How To Set Up A Co2 System For Planted Tank

A CO2 system injects Carbon dioxide into the tank's h2o. This enables aquatic plants to have greater admission to Carbon dioxide, which allows a greater option of aquatic plants to abound well in the tank.

In the above flick, y'all can see the CO2 system in its entirety, continued to the filter.

A CO2 organization sounds complicated but it is really pretty elementary once yous get the parts connected out. CO2 systems practise non crave much maintenance over time, though information technology tin can crave some tuning when its first setup. The cylinder does need to be refilled one time every few months though.

3 Cadre parts

A CO2 organisation for the planted aquarium has iii main parts and includes a number of useful accessories. This is 1 area where it is ameliorate to spend on quality parts, than to solve issues arising from using cheaper quality parts afterward on (bug such as leaking tanks or inaccurate tuning of CO2 injection rates). Being cheap on this aspect can costs more in the long run.

CO2 Cylinder

​Refer to motion-picture show 1. This is the metal container that stores Carbon dioxide in compressed form. It comes in various sizes. For a 40gallon aquarium tank, a 5lb cylinder lasts for around 3-four months at a good injection charge per unit. Cost of CO2 refill for a forty gallon tanks should cost less than $5 USD a calendar month.

Regulator (with Solenoid)

Refer to picture show ii. This device releases CO2 gas in a controlled manner from the cylinder. The solenoid connects to a power outlet; the regulator releases CO2 when power is supplied to the solenoid. Past itself, the solenoid is simply an 'on/off' valve that turns on when the power supply is turned on. The catamenia rate of the CO2 gas released is controlled by a needle valve.

There are typically 2 pressure gauges. Ane shows the internal pressure in the cylinder (the one with the higher PSI markings) and the other shows the output force per unit area. The internal force per unit area tells how full or empty the cylinder is.

Diffusion Device (In tank diffusers, inline-diffusers, reactors)

Refer to movie 3. From the regulator, we would typically connect the outflow tubing to a chimera counter, which would be used to guess the rate of flow of CO2 into the tank. The tube that connects to a improvidence device, of which there are 2 pathways. Information technology can be an in-tank diffuser/atomizer where the CO2 tubing from regulator feeds to device inside the tank itself, or an external inline-diffuser/atomizer or CO2 reactor where the CO2 tubing from the regulator feeds into device that attaches to the filter outflow tube/ pipe and follows the flow of water from the filter/pump back into the tank.

​Nosotros recommend using an inline atomizer or reactor (more efficient but also far more than complicated to tune correctly). Both are installed along the filter outflow line which reduces the number of items in the tank itself (this is preferred by aquascapers, every bit it makes for meliorate visuals: less intrusive groundwork equipment parts).

CHECKLIST FOR A BASIC CO2 INJECTION SYSTEM:

i. CO2 cylinder - Pressurized CO2 gas is stored inside, this can be bought from gas suppliers, pet shops or re-purposed from pigment brawl / fire-extinguishers.

2. CO2 Regulator with attached solenoid - the regulator (may come up with ane or two gauges) down regulates the pressure from the cylinder and allows you to inject CO2 at tiny amounts from a highly pressured cylinder. The solenoid is a small device that ordinarily comes already attached to the regulator - it allows yous to time the injection of CO2 using a power timer plugged into the wall power outlet.

3. Bubble counter - some models can be attached directly to the regulator. This allows y'all to observe CO2 gas exiting the regulator.

4. CO2 tubing - this tubing is easily cut and connects the flow of CO2 between parts. CO2 resistant tubing is harder, simply lasts a long time.

5. CO2 diffuser/Inline atomizer/reactor - this is the get out point for your CO2, and each one introduces CO2 into the tank in a slightly different way.

6. One mode check valve - This valve can exist connected betwixt the bubble counter and the regulator to prevent tank water from dorsum-flowing into the regulator when CO2 is turned off. Some bubble counters come with in-build cheque valves.

If you are installing your CO2 arrangement for the first time (or for a new tank), we suggest the following steps:

1. Adhere regulator to cylinder, tighten using a spanner. Make sure that there is a functional O ring securing the connection betwixt the regular and the cylinder. No white record/thread seal/plumber's tape should be used in the connection as the seal is formed between the O ring, cylinder and regulator and not by the threading on the regulator/cylinder.

two. Open up valve on acme of cylinder. You should run into the pressure approximate for cylinder pressure bound. If you accept a solenoid attached to your regulator, no gas will be emitted even if the regular knob is turned on until the regulator receives ability. If the regulator did not come with a solenoid, gas will exist emitted if the knob on the regulator is turned on. If yous hear sounds of gas escaping even when the regulator knob is turned off, chances are the connectedness between the regulator and cylinder is not tight plenty. Close the valve on the tiptop of the cylinder and tighten the connexion.

3. Attach bubble counter and run the CO2 line to your diffusion device.

iv. After attaching the regulator to the cylinder (you would usually need a spanner for this step) and setting up all necessary tubing, it is good to check for leaks using soapy water: using a paintbrush, pigment soapy water over all joints in the organization. If there is a leak, large lather bubbles will exist visible.

Checking for leaks is often neglected, only it is akin to failing to check the handbrakes on a new car: there is depression probability of a real problem, only information technology can become a big problem if discovered at a later stage.

five. Connect upwards the power and check that CO2 flows through the system when power is turned on.

CO2 systems are normally kept hidden in the cabinet together with the filter organization.

HOW MUCH CO2 TO INJECT ?

Side by side nosotros would take the pH/KH of the tank h2o before CO2 injection starts. This is the baseline pH/KH value.

Getting this baseline value is important, as nosotros will want to target a one point driblet in pH with the injected CO2.

As CO2 injection starts, the pH of the tank water volition drib as a portion of the injected CO2 is converted to carbonic acid.

With the risk of oversimplification, a good starting target would be attaining CO2 in the region of 20ppm -35ppm. If using a chimera counter - kickoff at one chimera per second per twenty gallons of tank book, so slowly tune upwards while measuring the pH driblet. (It can take a few hours for the pH to drib fully and stabilize). This can be a procedure that takes quite long to play out if you desire an authentic gauge of CO2 levels.

The way to gauge this is through measuring the modify in pH/KH as a proxy for the amount of CO2 dissolved, equally described in more than detail here. This does require the power to examination pH and KH which is a necessary investment for newer aquarists. Generally, if your KH is between i to x, aiming for a 1 point driblet in pH (from when CO2 injection is off to peak saturation) will put y'all at good levels.

If livestock is already nowadays while CO2 is existence adjusted, livestock must be observed closely for signs of excessive CO2 saturation. In that location can exist a pregnant lag consequence betwixt CO2 adjustment and the time it takes for water to be saturated.

TIMING

We would use an automatic timer to begin CO2 injection at least an hour, if non two hours before the tank lights turn on. Plants draw CO2 most strongly in the initial hours of lite exposure, so having good CO2 levels upon lights on is ideal.

Ane can turn CO2 injection off an 60 minutes earlier the lights off. This does depend on how short the light wheel is; if the light bicycle is six hours or shorter, we would recommend running CO2 for the entire light menstruation.

For well-nigh of our tanks, lights and CO2 injection are turned on for a duration of viii hours per twenty-four hours.

For beginners afraid of algae, using a short light bike such every bit six hours tin can be helpful. For stable, matured tanks, lite duration tin can be pushed to 10hours+ without adverse furnishings.

LIVESTOCK

When releasing livestock into the tank, always release them during the period that CO2 injection is turned off. When levels build up gradually during the next CO2 cycle they volition take some time to adapt.

Here are some helpful related links:

Section for PH / KH explained

Source: https://www.2hraquarist.com/blogs/choosing-co2-why/co2-system-101

Share this post