New To Planted Tanks & Co2

Hey all, I just started my first planted tank and I purchased the fluvial Co2 45g pressurized kit, and the Fluval Co2 indicator. What I wanted to ask as I am not sure how it works, but am I supposed to inject Co2 into the tank until the indicator turns green, then turn off the Co2 until it changes back to blue? or is Co2 something that im supposed to inject everyday into the tank whether indicator is green or not? Can someone please clarify this for me?

 

Do you have already plants in your tank? Would like to see a photo.

Many easy beginner plants do not need CO2 to thrive. Fast growing plants are limited by missing CO2 in the course of the day. So CO2 is added to keep them growing faster.

Adding CO2 is only needed when lights are on, by night the plants produce CO2 by themselves. In the morning hours they can use this supply and you start adding CO2 within the day. CO2 should be turned off before the light is turned off. The plants need oxygen by night.

 

Ah yes, this is the tank I was speaking off with the co2 on the side. What I know already is that you add it only when the lights are on and that you want to start it up 1 hr prior to turning on the lights. But what im trying to understand is are you suppose to inject Co2 on an everyday basis? or only when the drop indicator starts turning blue to show that there isn't enough co2

 

CO2 should be added on daily base.
With all that new plants I would start with low CO2 levels, adding only when the drop indicator turns blue. When everything settles in, some weeks ahead, you can rise CO2-levels and keep your Drop indicator green.

There is a risk in overdosing CO2 and kill your fish. A mature tank will reduce this risk

 

im still a little confused by your wording. for example my indicator shows green. if to grow it still shows green, that means im fine on co2 and don't need to add more. but lets say the second day its starting to turn blue, is that when I would want to inject to get back to green?

 

You control the CO2 with the bubble counter on the valve. Keep it slow for the first weeks.
Less CO2 is no problem.

 

You control the CO2 with the bubble counter on the valve. Keep it slow for the first weeks.
Less CO2 is no problem.

altermacj I thank you for your replies but im not sure if you get what im asking so I will try one more time. When I start the co2 kit for the first time, the idea is that I want to inject enough co2 until the indicator turns green.

1. Now when it's green, do I still need to keep injecting co2 everyday even tho it indicates that there is enough in the tank by the green color?
2. Or, when it's green, do I stop injecting co2 only until when the indicator starts turning back to blue, which in this case I would inject some more co2 to bring it back to green status?

 

Inject each day when lights are on. Start injection an hour before lights on. The drop checker will be blue and will turn green within a few hours if you have sufficient CO2 going in. Stop injection an hour before lights off. The drop checker will gradually go back to blue overnight before the process is repeated the following day.

 

Inject each day when lights are on. Start injection an hour before lights on. The drop checker will be blue and will turn green within a few hours if you have sufficient CO2 going in. Stop injection an hour before lights off. The drop checker will gradually go back to blue overnight before the process is repeated the following day.

That's weird that u say that because so far my co2 indicator has stay green for these past days. Does that mean I should stop injecting the co2 till it starts turning blue again?

 

That's weird that u say that because so far my co2 indicator has stay green for these past days. Does that mean I should stop injecting the co2 till it starts turning blue again?

Have you been injecting the CO2 24/7 nonstop so far?

 

Inject each day when lights are on. Start injection an hour before lights on. The drop checker will be blue and will turn green within a few hours if you have sufficient CO2 going in. Stop injection an hour before lights off. The drop checker will gradually go back to blue overnight before the process is repeated the following day.

I ask this because I would assume if the indicator is green and I continue to add co2 it would turn yellow and be too much

Have you been injecting the CO2 24/7 so far?

When I first used the kit, I was injecting co2 everyday, but then I noticed my fish started to die and the indicator was turning yellow. Now with the second canister once co2 level have reset that what made me ask my question to make sure I'm doing things properly

 

I ask this because I would assume if the indicator is green and I continue to add co2 it would turn yellow and be too much

When I first used the kit, I was injecting co2 everyday, but then I noticed my fish started to die and the indicator was turning yellow. Now with the second canister once co2 level have reset that what made me ask my question to make sure I'm doing things properly

It’s been said multiple times already, but you should be turning the CO2 off 1 hour before your lights turn off. Overnight, the indicator should be going back to blue or at least more blue than it was in the morning.

Do you have any form of surface agitation for oxygenation? Surface agitation is really important when injecting CO2, and also just generally important in most fish tanks. If you don’t have sufficient surface agitation, but you are turning off your CO2 before nighttime, then that could be why the indicator isn’t turning blue.

 

That's what I'm trying to explain, my indicator has not turned back to blue these past days. It's still green which means perfect amount of co2 is in the tank. What I was asking was when the indicator is green, do I still continue to inject co2 or should I wait till it turns blue and pump it

 

That's what I'm trying to explain, my indicator has not turned back to blue these past days. It's still green which means perfect amount of co2 is in the tank. What I was asking was when the indicator is green, do I still continue to inject co2 or should I wait till it turns blue and pump it

During the day until you turn the CO2 off 1 hour before lights off you want to continue pumping CO2 even while the indicator is green.

Honestly though, the best way to measure CO2 injection levels with is with a PH meter and by testing your KH, going for at least a 1pt PH drop. See these links for guidance:

How to measure CO2 levels in an aquarium

Surface agitation & gaseous exchange in CO2 injected tanks

The wrong way to read the pH/KH chart.

 

That's the answer I was looking for because I was under the impression that once the indicator turns green and I keep pumping co2 in my tank that it would start to turn yellow indicating that it's too much co2

 

That's the answer I was looking for because I was under the impression that once the indicator turns green and I keep pumping co2 in my tank that it would start to turn yellow indicating that it's too much co2

No it doesn't build up like that. Once you've achieved the right injection level to turn it green it will stay green (remember some CO2 is always gassing off). If it starts to turn yellow that's an indication that you need to turn it down a bit.

 

That's the answer I was looking for because I was under the impression that once the indicator turns green and I keep pumping co2 in my tank that it would start to turn yellow indicating that it's too much co2

Nope because how much CO2 gets dissolved in your water depends on the mode of injection (in tank diffuser vs inline atomizer vs reactor), how much is being off-gassed (which can be increased through surface agitation), and the rate of injection (how much CO2 your adding). The longer the CO2 is on, the less CO2 is actually increasing in your tank and the more it is just maintaining the level it has reached based on your rate of injection and amount of off-gassing.

 

No it doesn't build up like that. Once you've achieved the right injection level to turn it green it will stay green (remember some CO2 is always gassing off). If it starts to turn yellow that's an indication that you need to turn it down a bit.

I see well I've been using it wrong cause I would turn off the co2 everytime it turned green