Puttin gas in the tank (castle)

[boozeman]

it's not DIY untill you spill a little blood on it
steve, the milwaukee brand regulators have been known to stick on occasion.

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by boozeman

it's not DIY untill you spill a little blood on it
steve, the milwaukee brand regulators have been known to stick on occasion.

Having dealt with high pressure flammable gas(cough) for years any regulator will stick if you dont wind out the low pressure valve at change over, sometimes the gauges are destroyed, these valves are pretty good, the weak link is the shut off solenoid, if they stick open the risk of a ph crash is quite possible, for the price complete with solenoid and bubble counter you cant go wrong

[Bwlr]

Have you been into fresh water tanks longer than salt water tanks?

I "thought" about having a planted tank years ago, I had a fresh water tank, I got some plants and hitch hiker snails... that's all it took. They were everywhere. How do you deal with them?
I'd rather deal with aiptasia.

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by Bwlr

Have you been into fresh water tanks longer than salt water tanks?

I "thought" about having a planted tank years ago, I had a fresh water tank, I got some plants and hitch hiker snails... that's all it took. They were everywhere. How do you deal with them?
I'd rather deal with aiptasia.

Bwlr, about 2 yrs longer in fresh, we have one tank with snails, no matter how many we catch theres more, having shrimp in the tank means no toxic chemicals so wait and see, the big ram snails see to eat their eggs, were going to try some bumble bee's in the bad tank and see, the big tip in a planted tank is simple, plant it,dont start off with one or two plants or its algae city

[sirrealism]

Hey all well the fresh water tanks are what I did for 10 years before salt so as far as the snails go a loach is the quick cure for them. Id recomend a clown or a yoyo loach they are peaceful and if you get a small one and he cures your problem they are worth more the bigger they get so you can trade them back in. stay away from the blue and the straita ones they can be mean.
Ive always wanted to put the bottle on my 125 but Im scared

[Whiskey]

Great work so far Sasquach!

Whiskey

[Whiskey]

I have no fart jokes to add

Whiskey

[Whiskey]

I have no fart jokes to add

Whiskey

[Whiskey]

Oh great! That has to be a double post!

Whiskey

[cheeks69]

Love the tank Sasquatch ! It appears you have very little flow, is the pump off ? Do you really need CO2 to have a planted tank ?

[PEMfish]

Originally Posted by cheeks69

Do you really need CO2 to have a planted tank ?

To do anything great, heck yeah! But you can do some low light stuff...

You can also do DIY CO2. My magic recipe:

For 25-45 gal:
Take an old, clean 1gal jug,
Drill the cap ( hole size for air line )
Insert line 1.5'' into jug
Silicone it there, both inside and out.
Be sure to use a check valve
Add 2 cups sugar
One teaspoon of active yeast
Add 4 cups hot water
Shake well AFTER 5 minutes from adding water.
Hook end of line into the intake of a power head.
Make sure CO2 isn't coming out and just floating to the surface.
Replace concoction every 6 weeks

For 45-55gal:
Do the same only in an empty, clean 2 liter pop bottle.
Add water till its 1.5 inch from the air line

For 75-110 gal:
Do two of the above ( 45-55 ) only in seprate places of the tank

For 110+:
By bottled.

Monitor PH. It will change as the CO2 level rises, when it needs to be replaced, the PH will tell you... ( note, its not the true PH that changes... complicated )

[PEMfish]

Sas / Teresa was defiantly doing DIY to get that, before the Bottled.

[kathywithbirds]

Monitor PH. It will change as the CO2 level rises, when it needs to be replaced, the PH will tell you... ( note, its not the true PH that changes... complicated )

OK, I get the basics of this CO2 thing, but why is PH going to change?

[PEMfish]

Darn! Someone had to ask about that ( I knew it ). Just kidding, I love talking about tanks.
Like I said, its complex. I`ll be brief.
The Ph measurement ( test kit ) is based on a reaction ( (TK =test kit) TK chem.'s change color based on the amount of Pk in the water.) The more pk the darker the chem.'s will turn. Introducing bicarbonate ions will lower the Ph. The more you add the more the Ph will change, this ties in with Ph buffers. This is were it becomes complex: the chemical equilibria of the components of the carbonate system (CO2, H2CO3, HCO3, CO3) is a little beyond me, i know it but don't quite understand it enough to enplane it. The CO2 is a componite to the system, it affects the amount of ions( Ph ).

[sasquatch]

Originally Posted by PEMfish

Darn! Someone had to ask about that ( I knew it ). Just kidding, I love talking about tanks.
Like I said, its complex. I`ll be brief.
The Ph measurement ( test kit ) is based on a reaction ( (TK =test kit) TK chem.'s change color based on the amount of Pk in the water.) The more pk the darker the chem.'s will turn. Introducing bicarbonate ions will lower the Ph. The more you add the more the Ph will change, this ties in with Ph buffers. This is were it becomes complex: the chemical equilibria of the components of the carbonate system (CO2, H2CO3, HCO3, CO3) is a little beyond me, i know it but don't quite understand it enough to enplane it. The CO2 is a componite to the system, it affects the amount of ions( Ph ).

allow me to clarify. co2 makes water acidic thus lowering ph, low ph makes critters act strange and die lol