# Drop checker color Q.



## legomaniac89 (Mar 16, 2008)

Sounds about right. When CO2 is at optimal levels, it should turn a lime green/yellow color. Depending on your tank and the how fast you're running the CO2, it should take several hours to get to that point. Mine usually doesn't turn yellow until about two hours before the lights turn off.


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

Thanks legomaniac89. It's been 7 hrs now and the green is a little lighter now. I just started using co2 and will keep a low bubble count and watch the creatures for now. Over the next few days I'll increase the bubble rate. I am running about 2.8 b/s in the 55g and the 30g. For the 10g I am running about 6-7 bubbles every 10 seconds. Fish and rcs are doing fine.

Oh, how long do you have the lights on ?


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

How this looks ?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

That looks good, but do you have 4 dKH water, made from distilled water and a tiny bit of baking soda, in it? It almost reads like you have tank water, which will not work.


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

Hoppy said:


> That looks good, but do you have 4 dKH water, made from distilled water and a tiny bit of baking soda, in it? It almost reads like you have tank water, which will not work.


Hi,

It's the all in one solution ("co2 indicator solution") that comes with the GLA's Water Plant Drop Checker. I've put 10cc inside as per instructions and it was blue for about 2-3 hrs.


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## rickztahone (Jul 20, 2009)

barbarossa4122 said:


> Hi,
> 
> It's the all in one solution ("co2 indicator solution") that comes with the GLA's Water Plant Drop Checker. I've put 10cc inside as per instructions and it was blue for about 2-3 hrs.


Does it have that greenish color right before lights out? If so, you can still up the co2 a bit more


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Hoppy said:


> That looks good, but do you have 4 dKH water, made from distilled water and a tiny bit of baking soda, in it? It almost reads like you have tank water, which will not work.


This ista checker from GLA comes with an all in one solution that has 4dkh and brom blue mixed. 

I've checked it and compared it to other 4dkh standards and results were identical.


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

rickztahone said:


> Does it have that greenish color right before lights out? If so, you can still up the co2 a bit more


Hi,

Yes, in fact I did look to see if it changes color. I'll up the co2 a little but, I want to do it slowly. This is only my 2nd co2 day and I am a bit nervous + my wife will kill me if I manage to gas the Goldies.
What color should I expect to see in the morning ?


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

over_stocked said:


> This ista checker from GLA comes with an all in one solution that has 4dkh and brom blue mixed.
> 
> I've checked it and compared it to other 4dkh standards and results were identical.


Good to hear that. I wonder from were can I purchase just the solution.


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## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

I do not know of anyone that sells just the solution. You do have 4dkh solution though and you could premix it with the other brom blue you have. Just add it slowly till it is a nice medium blue.


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## rickztahone (Jul 20, 2009)

barbarossa4122 said:


> Hi,
> 
> Yes, in fact I did look to see if it changes color. I'll up the co2 a little but, I want to do it slowly. This is only my 2nd co2 day and I am a bit nervous + my wife will kill me if I manage to gas the Goldies.
> What color should I expect to see in the morning ?


In the morning it should be a deep green. It could be a blue color if you are really not using much throughout the day. The way you are doing it is the best way though, slowly but surly. The solution color gets really light green bordering on yellowish, that's when you are right on the cusp of too much co2 and only give yourself a very small window of error.


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## feral13 (Jan 17, 2006)

I got mine in today and its the same. I figure I was running mine a little high (intentional) and it turned from blue to green-yellow.

I took that as too high so I backed off a bit and now its the same color as your picture.


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

Look at it this way - if your CO2 gets to a yellowish-green by the time the photoperiod ends (and your fish aren't showing any signs of being really upset with you), you've pretty much maxed your CO2; there's nothing more you can do. That takes care of CO2, and since you shouldn't be messing with your CO2 until your lighting is in place, the only thing you have left to worry about is fertilizers. 2 out of 3 variables down makes it far easier to balance your tank.


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## mmelnick (Mar 5, 2010)

So is the color changing for you guys overnight just because you turn your gas off?


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## Eden Marel (Jan 28, 2010)

mmelnick said:


> So is the color changing for you guys overnight just because you turn your gas off?


Yes, mine is green now, before it was lime green. I had to disconnect my PB CO2 cuz I had to investigate a leak. It has been off for 12 hours now...


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## mmelnick (Mar 5, 2010)

Eden Marel said:


> Yes, mine is green now, before it was lime green. I had to disconnect my PB CO2 cuz I had to investigate a leak. It has been off for 12 hours now...


 
OK, so when I get my setup (without a solenoid) I should look to maintain a light green color ALL THE TIME???

But with a setup where you shut off your gas at night you are just looking to get close to yellow by the time the lights go out.


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

I have two different types of DCs in my tanks.......Gla's Ista and the glass one (4 dkh and brom). Both show the same color, almost.


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

Hi,

This morning my DPs turned from blue to lime green/yellowish in 3 hrs. Is it too fast?


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

barbarossa4122 said:


> Hi,
> 
> This morning my DPs turned from blue to lime green/yellowish in 3 hrs. Is it too fast?


If it stays at that color through the end of the lighting period, and your fish aren't showing signs of distress, that's fine. It's really right before the CO2 goes off for the day that you'll want to check. That will theoretically be the highest CO2 saturation, though it may have peaked long before that.


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks kevmo911.


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## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

mmelnick said:


> OK, so when I get my setup (without a solenoid) I should look to maintain a light green color ALL THE TIME???
> 
> But with a setup where you shut off your gas at night you are just looking to get close to yellow by the time the lights go out.


If you go without a solenoid, you have to make sure that you manually turn off the gas every day. That seems like more work than it's worth. In addition, you will use up your CO2 cylinder 3x as fast as people with a solenoid (if you don't turn your gas off every day). And since about 2 refills will cost as much as a solenoid, you might as well invest in one. That way, the next time you refill, the solenoid will have paid for itself.

Pumping CO2 when the lights are off is absolutely useless. It does the plants no good if they're not photosynthesizing. And since they're not using up CO2, your saturation levels will likely rise higher than in the lighting period, possibly gassing out your fish. And remember, there is *NO HARM* in a pH drop due to CO2 increase on a daily basis.

Just set your solenoid and lights to the same timer and forget about it.


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## barbarossa4122 (Jan 16, 2010)

My pH was 7 this morning. I'll check when co2 shuts of to see how much it dropped .


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