# How many co2 bubbles per minute in my bubble counter



## kid creole (Dec 25, 2008)

All bubbles are different, but with that being said, 1.5 s/bubble sounds really low.

On the drop checker, I've found that you want to be more towards the yellow than the blue. Depending on where I put it in the tank, mine ranges from yellow to yellowish green.

I'm pretty new to planted tanks and CO2, so get more opinions than just mine.


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## Postal Penguin (Mar 30, 2009)

With a pH controller you can "theoretically" bump the bubble rates up quite high. My tanks have uncountable BPS(too fast) because the crappy needle valves I have shut off otherwise. This can be dangerous if the solenoid ever sticks as the tanks will be rapidly be poisoned. Try bumping up your BPS. In a 90g you will likely need something in the range of 4-5+ BPS. 

Do you have the system on a timer? If so try turning it on earlier before lights on.


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## Jeff5614 (Dec 29, 2005)

What type of lighting and how much are you using?

I'm probably somewhere in the 5 bps range on a 75 gallon tank using a DIY reactor with some pretty decent surface agitation. I don't know about the Reactor 500 but as far as the drop checker you'd like a nice lime to almost yellow depending on what your fish can tolerate. I would gradually begin adding more CO2 while keeping a close watch on your fish. Be sure they're not gasping at the surface or just hanging around on the bottom, in other words acting "normally". If you begin to see pearling within two hours of lights on which becomes more vigorous as the day goes along and the fish are acting fine then I think you would be in a good place. Just keep in mind to add CO2 gradually. Be sure you have good circulation in your tank to distribute the CO2 and good surface movement to keep the water oxygenated.


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## GTR (May 27, 2009)

I have to run an almost steady stream of bubbles in my 90. I'm using a controller set to a pH of about 6.3. At that rate though the controller does shut of the CO2 at least a few times during the light cycle. I'd like to wean myself from the controller but I'm not home long enough to camp at the tank. I doubt the on-off cycling of the CO2 is the best way to keep CO2 levels steady.

SteveU


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## serreid (Aug 22, 2009)

*Still need help with this*

My ph controller shuts off my co2 once or twice daily as the co2 drops my ph to 6.7. I don't want to hurt my fish so since my ph holds at 7.1 adding the co2 drops it to a level of 6.7. Any other suggestions on what I should do???


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## GTR (May 27, 2009)

I'd try lowering the pH setting on the controller some if you can be around to keep an eye on the fish. 7.1 to 6.7 isn't much or maybe better said might not be enough.

SteveU


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## Postal Penguin (Mar 30, 2009)

The pH of my tap water is 8.1 and I've dropped my tanks to 6.5-6.7 without problems.


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## serreid (Aug 22, 2009)

*I will try this week*

Ok so I will try increasing the co2 bubbles slightly this week and we shall see what happens. The one question I stll have is since I am going to increase the co2 won't that shut off my ph controller quicker since co2 acts as an acid. Like I said before I am afraid of adjusting my ph controller because I don't want to have too much of a ph swing due to the health of the fish. Any thoughts anyone???


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## BottomFeeder (Jul 26, 2008)

You may find that you need to add more of a buffer so that the co2 doesn't impact your pH as much. 

I'm not an expert, and relatively new to pressurized co2 so don't take this as gospel, but in my tank my water is naturally soft with little hardness. From the tap I see about 3 dKh and in mature tank water I see 0-1 dKh so I have to add some crushed coral to help with buffering. That raises my dKh to 4-5 which allows for more co2. 

On my 29g tank which is pressurized I'm running about 2.5 bps, my drop checker is a nice lime green, and the fish are not impacted at all.


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