Archivarium 2004

[marsgnut]

I have succesfully completed a DIY CO2/powered reactor setup. I'm getting great production and everythingg was a lot easier than I had imagined, however... how do I "turn it off" at night? Simply unplug the air line, or should turning off the powerhead be sufficient?

I searched for an answer but got 75 pages of results so forgive me if this question has been asked before.

[anonapersona]

Most people do not try to turn it off.

If the input rate is very high and you are concerned that the fish will be in distress by moring, you can add and airstone and turn it on after lights out ato remove excess CO2 overnight, then replace it all in the morning.

I never bothered with that, I just ran 24/7, most people do.

[marsgnut]

Thanks a lot for the reply. I won't worry about it then.

[TheVillageIdiot]

another thing to do is have 2 or 3 supply sources and allow (if you're using coke bottles to supply the co2) 1 coke bottle to gearup (usually takes 5-7 days), during that time the co2 production is quite high, but it settles after that initial week, you run that first bottle for another week (and have the second one gearing up during that second week) and replace the first one w/ the second one at the beginning of the third week... rinse, lather... repeat...

this should help keep your pH from dropping (esp. if you have soft water) at night and the fish no getting enough oxygen...

also, if you have soft water, you can buffer it by adding baking soda during water changes...

watch the fish in the morning, are they breathing rapidly? "biting" at the surface? (corys seem to do that no matter what... )
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20g planted - 1.5 wpg - pea gravel/sand/laterite - DIY co2