CO2 monitor - Who uses one in their home and what readings are you getting ?

[14 foot reef]

CO2 monitor - Who uses one in their home and what readings are you getting ?
Looking to add one to the home, any brand suggestions ?
I would want real-time graphing and history logging through PC or phone app.

Thanks in advance for any help

 

[MnFish1]

My tank pH is the home CO2 monitor. It drops when there are people home and when windows are closed. I'm not aware that many homes use a CO2 monitor. Outside levels range between 400 and 1000 ppm. My error the previous article I quoted was CO not CO2.

 

[Clownfishy]

I have 2 Awair monitors and they provide a lot of data. I have one in the room with the aquarium and I can tell you, if my C02 is bouncing off 1000ppm during the day, the pH struggles during the day and drops like a stone at night. I would not be without one now. Since owning the Awair, I have rigged up a fan that draws on air from the outside when C02 rises in the room. My pH rarely drops below 8.15 during the night.

 

[MnFish1]

I have 2 Awair monitors and they provide a lot of data. I have one in the room with the aquarium and I can tell you, if my C02 is bouncing off 1000ppm during the day, the pH struggles during the day and drops like a stone at night. I would not be without one now. Since owning the Awair, I have rigged up a fan that draws on air from the outside when C02 rises in the room. My pH rarely drops below 8.15 during the night.

And have you found that huge investment to be a benefit to your tank - as compared to many others who just let their pH fluctuate? I'm not trying to be snarky - just asking - I don't get it. Many people in 'cold' areas can't do this - or they just use a hose to their external area - via their skimmer. What happens when there is a toxin - outside - thats now brought into your tank - curious not critical

 

[MnFish1]

I have 2 Awair monitors and they provide a lot of data. I have one in the room with the aquarium and I can tell you, if my C02 is bouncing off 1000ppm during the day, the pH struggles during the day and drops like a stone at night. I would not be without one now. Since owning the Awair, I have rigged up a fan that draws on air from the outside when C02 rises in the room. My pH rarely drops below 8.15 during the night.

I'm curious - when the average CO2 in a outside is 400-1000 - why would 1000 make a difference?

 

[mdb_talon]

I'm curious - when the average CO2 in a outside is 400-1000 - why would 1000 make a difference?

The average is not 400-1000. Other than very dense/polluted areas or heavily industrial/polluted areas it is a little over 400. Even in areas that have higher "natural" co2 levels outdoors they still rise significantly in populated spaces.

 

[14 foot reef]

The average is not 400-1000. Other than very dense/polluted areas or heavily industrial/polluted areas it is a little over 400. Even in areas that have higher "natural" co2 levels outdoors they still rise significantly in populated spaces.

thank you, didn't feel like arguing online with that last response.
Seems like people could read your post / question and stick to that instead of having uneducated opinions.
He obviously doesn't have one ( I asked for peoples recommendations who have them )
I wasn't asking opinions of if they work, how they work or the cost of them. Just opinions of brands people use.

 

[MnFish1]

thank you, didn't feel like arguing online with that last response.
Seems like people could read your post / question and stick to that instead of having uneducated opinions.
He obviously doesn't have one ( I asked for peoples recommendations who have them )
I wasn't asking opinions of if they work, how they work or the cost of them. Just opinions of brands people use.

There is no argument. its a discussion board. I asked 'why' you wanted one. Still don't have an answer. I never said 'don't get one'. I asked your rationale. You're right - the average CO2 is not 1000 nor is it 0. It depends. In your OP - you didnt mention I live in pristine air on the irish coast. I gave y ou general information lol.

Carbon Dioxide Detection and Indoor Air Quality Control -- Occupational Health & Safety

Carbon dioxide gas detectors can utilize an automated background calibration program to set the clean air level on a regular basis.

ohsonline.com

 

[MnFish1]

The average is not 400-1000. Other than very dense/polluted areas or heavily industrial/polluted areas it is a little over 400. Even in areas that have higher "natural" co2 levels outdoors they still rise significantly in populated spaces.

What data do you have? what is the average? Where do most people live? in populated areas or farmland in Iowa? We dont know where this poster lives...

 

[14 foot reef]

Moderators please remove post. I just wanted opinions of people that own, use, and have history with them, recommendations of brands, and the readings that they see with the units they have, that's all I asked nothing else.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I have a CO2 monitor in my fishroom. It does not log or graph through an App, but the supplier has lots of different models. So perhaps another one will. I have https://www.co2meter.com/collections/desktop/products/tim10-desktop-co2-temp-humidity-monitor

I also have a Blueair, which is phone based, but it does not report CO2 directly, but reports on indoor air quality and volatile gases. It is interesting to see what spikes it though. Cleaning products and cooking different foods will register on it quite noticeably.

I find the CO2 monitor handy for telling when I need to maintain my HRV filters. If they get clogged, the CO2 will rise. I swap them out, and get a reduction in the reading. Right now my monitor is reading 432 ppm.

Dennis

 

[mdb_talon]

do you have? what is the average? Where do most people live? in populated areas or farmland in Iowa? We dont know whe

I have no idea why you insist on arguing about things irrelevant to the post or cant perform a simple google search to inform yourself about things you keep asking. However I spent the 30 seconds to google co2 levels in Los Angeles (high population and high traffic = high co2). Even in that scenario mean co2 levels across the several locations they monitored are below 450 in every location. Even the highest recorded measurements are nowhere even close to your 1000 number.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6459414/

 

[14 foot reef]

I have a CO2 monitor in my fishroom. It does not log or graph through an App, but the supplier has lots of different models. So perhaps another one will. I have https://www.co2meter.com/collections/desktop/products/tim10-desktop-co2-temp-humidity-monitor

I also have a Blueair, which is phone based, but it does not report CO2 directly, but reports on indoor air quality and volatile gases. It is interesting to see what spikes it though. Cleaning products and cooking different foods will register on it quite noticeably.

I find the CO2 monitor handy for telling when I need to maintain my HRV filters. If they get clogged, the CO2 will rise. I swap them out, and get a reduction in the reading. Right now my monitor is reading 432 ppm.

Dennis

This is great help, thank you very much.......

This was this information I asked for, not the other previous uneducated opinions.

 

[MnFish1]

FWIW - I indeed mistyped - I meant the average 'indoor' CO2 is 400-1000. Depending on the area.. Mea culpa. The reason I asked the question the way I did is because we USED to have a CO2 meter - but I found it not very helpful.
The model we used was similar to this one:

but did not have wireless capability at that time

 

[((FORDTECH))]

I own a co2 meter and get readings of about 2-300 outside and depending if vent fans are on and how long windows open for inside I see anywhere from 400-1800 in my small home with windows closed and company over

 

[Clownfishy]

Here are a couple of screenshots from the Awair app from the phone. As you can tell, I worked from home today breathing out a load of C02 so my aquariums pH will take a dive later! For info, you can link these up to IFTTT which is how I have it configured to switch a fan on when it hits 1000ppm.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I googled the Await Element after it was posted by Clownfishy. I like it. It offers everything my Blueair does, plus has a CO2 sensor integrated. I especially like that you can integrate it with smart home devices. I will probably add one to my fish room at some point as my existing sensor is several years old now.

Dennis