Ricky Ricardo
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Anyone ?
CO2 Build-up In Closed Homes & Apartments End Up Raising CO2 Levels In Aquariums
- Thread starter Ricky Ricardo
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Waters
"...in perfect isolation, here behind my wall."
Are you asking if that will happen? Closed up homes (basements for example) will have more CO2, which in turn lowers tank PH. That can be remedied by using CO2 absorbent media in a reactor, connected to your skimmer.......or even running your skimmer intake outside with airline (although I find that it doesn't work nearly as well as the CO2 media).
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Ricky Ricardo
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- Joined
- Sep 17, 2019
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anyone looked at using AquaChar as a filter media? Said to stabilize pH by scrubbing excess CO2 (www.AquaChar.com)
James Kanouff
Active Member
I made a post in a different Aqua char tread. I will link it in another post here after this one, but as related to C02 my experience in my smaller new tightly sealed home was the constant varying battle with c02 influx caused a roller coast PH in the tank. Once aware of it I began to try n mitigate it with KALK, fresh air lines to the skimmer and then pumping air thru Sofnolime to counter act it with a Ph probe driving it to add increased life to the c02 media. The result was a complicated destructive roller coaster of Alkalinity and PH from the random and changing levels of c02 as the media ran out or the levels of Kalk increased to try and level out the C02 influx. I have never found a viable solution to high levels of c02 that didn't add more variables than it was worth. Most certainly a home that has alot of fresh air exchange is optimal and many older homes have no issues with this. But this also brings in the chance of a outdoor chemicals getting in like mosquito spray for example and why in the end I moved my entire reef system to my separated garage where I no longer have the variable of C02 negatively effecting my tank and complicated methods to counter act it complicating my chemistry and routine.
The proposal of Aqua char having any c02 absorbing effect was Very interesting to me and what I am most excited about. This would not directly effect the Alkalinity in the tank like KALK does and would be fairly simple to automate with a PH probe and an apex if some how it got high or low from the desired range of say 8.0-8.3 ish. This would highly depend on the amount of C02 influx in the specific tank environment mostly.
In additional it has the effect of Carbon in clarifying the water of pollutants as well as a large surface area for bacteria to colonize to consider.
The release of third party testing to confirm its not taking anything out of the water that a hobbyist wants in there like say iron or iodine for example along with not adding anything bad to the water will further increase the value of it i think.
Most definitely a interesting new product to come out. I would imagine it would have alot of other uses as well.
The proposal of Aqua char having any c02 absorbing effect was Very interesting to me and what I am most excited about. This would not directly effect the Alkalinity in the tank like KALK does and would be fairly simple to automate with a PH probe and an apex if some how it got high or low from the desired range of say 8.0-8.3 ish. This would highly depend on the amount of C02 influx in the specific tank environment mostly.
In additional it has the effect of Carbon in clarifying the water of pollutants as well as a large surface area for bacteria to colonize to consider.
The release of third party testing to confirm its not taking anything out of the water that a hobbyist wants in there like say iron or iodine for example along with not adding anything bad to the water will further increase the value of it i think.
Most definitely a interesting new product to come out. I would imagine it would have alot of other uses as well.
James Kanouff
Active Member
I made this post a bit ago about Aqua char in another tread with my thoughts.
"I'm using it! I volunteered at MACNA as the Volunteer coordinator this year. At the show is where I was first introduced to the AQUACHAR product. Samples were donated to be included in the gift bags this year, and the various volunteers were also given several samples to try which is how I came across it. I have a 550 gallon mixed reef among other tanks that is 5 yrs old this fall. As a successful tank owner, I consider my understanding above average and employ several old school mehtods as well as new technology in my filtration which include things like minimum water changes, a Sulphur denitrator and venturi skimming, occasional H202 supplementation, and Apex monitoring. I am the local Fish club president for 2020 and Vp for 2019 as well as a long standing board member and we bring in speakers such as late Albert Thiel and DR Craig Bingman and even Mr saltwater Mark callahan to speak with our members about our marine hobby. I listened to the information Aqua Char had on their product and the distinction to me is how its made VS other carbon products. The most interesting part I think is that they are seeing a significant Ph buffering effect while also binding pollutants in the water. I immediately felt this was of the most value as many hobbyist are recently attributing failures to high C02 in their homes suppressing the Ph in the tanks and hindering Coral growth and water chemistry stability. I myself can testify to this occurrence. Mostly from pouring in various levels of KALK in my ATO to try n offset the C02 induced Ph issues and thus driving my ALK levels crazy. I can post in length to that elsewhere but the out come back then was give up n move the tank away from C02!
Eventually I moved all my tanks to my separated garage and have seen drastic improvements in stability and growth now that the inhabitants in my home are not artificially reducing the Ph in my aquariums thru respiration and influx of C02 into my water. I used KALK, I used fresh air to skimmer, I used forced air thru sofnolime "c02 scrubber" to skimmer and found all to be too costly or unreliable to fix my C02 issues. I believe there is some good testing going on elevated ph Vs growth by BRS TV soon to be released. I am trying the product on my only indoor softies anenome clowns tank " it is significantly ph reduced 7.3-7.7 max daily observed", as well as in my 550 in the garage at this time. Most certainly there is a measurable and lasting Ph increase effect as well as water clarity improvements as they claim. Because I am only at a few weeks after Starting, I can't say how long I think the effect lasts but it has already shown to be better than the alternatives and much less costly. For someone who can't take out the C02 from their home this is in my opinion a must have and it comes with the added value of water clarity improvements as well. I would not suggest large quantities more than what is needed to sufficiently buffer your personal tank for a change interval of say 30-60 days maybe. I would suggest you maybe used the change 50% this month 50% next month method common in the hobby to make sure you don't get swings in chemistry. I think they are setting up there web site to accommodate automatic shipping and so forth as they get established in our industry and as we end users ask. I rinsed the product in RODI several times as I would with any carbon and put it into a one liter down flow canister on medium flow 100 gallons an hour ish and that is how its been for 16 days. I have no issues, saw no negative effects, and can say I observed a small increase in polyp extension almost immedialty first 30 minutes likely due to the reduction of pollutants in the water. I think they are doing ICP testing as well as other trusted sources for independent confirmation of some of these observations. That info will prove alot I think. We don't want adverse effects like any weird leaching or absorption of needed elements or anything of course, and that is yet to be independently researched but I can't find anyone who will say its going to be an issue. The product has been used for a year ish on tanks I think already and observations are quantified. I there fore do recommend the product for a subsittue for CARBON and more interesting as an alternate or supplement to KALK and other common methods for C02 reduction Ph stabilization in the reef tank. I can't for certain say the change out schedule or the quantity I would recommend other than follow the recommendations for your size system. This is my private unsolicited experience and current opinion on AquaCHAR after the questions I ask and the observations I see. The aqua Char folks are super nice and eager to talk about the product. I'm not a doctor or a professional, I'm a hobbyist who is excited about this new product and want to help document the product and its recent debut to our hobby. I'm very curious to other folks opinions on this lets keep the discussion going."
"I'm using it! I volunteered at MACNA as the Volunteer coordinator this year. At the show is where I was first introduced to the AQUACHAR product. Samples were donated to be included in the gift bags this year, and the various volunteers were also given several samples to try which is how I came across it. I have a 550 gallon mixed reef among other tanks that is 5 yrs old this fall. As a successful tank owner, I consider my understanding above average and employ several old school mehtods as well as new technology in my filtration which include things like minimum water changes, a Sulphur denitrator and venturi skimming, occasional H202 supplementation, and Apex monitoring. I am the local Fish club president for 2020 and Vp for 2019 as well as a long standing board member and we bring in speakers such as late Albert Thiel and DR Craig Bingman and even Mr saltwater Mark callahan to speak with our members about our marine hobby. I listened to the information Aqua Char had on their product and the distinction to me is how its made VS other carbon products. The most interesting part I think is that they are seeing a significant Ph buffering effect while also binding pollutants in the water. I immediately felt this was of the most value as many hobbyist are recently attributing failures to high C02 in their homes suppressing the Ph in the tanks and hindering Coral growth and water chemistry stability. I myself can testify to this occurrence. Mostly from pouring in various levels of KALK in my ATO to try n offset the C02 induced Ph issues and thus driving my ALK levels crazy. I can post in length to that elsewhere but the out come back then was give up n move the tank away from C02!
Eventually I moved all my tanks to my separated garage and have seen drastic improvements in stability and growth now that the inhabitants in my home are not artificially reducing the Ph in my aquariums thru respiration and influx of C02 into my water. I used KALK, I used fresh air to skimmer, I used forced air thru sofnolime "c02 scrubber" to skimmer and found all to be too costly or unreliable to fix my C02 issues. I believe there is some good testing going on elevated ph Vs growth by BRS TV soon to be released. I am trying the product on my only indoor softies anenome clowns tank " it is significantly ph reduced 7.3-7.7 max daily observed", as well as in my 550 in the garage at this time. Most certainly there is a measurable and lasting Ph increase effect as well as water clarity improvements as they claim. Because I am only at a few weeks after Starting, I can't say how long I think the effect lasts but it has already shown to be better than the alternatives and much less costly. For someone who can't take out the C02 from their home this is in my opinion a must have and it comes with the added value of water clarity improvements as well. I would not suggest large quantities more than what is needed to sufficiently buffer your personal tank for a change interval of say 30-60 days maybe. I would suggest you maybe used the change 50% this month 50% next month method common in the hobby to make sure you don't get swings in chemistry. I think they are setting up there web site to accommodate automatic shipping and so forth as they get established in our industry and as we end users ask. I rinsed the product in RODI several times as I would with any carbon and put it into a one liter down flow canister on medium flow 100 gallons an hour ish and that is how its been for 16 days. I have no issues, saw no negative effects, and can say I observed a small increase in polyp extension almost immedialty first 30 minutes likely due to the reduction of pollutants in the water. I think they are doing ICP testing as well as other trusted sources for independent confirmation of some of these observations. That info will prove alot I think. We don't want adverse effects like any weird leaching or absorption of needed elements or anything of course, and that is yet to be independently researched but I can't find anyone who will say its going to be an issue. The product has been used for a year ish on tanks I think already and observations are quantified. I there fore do recommend the product for a subsittue for CARBON and more interesting as an alternate or supplement to KALK and other common methods for C02 reduction Ph stabilization in the reef tank. I can't for certain say the change out schedule or the quantity I would recommend other than follow the recommendations for your size system. This is my private unsolicited experience and current opinion on AquaCHAR after the questions I ask and the observations I see. The aqua Char folks are super nice and eager to talk about the product. I'm not a doctor or a professional, I'm a hobbyist who is excited about this new product and want to help document the product and its recent debut to our hobby. I'm very curious to other folks opinions on this lets keep the discussion going."
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