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View Full Version : Co2 Balancing Act



swigo
Mon Sep 01, 2008, 09:08 AM
I need advice from the experts out there.

I have a Juwel 400L tank with their standard internal filter. Fish are mainly discus, but have some rams, neons, couple of angels and a few other small fish my missus bought that I don't know what they are. The tank is chock full of plants as well.
I also have sera co2 controller, aquamedic 1000 reactor, aquael cannister with inbuilt uv. Lights are standard from Juwel - 2 x 54w T5, but I have ordered the reflectors as they say it increases the lights by 150%?

On the weekend I changed my inflows from the cannister and internal around a bit, to try and get rid of a few deadspots. I have the spraybar on the opposite side to the internal which I have now pointed directly down to the bottom (before is sprayed straight across the top) I did this try and alleviate the deadspot in that area (which it has done) and so that it didn't break the surface as much as I read this was no good for the co2. Next to the spraybar is 1 x suction for the cannister.

On the opposite end is the juwel internal filter. The outlet to this I have also pointed down now to stir the bottom up as well. Next to this filter I have the other outlet from the cannister and 1 x suction. This outlet goes through the reactor under the tank and is pointed along the back wall of the tank.

After doing these changes on Saturday I woke up this morning and had 1 dead discus and another not looking too good. I immediately turned on my airstone and left it running all day until i got home. The other discus also died during the day.

Is it ok to have my outlets positioned like this? Do you think getting the reflectors will help boost my lighting? I have read that there is a balance between lights & co2? whats the best wpg to have for my tank? I have read someone who has a ehiem 1250 external pump hooked up to a reactor like mine with another inlet/outlet connected - is it better to do this or leave mine the way it is? Should I have my airstone on when the lights go off and and turn off when my lights come back on - since I now have no suface agitation? My bubble counter is set to maybe 1bps.

Sorry for all the questions, but trying to learn from the experts here.