Best way to set up co2 on a rack ???

[bailey88]

I'm thinking of setting up a DIY co2 system on my 3 tank rack do I need to put diffuser in all 3 tanks or could I just put it in one tank or bottom of sump need some advice or tips please ????? Thanks In advance Brendon

[northboy]

Go the old fashion way, bell jars? I have used a Minni upside down tank in each tank you want Co2, with a bubble feed to each jar so you have control, if it is mounted near a power head it is circulated around the tank. It is something i have used in the past and it works well, don't know where you can find a diagram though, if you want to go that way I can give a better explanation?

Bob

[bailey88]

Bob you lost me at bell jars sorry I'm a noob when it comes too co2

[northboy]

A bell jar is a Minni tank upside down in the main tank, I have seen jam jars used to.The Co2 dissolves in to the water and you need good circulation to distribute it, its the cheapest option, you have controlled by the number of bubbles you put into each jar. I will do it in one of the systems when I build the fish room, don't know where you can find a diagram though. All the people using Co2 now have the pleasure of using injection styles so it will depend if you want to spend lots of cash or not and injecting into the return line you wont have individual control.

The draw back is you have to hide the Bell jar some way!

Bob

[bailey88]

Ill have a google search bob thanks for giving me some sort of idea much appreciated

[Triggs]

I'd personally use a diffuser on each tank. If you ran one in the sump you'd be loosing co2 as it's diffused into the sump and then again as it flows into the other tanks. Your co2 rate wouldn't be as high as if you had a diffuser in each tank.

[bailey88]

Thanks for your input triggs is it easier to control the ph that way ?? Or DIY co2 doesn't Affect ph

[Triggs]

Thanks for your input triggs is it easier to control the ph that way ?? Or DIY co2 doesn't Affect ph

DIY or Bottled, Same difference. Both will effect your pH. This is one of the reasons co2 and shrimp don't tend to mix so well.

To have stable pH with co2 you'd usually increase the KH to buffer against pH swings. However since CRS only like a KH of 1-2 trying to stabilize the pH with co2 with such a low KH is pretty difficult. This leads to pH swings which CRS again aint a fan of (Bloody perfectionist shrimps! lol).

Most of the time the larger the body of water, The easier it is to maintain correct water parameters. However if you ran co2 on say 3 tanks through the sump so 4 tanks. You'd end up getting different rates of co2 in each tank, Which would be constantly fluctuating almost on a minute by minute basis depending on how much co2 is being pumped into the tanks at any given time. This could/would most likely end up in a BBA outbreak as your co2 would be inconsistent.

By running the co2 through individual diffusers in each tank you would have the set amount you're after in each and every tank. If you set it to a lower 1bps rate by the time it was diffused in your main tank and made it's way back to the sump most of it would have gone.

However if you diffused it through the sump you'd want a higher rate to not only feed all the tanks but to also ensure you had enough co2 by the time it was pumped into each individual tank. so say again you had 3 tanks and you ran a diffuser in the sump at 3bps. That doesn't mean each tank will actually get 1bps worth of co2.

I hope I've explained this properly. With co2 I'd suggest reading as much as you can before you start running it. It's not a really simple thing and will affect your water parameters, oxygen levels etc etc etc.

Most shrimp keepers won't run co2 in their tanks. And instead use lower maintenance plants that will grow without it. Sure the more experienced guys will run some co2 in their tanks, But you will find they run much lower rates and well let's be honest here. They know what they're doing and what to look out for etc.