MicB

I use a standard bottle 30liter and it last about 2 weeks 24 hours per day. Search for my post I did the calcs about six months ago Here it is http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/aqua-o ... 15217.html Cheers Mike

Im using a radio control plane remote fuel needle valve works ok just have to fasten the tubes to it with bag ties for a better fit Mike

Ops 1 per second as you would expect Cheers

My guess is 21.5 to 22.5. Hysterisis is measured from on to off Cheers

On to my th9ird bottle lasting 14/15 days. I am only running 1 bubble per minute the co2 indictor is not in the green but my PH is 7.1 ish. The plants are happy. My java fern has some burn marks on its leaves(Holes). Under the best leaf is 6 java roots so I have offspring on the fern. I am pruning once a week the faster plants

If you turn the thermostat up and down now as it swiches on and of that should be the present water temp Does this correspond to the temp on the thermostat. leave turned up slightly and leave and see if it raises the temp and turns of again. Cheers

I think the last water change has caused a few deaths this week. I use cold water for water changes 25% = 40l. I have read somewhere that copper can effect fish from the hot water tank. My temp crashed down to about 21 from 27. I only lost adult guppies no babies. Tetras OK bristlenose Ok Redtail shark Ok. So is the copper an issue if so how do you preheat your water or is a little hot water OK. The fish got clamped gills and then started shimering and would die pretty quick. I have treated with meds for fin problems etcs but has not helped the serious ones. Thanks Mike

Looks like an Aquaone AR620 = 90liters Mike

I want to improve my lighting but am restricted because it is an aqua one hood. When I saw your lighting I thought yea thats me. And so I did some research hence the links on T5. Just like Co2 we all want it but it comes at a cost and is the cost justifable. If your camera was distorting the final effect or rather enhancing it. I could go out and buy $200 dollars of light and have no gains. Because T5 output the same as T8 it is the T5HO(high Output) that makes the better output. But then you have to get the correct Kelvin lamps. I see some nice systems in the US that are not available in NZ as we are to small of an consumer. I have looked at compact lighting also only to find the availabilty of parts in NZ lacking. I do not doubt that your lighting has improved. Other information that people require when producing something like this is actually measurements before and after or even links to web pages showing the difference (like I supplied) and then showing your photos. Could you give us more info on your system like the lamp details (Watts, Colour,)Are your lamps HO lamps Because I think its a new system and worth learning more about. The thing that sticks with me is the life of the tube and the fact the output stays above 90% for a very long time and so the costs of the tube are beneficial. What was the cost of the system are more kits being imported or is it specialized to aquarium usage only. Can you get replacement lamps and what cost. We are a nation of doing things on the cheap and prefer to make sytems by sourcing our own parts to keep costs down or improve on systems that already exist. Dont take the comments as negative but people seeking understanding. Cameras can distort pictures and may influence others less informed to go and spend money ( and there are people that want to rip others off)where as others will challenge the results to make people aware that while the results are improved the camera can enhance the results to the unwary. Thanks Mike

I to think the camera has distorted the actual improvement. In the first shot a flash was used. The fish eyes and the front bottom edge of the aquarium frame shows the flash. However here are some links to T5 tubes quiet interesting First page http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/l ... t5/pc1.asp this pages compares T5 T5Ho and T8. T5 = T8 < T5HO Thttp://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/ ... t5/pc7.asp Maintain good output http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/l ... t5/pc9.asp Comparison page of 3xT8 tubes to 2xT5HO http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/l ... 5/pc11.asp Interesting web site Prices for lamps http://www.thornlight.co.nz/default.asp ... n=products starcoat T5 Also need to change ballasts and end caps Cheers

My first bottle ran out on 29/8/06. So it lasted 15 days which is what I expected. I was experimenting with different flow rates so may get a bit more out of this one now I have some experience with flow adjustments. When putting the reg on this bottle the brass fitting on the bottle started turning so I will use a 22mm ring spanner also for holding this fitting when tightening up from now on. I did not get the full 300 grams of gas from the bottle I was 35 grams short (2 days worth).I dont think I lost that much putting the reg on! The starting weight of my new bottle was 10 grams under the stamped starting weight. You have to weight each bottle before you start as there appear to be several different bottle specs(tare weight .91kg and 1.2kg) both have 300 grams of gas though. Plants look good Cheers

Heres my experiences http://www.fnzas.org.nz/fishroom/aqua-o ... 15217.html Cheers

I see my lfs selling aqua onr filter materals for about $10. I make my own. I was in Spotlight( no not on my own with wife) and They have a material called wadding. U use it for furniture I think. I got a couple of square meters for $7 I think I will last a while. Once wet it thins out. Works well Cheers

Didn't know if to put this here or make an article This is my experience of different methods, your results may differ. You accept these technics at you own risk. I can not be held accountable for any damage or injury you may experience. Aqua one Soda Stream myth busted, Flourish Excel, Sera Co2 Tablets, DIY Co2 I have tried some of the more common approaches to maintaining a planted aquarium. While these do keep plants alive they are well short of the vibrant rich greens you see in books and the Internet. I have presently installed CO2 using a soda stream bottle in an Aqua One AR850. One of the not plant friendly features of the AR series is the wet dry filter up in the hood. This has a tendency to remove co2 from the water because of the aeration it receives on its journey back to the tank. They are nice tanks with minimal clutter in the tank so the amount of co2 required to maintain a suitable level for the plants was always going to be higher than an internal filter system. But there are ways to reduce the agitation of water as discussed later. Lighting in these tanks is minimal also for planted tanks and may have impact on the effectiveness of the different products I tried When I brought a plant it would never look as good as the day I brought it. The lower leaves would get spots of alga then holes and look crap. Parts of leaves would hang off the plant in the current and it would totally distract from the concept of fresh growth and an interactive growing habitats for the fish. I like many others I tried DIY Co2, I never got a good run, only peaking in the zone for 2 to 3 days and running out soon after. Later brought a Hagen unit as I thought the temp fluctuations from day to night might be impairing the yeast production. These units have a thick wall cylinder and are well insulated but again I did not get the life expectancy that the makers claimed. The time to get each batch up and running and the general time involved for the maintenance of DIY was frustrating. I tried Flourish Excell and while this does a better job than DIY CO2 in my aquarium, growth is still slow and alga does form on the slow growing plants. Internode distance is bigger but I find a lot of roots also at these points. $29.00/250ml - 5ml/day =50days -$0.58 /day = $17.40/month I tried the Sera Co2 tablet system for 6 months I don’t think the CO2 had much effect but rather the minerals that are in the tablet that are released at the same time. I could go sometimes several scheduled applications and not put a pill in and the plants maintained their condition. The Co2 disappeared usually within 4 hours and I was only treating every second day so very little Co2 was contributing to the growth of the plants. $13.00/20pills I think recommended for my tank 165l is 1 per day so $20/month. So the question we all ask and search the net for is how much to run C02 bottles and how do you do it? I calculated I would use 2 soda stream bottles per month so the cost would be $20 for a C02 system and all the benefits of Co2 Just have to get a reg and needle valve I received a quote from Boc with a monthly charge of $10 and a gas charge of $26 for a D size Bottle which holds 2.24kg of Co2 ( 7.46 soda stream bottles) $ 10 + 7 gas /month and a reg and needle valve. So we get to the regulator costs. I see quotes on the net for about $150 for a normal gas bottle type reg. Many aquarists in Holland use soda stream bottles so it must be feasible. I got my reg for a soda stream bottle from ToolsOnline.co.nz for $75 brand new. They use them on soda stream bottles for welding . It has good pressure control range. There is not a gauge on it, that is the only problem. I have a quote for a swaglock(NZ) for needle valve of $110 this is the B-SS6 instead of the B-SS4 many USA uses use. The BSS6 is for 6mm hose which is the Sera C02 hose size rather than the US 1/4inch hose. I read somewhere someone used a radio control plane needle valve. I ordered an ASP remote needle valve from Galtech.Co.Nz. Cost $20 to try before spending $110 on the swaglock system. The needle valve works but does not have good control I find setting to closed and using the reg to change the rate of flow is best. If you open the needle valve one click it just floods the reactor. So while it does work it does not have the control that others remark about the swagelock. I have to tie the Co2 lines on the remote needle valve also otherwise it leaks around the hose. These fittings are designed for a smaller hose. I use metal bag ties and has worked till now. Could still be a place of leakage around the needle assembly although placing in water to find bubbles seems pretty good at the moment. So I think I will go to the correct needle valve shortly. I am using a sera reactor to bubble the Co2 into the tank at the rate of 30bubbles per 25 secs. I have also reduced the water agitation by placing a large piece of polystyrene ¾ the size of the outlet section of the filter to reduce the bubbles on the tank inlet. I can hold my polystyrene over the outlet and let the water build up when I let it go the water can not hold the polystyrene down and it pops up so it should not overflow the system if any thing goes wrong. Others have tried changing the flow down the outlet using straws and pipe but this also reduces the volume of water that can get down the outlet. The water supply for the reactor I drilled the last hole of the filter spray bar big enough to screw a garden spray fitting (300mm extension to hose connector) and connected some air line tubing ran it down the overflow on the outlet and to the reactor. I also modified the reactor and put an another threaded connector on top of it. The sera reactor is not suitable for drilling it is very brittle so if you can get a hose to fit the better. I have brought 2 soda stream bottles of trade me so I have a spare all the time $25 inc postage. I weigh the bottle and reg each morning and am using approx 17 grams of Co2 per day based on 10 days usage. A soda stream bottle has 300 grams of C02 liquid. Based on this I will get 17.5 days of gas per bottle. The weight combined with the reg is 1.6kg so when it gets to 1.4kg I will be getting low if not out of gas. You do loose a small amount of gas putting the reg on because of the design. As it screws on it depresses the pin on the bottle so the last ¼ to ½ turn requires a quick twist using a spanner. I put the bottle in the vice to hold the bottle. Wear gloves and safety glasses. Co2 escaping under pressure is very cold and ice will form around the leaking area. I have noticed improvements in my plants that I have not experienced before using other methods. My plant knowledge is not great I have 3 basic types – Green, Red and Dead. My plants do not pearl! I have had a half-dead piece of what I think is Java fern. This is the main plant that shows signs of activity. If I look under the leaves there are many small bubbles of O2. There appears a new growth coming of the main stalk looks like a Punga frond. I have Difformus these stalks are now 3 – 4 times thicker on the new growth and the internodes appear to be closer together than using flourish. I have a small plant that was basically dead it was covered in algae, scanky dead parts, its about 50mm diameter. It is twice the as tall in ten days and has shot a spike out with new roots 75mm away. I have two crypts that are producing a new left about each 3 days. I am using a C02 indicator to assess the Co2 content in the tank I though that although the filter does release co2, being enclosed it may re enter the water being confined in the filter area. I light a match and placed in the filter area but it was not put out so maybe not much is being released For what appears to be the same monthly cost I am getting results I have never experienced before. Volume in a soda stream bottle 300grams Co2 C02 = 44 grams a mole 300/44 = 6.81 moles 1 mole of gas = 22.4 litres of gas 6.81 x 22.4 = 152 litres of gas So I am injecting 152/17 = 8.9litres per 24 hours Soda stream bottles come in 3 sizes. The common size and smallest is the 30l. This makes 30 litres of drink not 30 litres of gas. The 40l have a different size thread and are sold at the warehouse for the machine that they sell. See the soda stream site. Co.nz. So if I use a solenoid I could cut my gas cost in half and finally get some payback $10/month. It would require a test to see the diffusion rate of Co2 out of the water and back in each day. May be one of those things to just leave running non-stop. My Co2 indicator is spot on first thing in the morning and a bit bluer later in the day. Cheers Mike

Not enough to create any ice. So I thought minimal Cheers

Only about 1 sec reduced flow. Weighing bottle each day and I know The weight when I started so will see if I get 300grams of Co2 or less will indicate the amount lost. I didn't weigh the reg on it own before assembly unfortunitly Cheers

Like any high pressure Hand tight is not good enough. I use a 250mm cresent. I put the bottle in a wood vice screw the reg on by hand to when co2 just releases, back of a shade, put the cresent on and give it a quick turn. Only about a quarter turn or less I think from memory. There is a couple of flat edges on the top of the cylinder that may take a ring spanner but I put in the vice. Would not try to hold the bottle and do it. Use safety glasses also as I read one incident of a user who put a reg on and the diaphram bust and dumped all the gas very quick so may be a slightly open reg is best and then turn off Cheers

Yes I am on day 9 of my first bottle, all going well Monitoring it and will report after first fill learnt a couple of things already. Easy to mount on soda stream bottle also Cheers

Yes my system is the same as yours try the two methods above to stop the rattle Let the air out. My lids used to rattle to but I dont touch them now Cheers

Since trying the polstrene trick my fish are totally different. They are schooling and moving all around the tank. I wondering if it was the small bubbles of air that used to come from the outlet that got pushed into the middle of the tank kept the fish out of that area. Appears to be a totally different tank. hmmm unusual will keep my eyes open for anything else. Cheers Mike

I just gave my pump a good service and there is a small hole at the top of the out let that joins the top of the motor cavity. It is so small 1.5 - 2mm and gets blocked easily this normall drains air from motor area. I gave mine a good clean and did not need to purge by the normal above method so I guess if it is humming it may need that little hole cleared. Cheers Mike

I just tried the polystyrene with great success I'm using to reduce the agitation with my co2 system. Thanks

I have an AR850 Tank and am presently just started injecting co2 from soda stream into it after trying many others systems. Firstly you do not want to inject co2 into the ar uptake as the co2 will dissapate out in the top of the filter. I am injecting mine on the outlet end of the tank near the front of the tank on the side. I am using a sera reactor with about 1 bubble \sec and have increase to about 30 bubbles /20 secs as a trial. Flurish excel does a reasonable job to keep plants alive. I have also used the sera co2 tablets. I am testing to see the cost difference betwwen the three and benefits and will post soon hopefully Cheers Mike

Yes I to have an AR850 that gives the noisey pump. I find it is air cavitating in the top of the pump. After each water change I remove the short 90 degree bend on the top of the pump that goes to the horizontal pipe over filter material. This lets you slide the pump back of the holder under the whole filter system inside the tank. As this slides back you will see air run out of the top of the pump. Put the sytem back together and she should be quiet as a mouse. The water level must be higher than the top of the pump obiviously Thanks Mike

hi, I to have an AR850 tank with plants in it. What is the CO2 system you are using? I have tried DIY CO2, Hagen system, Flourish and Sopda stream and now Sera Tablets. The DIY Co2 was a pain it never lasted much more than a week and the flow was irregular. The hagen system was the same but just a smaller unit. It was better insulated. I used flourish for a while the plants grew slowly but did grow. No mess system. They were not bright green like CO2 tanks tho. I tried CO2 I stuck a wedge in the soda stream button and had a nice slow flow of gas it worked Ok till the temp dropped over night and I had gas rushing into the tank. All my fish were doing Kayak rolls in the top, stund mullets. I put a air stone in after 15 minutes the guppies came around and after 45 minutes the bottoms feeders got up and moved around. I used the Hagen ladder to diffuse the bubbles into the water. The plants were noticeably better with CO2 even after 5 days. After the second failure of dupping Co2 into the tank early in the morning I took it out. I have been using the CO2 Tablets from Sera. I experiment with them in a coke bottle weighted in the tank. The gas was gone in 2 Hours. But the plants look bright green I think its more the sediment left by the pill that helps the plants. I got a proper Sera CO2 holder and the gas lasts for about 6 hours now. No idea why its longer in it. It cost about the same as the Flourish excell but better results. I use 1 pill ever 2nd day so for $13 i get 40 days Co2 $.33 per day. This equals the monthly hire for a CO2 Bottle from BOC. I used a CO2 indicator for the Soda stream system and yes you can get the correct amount of gas in the tank even with the trickle flow of the filter removing a lot of the gas out.I was going to weigh the soda stream bottle to find the flow rate and how long a bottle would last but the temp swing forced me to stop the test during winter. A regulator is the obivious fix for this problem. They recommend 15ppm of CO2 for plants. I hope some of my errors and findings help you. Cheers