EI for all cases. It became a big thread but many posts were deleted by the admins for there attacking/accusatory nature and one or possibly two members got banned. I believe based on this thread PPS-Pro changed there recommended dosing for CSM+B from 0.14 to 0.01 using Fe as the proxy. This was about 1 to 2 years ago and fast forward to today and there is a TPT thread that's reviewing customizing micros at higher concentrations based on the success of member burr740 who won the recent Dutch category at AGA. You can check out burr740's journal on TPT. His tank is pretty amazing.
Rod S Without any conclusive experiments that have been replicated 30+ times there is no way to know for certain. Fe is the main nutrient of concern. Someone could do 4 1 liter containers. 1 control just RO water, and 3 at varying levels of Fe, with all other parameters identical. Report the results and do this 30 times. Your results would be the truth in regard to aquatic plants and Fe concentrations. Then you would want to do this with 30 different species as well to make it truly a theory. So 4 1 liter containers for 30 plant species, and repeat at least 30 times. Preferably 100+ times. A lot of work. And may have to adjust time frames and or exposure times to Fe, etc... A lot of work. Or we can just observe thousands of tanks that all dose EI, take a survey and collect information that way through photos and see that for most toxicity doesn't apply. It's like when people say chlorine is toxic, so don't use it in drinking water. Right, 1 out of 2 million people may die from it. Are those significant numbers? No. Well Lima, Peru followed this advice and stopped using chlorine for residual in their local water. Over 20,000 died in one year from waterborne diseases.
Great informative video. And like you, I agree there are ALOT of aquascapes out there, but I’d love to see them after a few weeks...plant health/balance in the long run IS key. Keep up with the informative vids :)
Really nice tank , apart from the high end design, this lighting is just the best with the ripple effect from the surface agitation, so important to the overall look and feel of the aquarium but not often enough talked about in the yt fish community. You nailed it man!
Thanks for the knowledge! And I agree on the plants statements at the end! You've made me feel better about having to care more about healthier plants vs the perfect looking aquascape. It's more challenging to find the right balance in the environment for plants and fish than the actual layout.
WaterForest • Aquatics hey thanks man! Hope the forums are going well. I will keep uploading even if it isn't consistent. Hope your tanks are doing well.
Great info as usual ! P.S. The taller plants on the right foreground realy give an amazing sense of depth to the aquarium . Not often do I see it on nano aquariums...
Wonderful info, much appreciated! Using a Fluval Planted 3.0 with a 1.5 hour ramp up on the lights from off to full blast. Currently the CO2 is set to come on 1.5 hours before the lights. Any suggestions since there is a 3 hour difference between CO2 ON and lights all the way on?
Brand new to the hobby here. I know this comment is years behind, but how are you getting Co2 in there? I see the valves, but nothing going into the tank. Is that Co2 line going into your filter output line? So an inline diffuser can just pump straight into a canister filter output? Great knowledge for future projects. How would I get the Co2 in the tank if I had a HoB filter? Just run a line down with no attachment on the end? My other question is can I get by with no Co2. I'm still at the 10 gallon tank phase, and learning on it. My tank is pretty heavily planted. Everyone seems to scream put Co2 in everything.
Thanks for sharing this ultimate truth with us! In this fact you stated how would this work when you are running a cold water tank? Less light and co2 probably? And when it get summer and the temp will increase get more light and co2 then in winter right? Mine temp is 18 Celsius atm but in summer it will probably get to 25 for a few months. Love your work thanks so much! And subbed.
I'm doing aquascape for 1 year and I must say this is the best advice I got, aquascape is about plant growth and not design , the true philosophy of aquascaping is dying its no more about fish nature but design
Great video. I learned the hard way for a while now, and couldn't figure out why my plants higher up were getting blasted by algae. Certain plants lower down didn't do as well, so now i tone down my lights from their max setting (started by reducing by about 25%) and it seems to of solved the issue. I don't run CO2, but i dose with flourish Excel.
Just received my 1st regulator, a dbl mini gauge cga320 with bbl ctr drp chkr, sadly no solenoid, will have to order separate. However not the end of the world. Came here and consulted your TH-cam series first, you have the goods! I have nice moss walls atm and looking forward to planting Rotala Wallichii or rotala butterfly mini, something nice n' red to compliment mid ground, tank is 5.5g.
That was superfluous amount of great information. I am BRAND NEW to supplemental CO2 for aquariums, so bear with me. I'm awaiting my CO2 setup in the mail as I write this. I know there's a strong correlation between algae and light, but from what I'm gathering - algae DOES NOT utilize the supplemental CO2 bled into the tank in the same way our aquascape plants benefit from carbon dioxide...do I have that right...partially? I have tons of Java Fern that have dark-brown to black algae on their tips that I can easily clean off with my fingers (any suggestions other that the video for this issue?). Fascinating how CO2 can do A LOT more than just 'feed the plants.' I had no idea how important CO2 is regarding biofilm breakup, gas change, lighting, algae fixes, and decreasing the energy needed by the plant to synthesize light. One more thing: are there any contraindications in having an air-stone running at all times? Great video, thanks again.
I do agree with most of the aquascaping competitions going in the miniature train set direction than what their names suggest. A simple addendum to rule set could be that a certain percentage of the photographed tank has to be plants.
Husein bhinderwala yeah they need to get more serious about plant health. They have been ignoring that aspect lately. Thanks for watching. Same day competitions don't help either. Tropica will transport an established aquascape to new locations, such as aquarium conventions. A lot of work, but it can be done.
hi, did I hear it correct that when your light is low or insufficient you have to increase your co2 injection. Nice video btw, new fan here from Philippines.
Yes this is correct. This way the plant can better focus on the available light and not worrying about CO2. It's a simple synergistic relationship between light and CO2. Thanks for watching!
Finally you’ve grown beard bro 😂. Although a lot shorter than mine(55 centimetres) 😛😛 As always your videos is not all about earning money. You try to educate and share your knowledge. Great video as always.
AquaLars FishNShrimps hahaha. My dream is to someday braid it or something. Yeah I see in your pic that yours is super long! How long has it taken to get that awesome? Thanks for the feedback man.
ADU Aquascaping I think the last time I shaved my chin is 8 years ago. After some years I decided to stop shaving my cheeks too 😂. It’s a lot of work but I don’t like to shave and I also ride Harley so it’s the right look 😂😂.
Great content as usual. I have a question about this co2/light relationship. What if you start adding more co2 than the plant can absorb? I suppose it's just wasted right? And also how do we know what is the max co2 level requirement of the plants?
If I understand correctly, surface skimmers help CO2 leave the tank more easily (which helps with more even CO2 distribution in the tank, even though you will have to use more CO2 input). The second part that I'm still a bit confused about is O2. Skimmers, through surface agitation, allows more oxygen to be introduced? If you point your canister filter output valve towards the surface, I can sort of conceptually see how more oxygen would potentially be introduced as well (?). Anyways, this leads to my main question which is that would also having an air stone (O2) also help in this regard. In other words, are air stones (O2) and surface skimmers redundant to help O2 be more present in the water, which would somehow help "stability" (still a bit confused about what is more stable) of CO2 levels? I understand that plants themselves release O2 as part of photosynthesis. It's just thought I was told by a pet shop owner that it's not worth having air stones (O2) because it "competes" with CO2 for being dissolved in water. However, the "aha" moment I had from this video is that maybe having to put more CO2 input is actually a good thing (from a skimmer/surface agitation perspective, but I also wonder from an air (O2) stone perspective).
As the gas flux/exchange is increased it becomes more stable of a flux. The recommended way is via surface agitation. Surface agitation has several benefits. So it's just a good idea to create that gas flux stability all on It's own. Just to have stability for the environment. Additionally, doing this also has several other benefits. It Increases O2 for good filtration and fauna health. Helps microbial fauna too. Makes filtration more efficient. It reduces the scum on the surface both mechanically, which helps with the flux exchange. And it also helps so the scum doesn't grow on your surface because it will start to grow in the filter media instead because of increased O2. The CO2 and O2 do not compete. There is plenty of water molecules for them to both dissolve into. And most are only diffused. This is why you see suspended O2 and CO2 bubbles. Temperature plays a role in dissolution of gases. 25 degrees C or 77 degrees F with 8 mg/L of O2 is full saturation of O2 in water. If you see your plants pearling from photosynthesis it means that your water is at full saturation of O2. This is why you can see so many bubbles in tbe water because you are at 8mg/L of O2 or more if your temperature is higher than 25 C. But the two gases don't really compete with each other. The way to conceptualize the CO2 is this: your tank volume hasn't changed but your flux has. So you have to increase the density of your CO2 being pumped into the tank in order to keep your CO2 levels at 30ppm, for example. So you have to turn up your CO2 from having higher surface agitation and a higher gas flux, but your volume stayed the same, so you are getting higher density of CO2 per cubic centimeter, and therefore more suspended bubbles of CO2 are coming in contact with the plant leaves. This is all about optimization and the reality behind what is going on. It is more applicable to a large aquarium, say 50 gallons or more with a narrow surface area VS a small aquarium or an aquarium with a wide surface area where the distribution of CO2 may not be an issue. A 40 gallon breeder is a great example of where this method can help. A nano 5 gallon won't notice much of a difference for CO2 distribution. But again, higher surface agitation also helps with having higher O2 as well, which then benefits your filter performance and overall fauna health. It's always a good idea to have high surface agitation to improve stability and increase O2, which then creates a stable environment for your plants and fish. The secret is consistency. Plants and fish can adapt to a wide range of parameters. Most methods are arbitrary. The best method is to create stability and staying consistent. Hope this helps!
I’m starting up a high tech 75 gal. Tank with co2, led lighting and a fairly large number of plants. In some videos I’ve watched they stated that the co2 should be turned off at night and an air stone should be run all night until the co2 starts again in the morning. It seems to me this could cause a lot of fluctuation, any thoughts?
I'm running a powerhead and HOB for flow and surface oxygenation. The HOB is also my backup to the canister. Zero surface scum but will see when I add pressurized co2 this weekend. Going to start slow and measure my ph/oh as well as a drop checker.
You ever found a way to best distribute the c02 with HOB filters? I can't figure out if I should place it under the intake or have it circulate round the tank.
So I'm running a 20 gallon tall with a sponge filter, could I just use a circulation pump at the top of the tank to create surface agitation if I'm wanting to add a co2 system?
Great information thanks. It would be great if you would show the CO2 running so we can see how it's being diffused in you tank. I have a in line diffuser like yours. However to get my PH to 7.0 I have to run 10* BBS on my counter. My PH is 7.8 at night. Takes almost 4-5 hrs to reach 7.0. at that rate. Surface movement is like yours. It seems to me I'm using too much CO2. Should I lower the surface agitation to help maintain a better PH balance?
Well with CO2 because it is a part of the carbon cycle the CO2 either gets gassed off, used by plants, or a very small percentage turns from carbonic acid to free hydrogen and bicarbonate, so that being said, it doesn't have an affect on the buffer the same way other acids do. Your pH goes down because of a slight small increase in free hydrogen, which also disappears as fast when you turn the CO2 off. Then the pH goes back up. If it was really acidified it would not go back up. This is because your buffer really hasn't been impacted
Thanks for your reply. I just put in a few more pieces of driftwood in. I'll see how that goes, I'm hopping that I can drop the PH so I don't have to inject CO2 as much and get a better balance in my tank.
You want higher pressure for consistent and even distribution throughout the aquarium, but no need if you're going low tech. Could set up a small trial tank with the DIY CO2 . Many tend to create fluctuations and stress the plants
Hey i gota question would it be dumb use use a air pump and air stone to agitate the surface while the co2 is running or will the co2 escape more quickly because of the air pump ???
No matter what I just can't get my up aqua inline diffusers to not make mist. I'd try it on the intake, but I'm not down for ruining my filter. Got any tips for me? Ps you actually do have some of the healthiest plants I've seen.
hey man, I grow only anubias and bucephilandra. I have great surface agitation in my 20g tank and I use DIY yeast Co2. Do you think since my surface agitation high, is it gasing off co2 from the tank before my plants take it ?? because I see no improvement in my plants. what's your opinion DIY co2 yeast ?? should I stop using diy yeast co2 ??
wow of everything ive searched about the algae problem ive been having i dropped my lights it sort of slowed things down i then finaly got my co2 green before the lights came on "i was lucky to get green before lights went out" new to this but im almost clear of the nasty stuff but what i have to say is i came across this vid that as nothing in the tittle about algae but answered the question ive been looking for why didnt i find you sooner lmfao ....subscribed.....
Hey man...thank you for all your info on aqua setup. I have one question...i have 2 canister filters, one of them is connected to inline CO2 difuzer. My filter intake(suction) pipes are set diagonally, and my outtake is set on one corner for both filters. The one with CO2 is set to burst down, and the other is set up to agitate surface. Is this good setup? Thank you in advance.
Been watching this video over and over. It's the only way I learn, lol drill that shit into my head. Excellent info btw and it's easy to trust you with a beautiful tank behind you with thriving plants and livestock.
How do you keep your ph up with increasing co2 I’m running 6.5 on a 300 gallon planted discus tank I’m using mineralized r o water and the co2 is very tricky
I watched all your videos over the years,you really no what your talking about... ADU...someone that really knows what he's talking about and not just telling you to run crazy high silly amounts of co2 in there tanks to solve every problem there is like some of these forums,can't wait for your next big tank,what happened to your big tank you had? how about a moss tank for your next one ?
haha, well I have to keep it straight and sober now that my schooling is getting more serious. You are Polish? I watched your playground video. Your daughter speaks to you in English while you speak Polish!? Is this common to learn English at such an early age? And did you say, поопа сука/пупа сука? ахах. Или что? I don't speak Polish. Я говорю только чуть чуть по-русски. Я новичок.
hello i have a question. ive had plants in my aquarium for more than a year now, low tech. but rececently i got myself a co2 tank and started using it. its been about a week now but my plants are growing at a rate similar to my low tech scape. i dont see any significant difference. would you tell me how long it usually takes to see the difference?
@@ADUAquascaping hello so its been a month. Its doing well now👍🏻. I can see the difference in colour and health of plants. I think the reason why i didnt see the changes at the beginning was because ive been observing them everyday because of the lockdown. During the low tech setup i was rarely home hence whenever i got back i saw significant growth
Love the info provided. It has helped me a lot. I just wanted to ask if it would be ok to use an air pump to get more air into the tank as I'm using a canister filter and a sponge filter for my shrimp. Thanks.
Shershah Nazari it can help add a little more O2, but having more surface agitation of any kind can be good. Try getting more surface movement any way you can.
Hey man I hope you can respond to this question because it seems you know what you're talking about; I have a question regarding if I am injecting c02 into my tank correctly. I have a 75 gallon aquarium running a Aqueon 400 canister filter rated 400gph up to 155g. The output from the canister has a inline reactor running around 3 bubbles per second and then the water is returned to the tank via two "water clarifying units" basically two hang on back filters. My drop checker turns a dark green from the dark blue it was not too much of a differance in color. Do you believe some of the c02 is escaping as the water is returned back to the tank via the two outflow hob filters? I thought reactors should difuse around 99% of the c02 so my thoughts led me to believe the c02 saturated water will be pushed deeper inside the tank as the water returns from the two outflow hob units. Am I correct or am I losing c02 this way? I can always switch to a spray bar that would return the c02 saturated water directly in the tank. Any advice is greatly appreciated!!
3 bps is barely anything for a 75 gallon, especially with high surface agitation. lots of people use 3bps in 20 gallons. slowly up your co2 each day to get your drop checker moving. The only advice give you is to not rush things too much, drop checkers take 2-3 hours to change color so it's not a live display,
Your last statement has me a little confused. Naturally if I increase my Light I should up the CO2 correct? So if I lower my lights because the buce at the upper column are getting GSA, I should still up my CO2 if my plants at the bottom suffer from the decrease in light? Thanks
Yes, because the extra CO2 allows the plants to better utilize the light that is available. Light and CO2 work synergistically. Yes, and if you up your light you should up your CO2 and nutrients. Really you can have high light and high CO2 and have little algae, but if you do have dust algae or GSA lowering light and keeping CO2 the same, or possibly needing to increase it will help the plants down low, reduce algae, and slow down growth, but the growth will still be healthy. Just more sustained. For most hobbyists it is sufficient to have medium light with ample amounts of CO2 and the easiest type of system to balance and take care of. Hope this explains it a bit more. This evidence is also found in actual scientific studies that have been done on CO2 and light. Some plants that prefer medium to low light will actually spread out more in lower light and will get stunted in light that is too high because now they don't have to work as hard to get the light and won't spread out. Anubias and Buces are a prime example of this!
@@ADUAquascaping thanks is for the detailed response. I have buces in very shaded areas but none of my plants seem to show the healthiest growth. I EI dose for a 20 gal tank, twinstar 400S on the 4th lowest dimmed setting and my co2 can't go any higher without my fish starting to swim in a disoriented manner. My dwarf hair grass shows some fuzz algae on it and yellowing blades. Photoperiod is only 6 hours too. Not sure how to get more co2 in the tank because I'm already offgasing with a lily pipe, surface skimmer inlet, and a fan that is right on the surface. There's a lot of surface agitation but signs seem to be not enough co2. Any suggestions?
Dude your videos are for me the best of the entire aquascapers community, hope you can bring us more like this, thanks for all the info!
Sebastián AF thank you for the kind words. I will keep uploading even if I am not consistent.
ADU Aquascaping thanks spent evening do my tanks now I just wish I could send you pics
Agreed, Dave is a really good teacher and very laid back, I love his style and would really love to meet him one day.
You're like a solar eclipse. We don't get to see you that often, but when we do it's always special.
T.Frakes Tanks hey thanks for the kind words man. Similar to a convict goby or ninja bee shrimp! Haha The elusive yet intriguing inhabitant within your aquarium. I will keep uploading even if I am not consistent.
2021 and its still the best explanation on youtube imho
Dave, your presentation of healthy aquarium knowledge is one of the best over the whole internet! I like your style, honestly. Glad to see this new video. Best wishes for 2018!
Oleg Reshetov thanks for the support as always man! Спасибо и хорошего дня. Я говорю только чуть чуть по-русски. Я новичок.
Well I prefer foreign language practicing, and it's good of you to learn russian or any other language if it gives any additional opportunity, and like it's said "ты человек столько раз, сколько языков знаешь" :)
Just exactly what I was looking for!
I have ran my current fish house for just over a year, 13 tanks in multiple rooms 7 of which run co2 through a 6 way splitter, a two way manifold, and a lot of co2 line. I thought I knew a thing or two about co2 distribution in tank; running good levels and keeping multiple tanks HEAVILY planted including an all Crypt tank and an all Eriocaulon tank, until I watched this video. PekTek sent me your way and now I am a subscriber. Just wanted to let you know I appreciate your time and effort and your information is definitely useful and needed. I will stay tuned for more.
C_Town Hey thanks. Well it sounds like
You're doing pretty well to me. Basically if you have a set volume the quicker the CO2 leaves that volume the more you can pump into that same volume. It creates the same CO2 levels because the flux is higher, so it would be more even distribution. I hope that makes sense. It is more of a concern with larger and deeper tanks. I have a small tank with a pretty large canister, so of course I am going to have good distribution. But someone with poor circulation, and poor surface agitation will most likely have poor distribution, and more than likely a surface biofilm, which depends on O2 levels and organics in the water. We want the biofilm. We just want it growing predominantly in the filter. Similar to water treatment plant some the biofilm is a natural coagulant and traps organics to be decomposed. So my new theory is this, do not touch your filter media. In most cases it will not be over come by too much sludge. After a long period of time, once detritus from the filter starts entering the aquarium through the outflow than you can clean your filter. Just keep the organics low in your aquarium, the detritus and decaying plant matter and don't overfeed. But don't clean or touch your filter. This will better decompose the organics. And of course try to have high O2 through surface agitation or a wet dry filter, or even surface skimmer. Hope this gives you some more ideas. More efficiently decomposing the organics also uses less O2, because the bacteria will be more mature, so this helps the O2 levels be more stable as well. It all has to do with basic husbandry, but we often take it for granted or don't know the actual underlying reasons as to why we are doing the husbandry. It has to do with having good water quality. High O2 and low organics. This has to come first, even before we worry about nutrients, light, or CO2.
Love your channel, Dave! You are one of the very few people on youtube who truely educate people in this hobby.
Keith Lau thanks for the kind words man. I will keep uploading, trimming my plants, and my beard! Thanks for watching
what he said ^^
Just started watching your videos again, been a while since I had a tank up and running but I'm excited to get back into it. You really have some of the best videos, and tanks I have seen on TH-cam. Looks like you haven't made videos for a while, would be great to see more. But thanks a lot for all the great information you have shared.
Thanks for watching! As of right now I am focused elsewhere. I have some other intentions going on right now!
Finally! I think this is the first video I watch that explains this !!! Its so overlook and ignore . I'm happy I came across this video. Thanks for the help man 😎
I realy love the way of explaning, it is so clear. Thank you for the time that you stick in making this vids.
May all peaple stay healty in this time so we can enjoy the hobby.
Dirk from Netherlands.
the best aquascape tutorial I ever watched!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! totally theories and no sponsor bullshit talk!!!!!
Happy New Year Dave! I like that adjective moment, keeping it real. Thanks for the video, it’s nice to be reminded about co2, light, water quality etc. We sometimes get too familiar. Have a great day!
Rommel R hahaha, yes I had to get serious! Have a great day and thanks. Have a Happy New Year!
Dave, i just want to thank you for your videos. Its a really high level knowledge and relevant themes. Very hard to find a source of good information like this. Thank you. (Sorry for my english mistakes, Im brazilian)
Yuri Sousa hey thanks for the support man. You write really well in English! Thanks for watching
This is the best and easiest way I have heard this explained
I like the technical info. That's the way people learn. You have to under stand what you're trying to do. Keep the vids coming!!
Randy thanks. I will keep them coming. People are revolting against my channel lately, so I may have to switch up my content. Haha
Ugh, the number of times I've dipped my arm into the tank and got my sleeve wet. Fantastic information, though, much thanks, love the plants!
Pricklyhedgehog72 I just love wearing long sleeves on days I do Maintenance. It is a curse
Best aquascape channel period!
Holy Cow! You just schooled me on CO2! Yesterday I started a planted Co2 tank. Knowledge is oozing out of you mouth 👍🙏
Great vid!! Nice to see something other than someone’s opinion on complex topics like these. Conditions vary from aquarium to aquarium and people tend to preach what works for them as the golden rule. Your vids go a step further and explain how these processes actually work, and that’s invaluable. Knowing this information helps your viewers understand these things and then make decisions on what works for then. Def earned a sub! Keep’em coming.
Thanks a million for watching. I may start back up once I am done with school. Just really focused on work and research right now!
Didn't check in for a looong time. Awesome video and beard!
yeah I will just keep uploading. consistently? I doubt it. I will just keep on trimming my beard and my plants!
Very solid information as always David.
pecktec glad you enjoyed the video dude! Or is a clone commenting? I guess I'll never know. Haha
Struggling a lot with surface film I finally bought Eheim Skim 350 and this small device is A BEAST against bacterial film, it only runs 4 times * 15min a day and does very great job. It costs not that much and consumes only 5W.
1. Great video! 2. Lovely tank. 3. Fine moustache! I'm British and almost immediately saluted you there Sir. Haha. Finally, thanks for sharing. :)
Legit this video was incredibly useful- thankyou! Been trying to find this kind of information forever
Thanks a lot for watching. Should have a new scape video coming soon! Rescaping my 20 gallon ADA 60P
Brilliant vid Dave, best I’ve seen on the subject. Just discovered you and subscribed too to see more. Look forward to seeing your other ones and those to come.
Mate - keep up the great work. Your videos are really helpful
Thanks for uploading this info.
GREAT CONTENT AS ALWAYS !!!!!
I have been battling GSA and it's been a nightmare. It's even growing on ludwigia repens and water wisteria! I've messed with the lighting, nutrients, water change frequency and volume...I've added co2 just today to try to help with a better balance! Thank you for this video!
Had previously watched a similar video by Dennis Wong and your video helps to reinforce what I learned from Dennis and extends with additional info on biofilm. The 2 of you are the best on YT who readily share your knowledge with the community at an understandable yet deep level that I actually apply to my planted tanks.
I have watched your past videos on fertilization but wanted to ask if you will be again covering this topic with your current fert schedule. I am always modifying my mixes but am interested in the micro nutrients as there has been past and current discussion (sometimes heated) on micro toxicity/deficiency on The Planted Tank forums that have included Tom Barr.
Keep the videos coming.
Rod S hey thanks for the kind words Rod. Yes, Dennis did a great video on the topic and it reminded me that we needed even more information on optimizing. Haha. Yeah the old toxicity club. Well I am no totalitarian when it comes to dosing, but just the other day I was thinking about how I could make a couple simple videos where I share my current dosing and talk about dosing methods. Also, maintenance methods. Just simple explanations so more people can follow along.
Rod S I know K can be abundant and not impede uptake of other nutrients. But as far as aquatic plants and micro toxicity I am don't know. I have never noticed any issues with ample amounts of nutrients in the water column.
What has Tom been saying about it?
Well essentially he was being questioned (at times critically) to provide scientific type of data to justify his use of higher concentrations of nutrients. He would mentione he did not experience the type of plant growth issues that were being discussed but did provide some dosing info based on the tank and plants and he did not strictly follow EI for all cases. It became a big thread but many posts were deleted by the admins for there attacking/accusatory nature and one or possibly two members got banned. I believe based on this thread PPS-Pro changed there recommended dosing for CSM+B from 0.14 to 0.01 using Fe as the proxy.
This was about 1 to 2 years ago and fast forward to today and there is a TPT thread that's reviewing customizing micros at higher concentrations based on the success of member burr740 who won the recent Dutch category at AGA. You can check out burr740's journal on TPT. His tank is pretty amazing.
Rod S Without any conclusive experiments that have been replicated 30+ times there is no way to know for certain. Fe is the main nutrient of concern. Someone could do 4 1 liter containers. 1 control just RO water, and 3 at varying levels of Fe, with all other parameters identical. Report the results and do this 30 times. Your results would be the truth in regard to aquatic plants and Fe concentrations. Then you would want to do this with 30 different species as well to make it truly a theory. So 4 1 liter containers for 30 plant species, and repeat at least 30 times. Preferably 100+ times. A lot of work. And may have to adjust time frames and or exposure times to Fe, etc... A lot of work. Or we can just observe thousands of tanks that all dose EI, take a survey and collect information that way through photos and see that for most toxicity doesn't apply. It's like when people say chlorine is toxic, so don't use it in drinking water. Right, 1 out of 2 million people may die from it. Are those significant numbers? No. Well Lima, Peru followed this advice and stopped using chlorine for residual in their local water. Over 20,000 died in one year from waterborne diseases.
Great informative video.
And like you, I agree there are ALOT of aquascapes out there, but I’d love to see them after a few weeks...plant health/balance in the long run IS key. Keep up with the informative vids :)
Great advice and explanation. Thank you 🙂
Thanks for share your knowledge with us Master Dave. That's true man you own real healthy plants.
hectornfigueroa11 thanks for watching! I will keep uploading
Really nice tank , apart from the high end design, this lighting is just the best with the ripple effect from the surface agitation, so important to the overall look and feel of the aquarium but not often enough talked about in the yt fish community. You nailed it man!
Pierre Fourtwenty thanks glad you enjoyed the video. I just ordered some Lily Pipes! Finally! Haha
Just introduced co2 for the first time today, Thank you for such an amazing vid. Very informative!
We need more information and content like you put on your videos instead of all those TH-camrs/Sellers..
Please don’t leave us for so long..
Sergio Gmez I will never leave you! Haha
Love your channel, I learn so much. Thanks 👍
Super Water Aquatics thanks for the support as always
Thanks for the knowledge! And I agree on the plants statements at the end! You've made me feel better about having to care more about healthier plants vs the perfect looking aquascape. It's more challenging to find the right balance in the environment for plants and fish than the actual layout.
Carlos Hernandez glad you liked the video man
Thanks for the great information Dave
Excellent video Dave!
WaterForest • Aquatics hey thanks man! Hope the forums are going well. I will keep uploading even if it isn't consistent. Hope your tanks are doing well.
ADU Aquascaping Groups are doing well & so are the tanks.
Appreciate thoughts as well as your efforts!
Great info as usual ! P.S. The taller plants on the right foreground realy give an amazing sense of depth to the aquarium . Not often do I see it on nano aquariums...
João Ismail Thanks for sharing your perspective! Haha. Thanks for watching man
Thx Dave awesome explanation!
Ralf thanks man. Glad you enjoyed the subject
Wonderful info, much appreciated! Using a Fluval Planted 3.0 with a 1.5 hour ramp up on the lights from off to full blast. Currently the CO2 is set to come on 1.5 hours before the lights. Any suggestions since there is a 3 hour difference between CO2 ON and lights all the way on?
Do it to it bud, thanks for sharing your knowledge...
Brand new to the hobby here. I know this comment is years behind, but how are you getting Co2 in there? I see the valves, but nothing going into the tank. Is that Co2 line going into your filter output line? So an inline diffuser can just pump straight into a canister filter output? Great knowledge for future projects. How would I get the Co2 in the tank if I had a HoB filter? Just run a line down with no attachment on the end? My other question is can I get by with no Co2. I'm still at the 10 gallon tank phase, and learning on it. My tank is pretty heavily planted. Everyone seems to scream put Co2 in everything.
you can watch my video on how I set up a CO2 system if you haven't already
Thanks for sharing this ultimate truth with us!
In this fact you stated how would this work when you are running a cold water tank? Less light and co2 probably? And when it get summer and the temp will increase get more light and co2 then in winter right? Mine temp is 18 Celsius atm but in summer it will probably get to 25 for a few months.
Love your work thanks so much! And subbed.
I'm doing aquascape for 1 year and I must say this is the best advice I got, aquascape is about plant growth and not design , the true philosophy of aquascaping is dying its no more about fish nature but design
Thanks. Yes, it can be more about the design than healthy plants nowadays. It's becoming a made for photography hobby
Great video. I learned the hard way for a while now, and couldn't figure out why my plants higher up were getting blasted by algae. Certain plants lower down didn't do as well, so now i tone down my lights from their max setting (started by reducing by about 25%) and it seems to of solved the issue. I don't run CO2, but i dose with flourish Excel.
Just received my 1st regulator, a dbl mini gauge cga320 with bbl ctr drp chkr, sadly no solenoid, will have to order separate. However not the end of the world.
Came here and consulted your TH-cam series first, you have the goods!
I have nice moss walls atm and looking forward to planting Rotala Wallichii or rotala butterfly mini, something nice n' red to compliment mid ground, tank is 5.5g.
Very informative, thanks!
That was superfluous amount of great information. I am BRAND NEW to supplemental CO2 for aquariums, so bear with me. I'm awaiting my CO2 setup in the mail as I write this. I know there's a strong correlation between algae and light, but from what I'm gathering - algae DOES NOT utilize the supplemental CO2 bled into the tank in the same way our aquascape plants benefit from carbon dioxide...do I have that right...partially? I have tons of Java Fern that have dark-brown to black algae on their tips that I can easily clean off with my fingers (any suggestions other that the video for this issue?). Fascinating how CO2 can do A LOT more than just 'feed the plants.' I had no idea how important CO2 is regarding biofilm breakup, gas change, lighting, algae fixes, and decreasing the energy needed by the plant to synthesize light. One more thing: are there any contraindications in having an air-stone running at all times? Great video, thanks again.
Very informative video thank you.
Great video, explains a lot that's going on in my low tech tank.
I do agree with most of the aquascaping competitions going in the miniature train set direction than what their names suggest. A simple addendum to rule set could be that a certain percentage of the photographed tank has to be plants.
Husein bhinderwala yeah they need to get more serious about plant health. They have been ignoring that aspect lately. Thanks for watching. Same day competitions don't help either. Tropica will transport an established aquascape to new locations, such as aquarium conventions. A lot of work, but it can be done.
Great vid. I finally “get it” . Thanks
Very informative. Done sub😘
Thanks, hopefully will have more videos coming this spring or summer. Just busy with the business right now
hi, did I hear it correct that when your light is low or insufficient you have to increase your co2 injection. Nice video btw, new fan here from Philippines.
Yes this is correct. This way the plant can better focus on the available light and not worrying about CO2. It's a simple synergistic relationship between light and CO2. Thanks for watching!
Wonderful content.. Love from India.. Man u got a subscriber... ☺️
Miss your video bro, please do share more 👍👌🙋🏻♂️
that aquarium is so pretty!
Finally you’ve grown beard bro 😂. Although a lot shorter than mine(55 centimetres) 😛😛
As always your videos is not all about earning money. You try to educate and share your knowledge.
Great video as always.
AquaLars FishNShrimps hahaha. My dream is to someday braid it or something. Yeah I see in your pic that yours is super long! How long has it taken to get that awesome? Thanks for the feedback man.
ADU Aquascaping I think the last time I shaved my chin is 8 years ago. After some years I decided to stop shaving my cheeks too 😂.
It’s a lot of work but I don’t like to shave and I also ride Harley so it’s the right look 😂😂.
AquaLars FishNShrimps hahaha nice! That sounds like a good mix.
Super clean tank.. yessir!!!!!
Great vid. What light do you use?
I've spent the evening doing my tanks on your advice I'm sorted thank you
just b aquatics glad to hear. Hope it works out for you and your scape
Great content as usual. I have a question about this co2/light relationship. What if you start adding more co2 than the plant can absorb? I suppose it's just wasted right? And also how do we know what is the max co2 level requirement of the plants?
If I understand correctly, surface skimmers help CO2 leave the tank more easily (which helps with more even CO2 distribution in the tank, even though you will have to use more CO2 input). The second part that I'm still a bit confused about is O2. Skimmers, through surface agitation, allows more oxygen to be introduced? If you point your canister filter output valve towards the surface, I can sort of conceptually see how more oxygen would potentially be introduced as well (?). Anyways, this leads to my main question which is that would also having an air stone (O2) also help in this regard.
In other words, are air stones (O2) and surface skimmers redundant to help O2 be more present in the water, which would somehow help "stability" (still a bit confused about what is more stable) of CO2 levels?
I understand that plants themselves release O2 as part of photosynthesis. It's just thought I was told by a pet shop owner that it's not worth having air stones (O2) because it "competes" with CO2 for being dissolved in water. However, the "aha" moment I had from this video is that maybe having to put more CO2 input is actually a good thing (from a skimmer/surface agitation perspective, but I also wonder from an air (O2) stone perspective).
As the gas flux/exchange is increased it becomes more stable of a flux. The recommended way is via surface agitation. Surface agitation has several benefits. So it's just a good idea to create that gas flux stability all on It's own. Just to have stability for the environment. Additionally, doing this also has several other benefits. It Increases O2 for good filtration and fauna health. Helps microbial fauna too. Makes filtration more efficient. It reduces the scum on the surface both mechanically, which helps with the flux exchange. And it also helps so the scum doesn't grow on your surface because it will start to grow in the filter media instead because of increased O2.
The CO2 and O2 do not compete. There is plenty of water molecules for them to both dissolve into. And most are only diffused. This is why you see suspended O2 and CO2 bubbles. Temperature plays a role in dissolution of gases. 25 degrees C or 77 degrees F with 8 mg/L of O2 is full saturation of O2 in water. If you see your plants pearling from photosynthesis it means that your water is at full saturation of O2. This is why you can see so many bubbles in tbe water because you are at 8mg/L of O2 or more if your temperature is higher than 25 C. But the two gases don't really compete with each other.
The way to conceptualize the CO2 is this: your tank volume hasn't changed but your flux has. So you have to increase the density of your CO2 being pumped into the tank in order to keep your CO2 levels at 30ppm, for example. So you have to turn up your CO2 from having higher surface agitation and a higher gas flux, but your volume stayed the same, so you are getting higher density of CO2 per cubic centimeter, and therefore more suspended bubbles of CO2 are coming in contact with the plant leaves.
This is all about optimization and the reality behind what is going on. It is more applicable to a large aquarium, say 50 gallons or more with a narrow surface area VS a small aquarium or an aquarium with a wide surface area where the distribution of CO2 may not be an issue. A 40 gallon breeder is a great example of where this method can help. A nano 5 gallon won't notice much of a difference for CO2 distribution. But again, higher surface agitation also helps with having higher O2 as well, which then benefits your filter performance and overall fauna health. It's always a good idea to have high surface agitation to improve stability and increase O2, which then creates a stable environment for your plants and fish. The secret is consistency. Plants and fish can adapt to a wide range of parameters. Most methods are arbitrary. The best method is to create stability and staying consistent. Hope this helps!
Links to two threads on the barrreport in the video description.
I’m starting up a high tech 75 gal. Tank with co2, led lighting and a fairly large number of plants. In some videos I’ve watched they stated that the co2 should be turned off at night and an air stone should be run all night until the co2 starts again in the morning. It seems to me this could cause a lot of fluctuation, any thoughts?
Jim Story yeah it is more beneficial and consistent to just have surface agitation 24/7. Thanks for watching
...bruh this is on another level.
Thanks dude! Hope it helped
Where do you currently prefer to put your inline diffuser? I noticed on an older video you put in before the filter so it would saturate more-
Thanks
nice videos where do you buy your light`?
I'm running a powerhead and HOB for flow and surface oxygenation. The HOB is also my backup to the canister.
Zero surface scum but will see when I add pressurized co2 this weekend. Going to start slow and measure my ph/oh as well as a drop checker.
You ever found a way to best distribute the c02 with HOB filters? I can't figure out if I should place it under the intake or have it circulate round the tank.
Nice mustach style😀
Mohandas Hegde haha thanks. Gotta keep it clean for ribs and ramen
So I'm running a 20 gallon tall with a sponge filter, could I just use a circulation pump at the top of the tank to create surface agitation if I'm wanting to add a co2 system?
Yes you can do that to help increase gas exchange! And create stability
@@ADUAquascaping awesome! Thanks a ton
awesome thanx for the video :)
fin doe glad you enjoyed, peace
nice video i ve just connected co2 to my aquascape
Great information thanks. It would be great if you would show the CO2 running so we can see how it's being diffused in you tank. I have a in line diffuser like yours. However to get my PH to 7.0 I have to run 10* BBS on my counter. My PH is 7.8 at night. Takes almost 4-5 hrs to reach 7.0. at that rate. Surface movement is like yours. It seems to me I'm using too much CO2. Should I lower the surface agitation to help maintain a better PH balance?
Well with CO2 because it is a part of the carbon cycle the CO2 either gets gassed off, used by plants, or a very small percentage turns from carbonic acid to free hydrogen and bicarbonate, so that being said, it doesn't have an affect on the buffer the same way other acids do. Your pH goes down because of a slight small increase in free hydrogen, which also disappears as fast when you turn the CO2 off. Then the pH goes back up. If it was really acidified it would not go back up. This is because your buffer really hasn't been impacted
Thanks for your reply. I just put in a few more pieces of driftwood in. I'll see how that goes, I'm hopping that I can drop the PH so I don't have to inject CO2 as much and get a better balance in my tank.
Roma 240 with fluval 3.0 and c02 never get red plants to grow. And never get any Pearling even tried 2 lights any ideas?
Hello. What is your say on DIY Co2 systems with citrus and baking soda? Is it worth it cost wise compared to pressured Co2 canisters?
You want higher pressure for consistent and even distribution throughout the aquarium, but no need if you're going low tech. Could set up a small trial tank with the DIY CO2 . Many tend to create fluctuations and stress the plants
I just started using co2. Is it bad to run co2 24/7? I'm using 0.4 bubbles per second in a 5 gallon with no surface agitation.
Hey i gota question would it be dumb use use a air pump and air stone to agitate the surface while the co2 is running or will the co2 escape more quickly because of the air pump ???
No matter what I just can't get my up aqua inline diffusers to not make mist. I'd try it on the intake, but I'm not down for ruining my filter. Got any tips for me?
Ps you actually do have some of the healthiest plants I've seen.
Pray4Mojo there will always be some mist with an inline diffuser. You can try a reactor if you like. Thanks for the support as always.
Well said ! It took me several months to get where i am today and i believe there's still more to learn in this hobby :)
Aquatic Haus thanks for watching. I just subbed to your channel. Great stuff! Have a Happy New Year man
Thanks alot man! I've been always following you for your informative video sharings , keep it up man and a Happy New Year To You Too!
Great video! Wrap in fertz intro the equation next please
hey man, I grow only anubias and bucephilandra. I have great surface agitation in my 20g tank and I use DIY yeast Co2. Do you think since my surface agitation high, is it gasing off co2 from the tank before my plants take it ?? because I see no improvement in my plants. what's your opinion DIY co2 yeast ?? should I stop using diy yeast co2 ??
wow of everything ive searched about the algae problem ive been having i dropped my lights it sort of slowed things down i then finaly got my co2 green before the lights came on "i was lucky to get green before lights went out" new to this but im almost clear of the nasty stuff but what i have to say is i came across this vid that as nothing in the tittle about algae but answered the question ive been looking for why didnt i find you sooner lmfao ....subscribed.....
Hey man...thank you for all your info on aqua setup. I have one question...i have 2 canister filters, one of them is connected to inline CO2 difuzer. My filter intake(suction) pipes are set diagonally, and my outtake is set on one corner for both filters. The one with CO2 is set to burst down, and the other is set up to agitate surface. Is this good setup?
Thank you in advance.
im subscribing 👍💯
Thanks for watching. Hopefully I have a new aquarium up and running soon!
Been watching this video over and over. It's the only way I learn, lol drill that shit into my head.
Excellent info btw and it's easy to trust you with a beautiful tank behind you with thriving plants and livestock.
How do you keep your ph up with increasing co2 I’m running 6.5 on a 300 gallon planted discus tank I’m using mineralized r o water and the co2 is very tricky
like the beard, like "agitation". combo! happy New year
Dimitris Klonaris I trim my beard and then I trim my plants! Haha. Thanks for watching.
beautiful ADU Last year first video was under some influence This year it's straight like my british telecom mast
I watched all your videos over the years,you really no what your talking about... ADU...someone that really knows what he's talking about and not just telling you to run crazy high silly amounts of co2 in there tanks to solve every problem there is like some of these forums,can't wait for your next big tank,what happened to your big tank you had? how about a moss tank for your next one ?
+Lee Stenning are you really watching anything or you are just saying your wishlist????
Lee Stenning I wish I still had my larger aquarium. I live in student housing now, so space and time is limited.
haha, well I have to keep it straight and sober now that my schooling is getting more serious. You are Polish? I watched your playground video. Your daughter speaks to you in English while you speak Polish!? Is this common to learn English at such an early age? And did you say, поопа сука/пупа сука? ахах. Или что? I don't speak Polish. Я говорю только чуть чуть по-русски. Я новичок.
miss you dude
jessumano al thanks for watching. I will keep uploading! Even if I am not consistent
Glad you made a vid. Don’t be a stranger.
I am using a hang on back filter. Should I turn it off if my CO2 is on?
hello i have a question. ive had plants in my aquarium for more than a year now, low tech. but rececently i got myself a co2 tank and started using it. its been about a week now but my plants are growing at a rate similar to my low tech scape. i dont see any significant difference. would you tell me how long it usually takes to see the difference?
@@ADUAquascaping hello so its been a month. Its doing well now👍🏻. I can see the difference in colour and health of plants. I think the reason why i didnt see the changes at the beginning was because ive been observing them everyday because of the lockdown. During the low tech setup i was rarely home hence whenever i got back i saw significant growth
Love the info provided. It has helped me a lot. I just wanted to ask if it would be ok to use an air pump to get more air into the tank as I'm using a canister filter and a sponge filter for my shrimp. Thanks.
Shershah Nazari it can help add a little more O2, but having more surface agitation of any kind can be good. Try getting more surface movement any way you can.
ADU Aquascaping thanks for the advice. I also wanted to ask is there is a thing as too much surface agitation?
Hey man I hope you can respond to this question because it seems you know what you're talking about; I have a question regarding if I am injecting c02 into my tank correctly.
I have a 75 gallon aquarium running a Aqueon 400 canister filter rated 400gph up to 155g.
The output from the canister has a inline reactor running around 3 bubbles per second and then the water is returned to the tank via two "water clarifying units" basically two hang on back filters.
My drop checker turns a dark green from the dark blue it was not too much of a differance in color.
Do you believe some of the c02 is escaping as the water is returned back to the tank via the two outflow hob filters? I thought reactors should difuse around 99% of the c02 so my thoughts led me to believe the c02 saturated water will be pushed deeper inside the tank as the water returns from the two outflow hob units.
Am I correct or am I losing c02 this way? I can always switch to a spray bar that would return the c02 saturated water directly in the tank.
Any advice is greatly appreciated!!
3 bps is barely anything for a 75 gallon, especially with high surface agitation. lots of people use 3bps in 20 gallons. slowly up your co2 each day to get your drop checker moving. The only advice give you is to not rush things too much, drop checkers take 2-3 hours to change color so it's not a live display,
@@not_ur_senpai866 thanks for the reply you where right I had to up it a little and it is now lime green :)
@@robertcostache6824 great!!
Amazing! Take my sub!
Surface agitantion good for low tech planted tank with non Co2?
Your last statement has me a little confused. Naturally if I increase my Light I should up the CO2 correct? So if I lower my lights because the buce at the upper column are getting GSA, I should still up my CO2 if my plants at the bottom suffer from the decrease in light? Thanks
Yes, because the extra CO2 allows the plants to better utilize the light that is available. Light and CO2 work synergistically. Yes, and if you up your light you should up your CO2 and nutrients. Really you can have high light and high CO2 and have little algae, but if you do have dust algae or GSA lowering light and keeping CO2 the same, or possibly needing to increase it will help the plants down low, reduce algae, and slow down growth, but the growth will still be healthy. Just more sustained. For most hobbyists it is sufficient to have medium light with ample amounts of CO2 and the easiest type of system to balance and take care of. Hope this explains it a bit more. This evidence is also found in actual scientific studies that have been done on CO2 and light. Some plants that prefer medium to low light will actually spread out more in lower light and will get stunted in light that is too high because now they don't have to work as hard to get the light and won't spread out. Anubias and Buces are a prime example of this!
@@ADUAquascaping thanks is for the detailed response. I have buces in very shaded areas but none of my plants seem to show the healthiest growth. I EI dose for a 20 gal tank, twinstar 400S on the 4th lowest dimmed setting and my co2 can't go any higher without my fish starting to swim in a disoriented manner. My dwarf hair grass shows some fuzz algae on it and yellowing blades. Photoperiod is only 6 hours too. Not sure how to get more co2 in the tank because I'm already offgasing with a lily pipe, surface skimmer inlet, and a fan that is right on the surface. There's a lot of surface agitation but signs seem to be not enough co2. Any suggestions?