# is this true for German blue rams also ?? can they deal with this ?



## tinman (Nov 3, 2009)

Intresting explanation, but GBRs are said to be sensitive to ph changes 

is it ok for them also ? 

"When we speak of a "balanced planted aquarium," we mean that the fish load will be balanced with the plants and bacteria within that specific volume of water; the natural biological processes including the normal exchange of oxygen/CO2 will remain relatively stable. This stability is easiest to achieve with minimal levels. What I mean here, is that keeping the light at the lowest level necessary (for the plants) means fewer nutrients need to be added (nutrients including CO2, nitrogen (ammonium), and minerals or fertilizers). And the less we add, the more "natural" and stable the balance will remain.

This state of balance involves the plants producing oxygen, far more than the fish and bacteria need, and consuming CO2 from the fish and bacteria in the process. This occurs during the day, when the light is on and plants photosynthesize (grow). There should certainly never be a need to increase water movement/surface disturbance in order to increase oxygen for the fish during daylight; if there really is such a need, then something very serious is wrong with the balance.

During darkness, plants continue to respire, as do the fish and bacteria; they all consume oxygen and produce CO2. The oxygen produced during the day can be utilized during darkness. There will be an increase of CO2 during the night, and this is reflected in the change in pH that occurs in all planted aquaria. The pH rises during the day as CO2 is taken out of the water by the plants in greater quantity than the fish and bacteria can continue to produce during the daylight; during darkness, CO2 increases and the pH lowers. During each 24 hour period, this is known as the diurnal variation. This occurs in all planted aquaria--and it occurs in all natural habitats. 

Fish are evolved to deal with this; they are non-active at night (except of course for some catfish that are nocturnal) so less oxygen is required. The fluctuation is usually minimal, and Peter Hiscock and others have written that provided it is less than 1 degree in pH it will not cause any problems for fish. One degree in pH means it changes from say pH 6.5 to 7.5 and then back to 6.5 during this diurnal fluctuation. Unless the aquarium is significantly out of balance, the diurnal fluctuation will never be this much; in my heavily-planted and heavily-stocked aquaria, I have repeatedly measured it at .3 to .4 of 1 degree maximum. This is simply no where near sufficient to cause any oxygen shortage on its own; Hiscock recommends adding an airstone diffuser at night only if the fluctuation approaches 1 full degree in pH. And this sort of level is only likely to occur when CO2 is added to the aquarium, which is why most aquarists who use additional CO2 diffusion turn it off at night.

Read more: bubble wand ok with live plants??


courtesy :: i got it from Tropical Fish Keeping - Aquarium fish care and resources


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I'm not even sure what you're asking. GBRs can live in a planted aquarium. Everything talked about here happens in a planted aquarium.

Where did you get your 2217 from? A guy on ebay was selling them for $140 shipped a while back.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

If your using diy it won't make any difference leaving it on day or night as it don't put out as much co2 as pressurized so no you don't have to use airstone at night. I never did and it had no effects on the fish. 

With diy the co2 production will lesson every day till you get to the point that you have to change it out. This can be a week to 2 weeks.


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## tinman (Nov 3, 2009)

jrman83 said:


> I'm not even sure what you're asking. GBRs can live in a planted aquarium. Everything talked about here happens in a planted aquarium.
> 
> Where did you get your 2217 from? A guy on ebay was selling them for $140 shipped a while back.


I got it from bigals 
I got it for 120 shipped lol 

Initially planning to get a 2215 but got 2217 instead 

Is it gonna be too much flow in a 30 ?? I'm still wondering if it would be.


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## tinman (Nov 3, 2009)

And one mire question on diy co2 

I know we cannot use air stones fr diffusion of co2 
What about bubble wand they aren't exactly stone right so can we use them instead ?


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

You can use an airstone they just clog faster. A bubble wand is an airstone just made differently. You should be able to hook it to your filter and that way the impeller will shop it up finer. I ran mine through a small powerhead.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

tinman said:


> I got it from bigals
> I got it for 120 shipped lol
> 
> Initially planning to get a 2215 but got 2217 instead
> ...


I have one on my 29g. I adjusted the flow just a tad. It hasn't been a problem.


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