should i turn off co2 at night?

[m-man]

my diy co2 goes through my powerhead which is on the same timer as my lights, so when the lights go out the powerhead turns off and the co2 just bubbles to the surface, should i be leaving it on at night, i figured the plants dont have light so they dont need co2....im having a bad problem with green water and nothing i do is having any effect, my nutrients are at the right levels, but even today after a 50% WC, and adjusting the fert to the right levels, the tank was still clowdy, i came back in a few hours and it was back to solid green again, cant see 3inches through it, im a little stumped

 

[rich311k]

Green water is almost impossible to get rid of with just water changes. A UV, diatom or a blackout are the most effective ways to get rid of it.

The CO2 setup sounds fine going off at night. What kind of levels are you gettin? You may want to make sure it turns on an hour before the lights do.

 

[m-man]

so how do i go about a blackout?

also i guess what i dont understand is that, if algae is a plant, like my other plants, and there is all these nutrients in the tank, not excess, but the right amount, how are you not going to grow algae, i know i hear that the plants out compete the algae, but when the nutrients are getting low from the plants using them, we add more, so what stops the algae from growing?

 

[rich311k]

To blackout your tank. Do a large water change 75% or so. Wrap the tank in blankets and garbage bags etc. Make sure no light will get through. Turn off any CO2 and up the aeration of the tank. Leave the tank wrapped up for 3 - 5 days, no peaking no feeding no cheating. When you unwrap the tank do another 75% water change and the algae should be dead. Good luck.

The idea is that if the plants have everything they need in proper balance they will use the nutrients faster and out compete the algae. You will always have a little but not enough to be annoying.

The good news about GW is that it is self correcting it will absorb whatever you had in excess, after the blackout you will be able to start fresh.

 

[wobbles]

Does turning co2 off overnight effect ph? Ive always been curious about that. I would imagine it would rise?

 

[Purrbox]

Most likely your pH will rise some over the course of the night if the CO2 is turned off. Since plants don't use the CO2 at night the change won't be as significant as if it were being used.

 

[Felf]

i dont turn my co2 off at night and everything is fine. i keep it going at about 2 bubbles/sec. i tried putting it up to 4 bubbles/sec and i get massive pearling but my fish started suffocating after the lights went out.