90 Gallon S.A. Discus/Pleco Tank Journal

[Darbex]

How does CO2 hurt the discus other than accidentally over injecting?

[Complexity]

Accidentally over-injecting is how CO2 hurts discus.

The biggest problem is when the CO2 tank runs dry. The regulator can't measure the pressure properly which frequently causes it to dump a bunch of CO2 in the tank all at once. Hence, the common name of "end of tank dump." This has killed the fish in many people's tanks. And don't think you'll be able to catch it before it dumps. The pressure holds steady until the very end, and then it happens very quickly. Most people find out only after waking up to or coming home to a tank filled with dead fish. When we're talking about expensive fish like discus, the pH controller pays for itself in this regard.

A pH controller prevents the end of tank dump. When the regulator tries to over-inject the CO2 at the end, the pH controller registers the increased CO2 level (decreased pH level, actually) and turns the regulator off by cutting the power to the regulator. The regular can malfunction all it wants, it cannot dump CO2 into the tank when the power is turned off by the pH controller.

[jeebus]

If you want i can take your money ... j/k

You mean take back your money?

Glen, are you using a log or journal of what you are doing with your tank? use this program http://www.joejaworski.com/aqualog/, really simple to use.

No, but I'll look into this one. Thanks!

[Complexity]

What is "tank dump"? As for getting a controller, its on the list, like everything else. In the mean time I've just been running the co2 on what I feel is the "low" end of the ppm spectrum based on testing my levels.

We were posting at the same time. I described the "end of tank dump" just one post above your question.

[Darbex]

Oh yeah forgot about the possible tank dump never happened to me but for expensive fish like discus its well worth it

[jeebus]

Accidentally over-injecting is how CO2 hurts discus.

The biggest problem is when the CO2 tank runs dry. The regulator can't measure the pressure properly which frequently causes it to dump a bunch of CO2 in the tank all at once. Hence, the common name of "end of tank dump." This has killed the fish in many people's tanks. And don't think you'll be able to catch it before it dumps. The pressure holds steady until the very end, and then it happens very quickly. Most people find out only after waking up to or coming home to a tank filled with dead fish. When we're talking about expensive fish like discus, the pH controller pays for itself in this regard.

A pH controller prevents the end of tank dump. When the regulator tries to over-inject the CO2 at the end, the pH controller registers the increased CO2 level (decreased pH level, actually) and turns the regulator off by cutting the power to the regulator. The regular can malfunction all it wants, it cannot dump CO2 into the tank when the power is turned off by the pH controller.

Thanks for the explanation. I'll look into getting a controller and in the meantime will probably just pull my bottle off and get it filled to prevent any issue until I can get a controller.

[myjohnson]

How does CO2 hurt the discus other than accidentally over injecting?

CO2 does not hurt fishes at all in the rights amounts.

All tanks have some carbon in it. Fishes take in oxygen and release carbon like humans.

Plants take in carbon and release oxygen. In nature this balance is met. In our tanks we need to work a little harder at it.

[Complexity]

Thanks for the explanation. I'll look into getting a controller and in the meantime will probably just pull my bottle off and get it filled to prevent any issue until I can get a controller.

Just get the controller. It's not that expensive, and you'll really regret it if something went wrong. You've sunk some good money into that tank. Consider the pH controller a form of insurance to protect your investment.

[Darbex]

Thats why I was trying to figure out how it hurts them

[Complexity]

It hurts then when the CO2 levels are to high. Forgive my lack of chemistry knowledge, but I believe it zaps the oxygen in the tank. Too much CO2 = too little Oxygen = dead fish.

[myjohnson]

It's just having too much carbon that hurts them. The main sign iof a fish tank with too much carbon...the fishes will gasp for air.

That's actually how I use to gauge my CO2 levels. Pump it all the way up until the fishes gasp for air then slowly lower it down. But then again, it was a plant first type tank.

[Complexity]

That's actually how I use to gauge my CO2 levels. Pump it all the way up until the fishes gasp for air then slowly lower it down. But then again, it was a plant first type tank.

Yup, I've done that. You can overdrive the CO2 above 30ppm if you're really careful. I was fighting BBA and wanted a very high level of CO2. Pulled it up to the point of the fish gasping, and then dropped it back down a notch. Definitely above 30ppm. The plants were pearling so much, it looked like a snowstorm in the tank! Plants were growing 1"-2" a day!

[Complexity]

Found the technical answer to how the CO2 kills fish.

http://www.thekrib.com/Plants/CO2/poison.html#3

[mgarrido]

Any update Glen?

[Kiovo]

Yes, he has redone the tank yet again! The plants got out of hand so we ripped a lot of them out, i like it a lot better now. The discus have a lot more room to swim and their colors are amazing.