# CO2 drop checker working? pearling?



## Planteater (Aug 6, 2009)

Hi,

I just put in a cal aqua drop checker 4 hours ago, and the liquid's color has not changed. And yet, I have bubbles coming of my leaves, tiny little bubbles and the occasional glug, and these are from leaves that are on the opposite side of the tank from the diffuser. my diffuser bubbles drift a bit but I dont see them making it across the tank, so I can only assume that these pearling bubbles are coming out of the water itself.

Is this a correct assumption? Is it possible to have too little CO2 in your water and have bubbles forming on your plant leaves at the same time? wouldn't those bubbles mean the water has all the CO2 it can take?

But if so, why does my drop checker show not enough CO2?

Thanks for clearing this up for me!!

Planteater


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## Blue_Alien (Jul 31, 2009)

The bubbles forming on the plants are oxygen that is created during photosynthesis. I don't know much about drop checkers as I just ordered mine yesterday.


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## airborne_r6 (May 2, 2008)

Mine usually takes a while to adjust when I first put it into my tank. After about the first day it starts adjusting more rapidly.


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## hbosman (Oct 5, 2006)

It takes awhile before the drop checker reacts to the co2 in the water. It can take Several hours. Are you using 4 kdh water? You don't want to use tank water in the drop checker because phosphates in the water can alter the reaction.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

I'm also using a Cal-Aqua drop checker and not seeing any color either. I've had mine installed for about a week and have seen no change so, I'm wondering if we've both done something wrong? The instructions said to just fill the bell halfway with the included solution so, maybe we both missed something?


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## Planteater (Aug 6, 2009)

yes i just filled it half way with the cal aqua solutionfollowing directions. I assume the solution is perfectly tuned. got my calaqua checker at GLA. i wonder if they answer questions and emails. 

So if the bubbles i am seeing are 02, and I only see them after my CO2 injection gets going, then it means that the plants are eating CO2 and expelling O2. One would still expect that it means there is a measurable amount of CO2 in the water then, since I only see these bubbles in association with CO2 injection, and never without it.

I wonder why I get no change in the drop checker.


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## JSmith (Jun 12, 2009)

Try taking it out of the tank with the fluid still in it and see if it turns dark green. If it does, its working....More co2 is needed to get the lime color...As soon as my co2 turns on it is dark, but by the time i get home from work it is a nice lime color..


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## Planteater (Aug 6, 2009)

The fluid is dark green now, it was before it was put in the tank, and it does not change taken out of the tank. the color simply does not change.

i cranked my c02 up and got to the bottom of my ph scale (ati 6.0) with a ph of at most 6, possibly lower, a fall down from my typical range 6.8-6.4, and still no sign that the cal aqua drop checker is checking anything at all.

It takes me about 10 minutes max to measure my kh and ph. what is the benefit that I am getting with a drop checker if it takes so long to register anything: some people said a week, some said a few hours. the instructions said a couple hours, i think. my experience is it never registers anything. Even if it works the way it is supposed to, how is so long a wait useful in any way?

I am really mystified by the whole question of drop checkers and really regret throwing my money away on one.

thanks for any clarifications!

Planteater


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Well, if it makes you feel better, I just tried taking mine out of the water for awhile and still have clear solution so, I'm thinking there must be something wrong with the solution itself. Maybe a bad batch? I think I might have some old solution around somewhere that I'm going to try instead.


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## hbosman (Oct 5, 2006)

Digsy said:


> Well, if it makes you feel better, I just tried taking mine out of the water for awhile and still have clear solution so, I'm thinking there must be something wrong with the solution itself. Maybe a bad batch? I think I might have some old solution around somewhere that I'm going to try instead.



Maybe send a note to GLA to ask, whats up.


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## hbosman (Oct 5, 2006)

I use a drop checker with 3 drops of bromthymol blue and half the globe filled with 4 KDH water. I bought the cheaper drop checker that GLA sells and extra bottles of 4 KDH from them. I am not sure if your particular drop checker is supposed to be used in the same way.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

You need to use water which starts out as distilled or deionized, with just enough sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in it to raise its KH to 4 dKH. Then you add about 3 drops of bromothymol blue pH indicator solution to that water. This will make the water a strong blue color, never green. If it is green you aren't using 4 dKH distilled or deionized water.

When you put the filled drop checker in the tank water it takes about 2 hours, perhaps a little more, for the color to become green, assuming there is about 20-45 ppm of CO2 in the water. If it stays blue, or just becomes a dark blue green color, you don't have enough CO2 in the water - much less than 20 ppm. If it becomes yellow you have too much CO2 in the water - more than 40 ppm or so. All drop checkers work that way.


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## snoz0r (Jun 6, 2008)

is it weird that my drop checker is on the other side of the tank, nearly pee yellow during the day and my fish have never reacted differently? new fish have a harder time acclimating but i drip them for a long time..


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## BottomFeeder (Jul 26, 2008)

I just bought my drop checker a week or two ago. Works like a charm. I see lime green using a regular diffuser at about 3 bps.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

After testing the solution in another drop checker, in another tank it would appear that there is nothing wrong with the solution. It changed almost as soon as I put it in my other tank. Apparently I must be diffusing my CO2 extremely poorly in the tank with the nano drop checker. I wouldn't have guessed since I'm at about 2-3 bps.


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## Planteater (Aug 6, 2009)

I think some of the people answering my thread are unaware of the calaqua drop checker, which has an all-in-one solution. unfortunately unlike digsy, who was my ally here, I simply cannot believe that there is something wrong with my tank. I can crank co2 way up and see massive pearling all over the tank, and sharp declines in ph, or I can shut it down, stop the pearling and stabilize ph. whatever I do I see no change.

I still dont see the point of a drop checker if I can test kh and ph in a few minutes using ati kits.

planteater


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Planteater said:


> I still dont see the point of a drop checker if I can test kh and ph in a few minutes using ati kits.


The pH/kH/CO2 relationship only works if there are no other factors affecting kH in the tank. Unfortunately, kH test kits are only so good, and cannot measure other factors that may influence kH readings.

Drop checkers also provide at-a-glance readings of your CO2 levels.

It is possible that the (all-in-one) drop checker solution has gone bad. I would make up a new 4 dkH reference solution and add some bromothymol blue to it before adding it to your Cal Aqua drop checker.


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## Planteater (Aug 6, 2009)

i guess if it is at a glance there is some benefit, as long as it works. i will have to look into getting what i need to make my own solution and see how that goes....


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## hbosman (Oct 5, 2006)

Planteater said:


> i guess if it is at a glance there is some benefit, as long as it works. i will have to look into getting what i need to make my own solution and see how that goes....


You've already made the investment in the glass. Try the 4 kdh water and bromthymol blue. Drop checkers are used regularly and thought to be of benefit by quite a few people. I broke mine during cleaning and found it worthwhile to replace it. I still double check using the kh and ph chart but, it is handy to verify at a glance if levels are good. You never know when the water company is going to increase phosphates in the tap water and that will alter your kh - ph readings.


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## o snap its eric (Jan 12, 2004)

drop checkers is only an estimate of CO2 in the water. There is lag time on the measurement. If you are seeing pearling and good growth on your tank then you should be fine. 

I would call GLA and let them know it might be a bad batch of their solution. Also make sure you are putting in the right solution (if you have the double checker).


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## Planteater (Aug 6, 2009)

I have the single checker. i contacted GLA and they were very quick to send me another batch of solution. They were polite but reading between the lines it seemed they were dubious, claiming no one has ever had this problem before and it is very strange. I believe them, but I dont know what I am doing wrong.

Should there be air in the drop checker or should the bubbles be let out? Or, in other words, does the drop checker work by off-gassing or by contact with the water? unfortunately it comes with no directions. i cant believe every single person who gets one knows exactly what to do though.


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## conduct (Mar 25, 2005)

I have the CAL Aqua Double Check Drop Checker and mine will change between 1-2 hours after I replace the solution.


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## Planteater (Aug 6, 2009)

i just read up on it and it is supposed to work by off-gassing. so, i dont know whats going on. my plants are pearling and growing and fine. i want the checker for the sake of my fish.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Planteater said:


> Should there be air in the drop checker or should the bubbles be let out?


There should be air in the drop checker. The only liquid that should be in the bulb of the drop checker is the 4 dkH reference solution along with the bromothymol blue indicator solution. The rest should be air.



Planteater said:


> Or, in other words, does the drop checker work by off-gassing or by contact with the water?


As you have found out, the drop checker works by diffusion of CO2 and not through direct contact with the water. CO2 from the aquarium water diffuses from the water to the air inside the drop checker. The CO2 in the air then diffuses into the liquid that is in the drop checker. The bromothymol blue will change colour according to how much CO2 dissolves into the indicator solution.


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## SPECIAL||PLANS (May 27, 2009)

there has to be something wrong with the recent batch of testing solution gla has been mailing out. i've also had my drop checker for about a month and have not seen it change color once no matter what i do. the fluid has remained clear the entire time. i called around and bromothymol blue pH indicator solution can be ordered online or purchase logically from a 9-5 m-f chemical industry supplier. you won't find it at a home depot.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

SPECIAL||PLANS said:


> the fluid has remained clear the entire time. i called around and bromothymol blue pH indicator solution can be ordered online or purchase logically from a 9-5 m-f chemical industry supplier. you won't find it at a home depot.


The fluid should not initially be clear, it should be a deep blue colour.

Bromothymol blue can be ordered online or purchased from pharmacies (if you are lucky). The easiest way to get it is to simply purchase API's pH test kit. Their pH test kit reagent consists of bromothymol blue.


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## Digsy (Mar 4, 2006)

Darkblade48 said:


> The fluid should not initially be clear, it should be a deep blue colour.


The fluid that comes with the drop checkers made by CalAqua is clear.


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## hbosman (Oct 5, 2006)

Digsy said:


> The fluid that comes with the drop checkers made by CalAqua is clear.


If I were you, I would lose the CalAqua fluid and use Bromthymol Blue and 4 KDH water. It works and is simple and cheap. You guys are stressing to much about the fluid that comes with the kit. If it would work, fine but, it sounds like it is causing you to much confusion. Just my thinking.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

I'm pretty sure the CalAqua fluid is just 4 dKH water, so you have to add a couple or three drops of pH reagent to the fluid in the drop checker. That will turn it blue, and it will stay blue until the drop checker has been in your tank at least a couple of hours, with your tank water at 20+ ppm of CO2.


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## B16CRXT (Feb 7, 2009)

I agree. I have the cheapie little Red Sea Indicator, and it works flawlessly. It says to put 1ml of aquarium water in it with two drops of their solution though. How would I go about making a 4dKH solution from distilled water in a 250ml container?


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Digsy said:


> The fluid that comes with the drop checkers made by CalAqua is clear.





Hoppy said:


> I'm pretty sure the CalAqua fluid is just 4 dKH water, so you have to add a couple or three drops of pH reagent to the fluid in the drop checker. That will turn it blue, and it will stay blue until the drop checker has been in your tank at least a couple of hours, with your tank water at 20+ ppm of CO2.


Hoppy is right, it sounds like the CalAqua fluid is just a 4 dkH standard; you will need to add the BTB to give it the colour. It will turn a nice shade of green when you have ~30 ppm of CO2.



B16CRXT said:


> I agree. I have the cheapie little Red Sea Indicator, and it works flawlessly. It says to put 1ml of aquarium water in it with two drops of their solution though.


As you may already know, using aquarium water is not the right way to use a drop checker.



B16CRXT said:


> How would I go about making a 4dKH solution from distilled water in a 250ml container?


Here are a set of instructions by billionz.
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/general-planted-tank-discussion/42429-kh-standard-how.html


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## SPECIAL||PLANS (May 27, 2009)

i got my hands on a vile of bromothymol blue at 10% diluted in methonol. anyone know if a certain dilution is necessary?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Bromothymol blue is a dye, not a pH reagent. To make the pH reagent you use that dye and another ingredient or two. I googled it a couple of years ago and found instructions for making it, but I don't have that link handy now.


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## Darkblade48 (Jan 4, 2008)

Hoppy said:


> Bromothymol blue is a dye, not a pH reagent. To make the pH reagent you use that dye and another ingredient or two. I googled it a couple of years ago and found instructions for making it, but I don't have that link handy now.


This may work:

http://www.csudh.edu/oliver/chemdata/ind-prep.htm

However, do note that unless you are buying bulk bromothymol blue (i.e. the crystals, and not the solution), you will not need this protocol. The BTB in API's pH test kit works just fine.


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