How many watts is the Easy Plant LED light, and is it energy efficient?We designed the Aquarium Co-Op Easy Plant LED to run on less power. The watts range from as low as 13 W on our 12” version to 50 W on our 48” version. Compared to other lights that have similar lighting output, our light is designed with more efficient LEDs that use 10–50% less energy. See the product page for a chart that displays all of the wattage information.
Does the Easy Plant LED get hot? Will I get burned if I touch the light?While LED lights do emit heat, we worked hard to make sure that the heat sink on the Aquarium Co-Op Easy Plant LED dissipates more heat than other lights. This, coupled with the efficient LEDs and an energy-efficient ballast, means that our lights may become warm to the touch but will not get hot enough to burn anyone (e.g., you, children, cats or other pets).
Why does the hardness (or GH) look fuchsia on the Multi-Test Strips?On the Aquarium Co-Op Multi-Test Strips, the hardness (or GH) reading ranges from 0 ppm (blue) to 300 ppm (purple). If you get a hardness color of fuchsia, magenta, or reddish-purple, then it means that your GH reading is above 300 ppm (or 17 degrees). The multi-test strip is still working properly, but your water is very hard and the GH level is outside the bounds of the test.
What should I feed wood-eating catfish?Only certain genera of loricariid catfish are known to munch on wood: Panaque spp. such as Panaque maccus (clown pleco) and P. nigrolineatus (royal pleco) Hypostomus cochliodon group Because of the lack of wood-digesting microbes in their gut and fast digestion time of less than 4 hours, scientists believe that these catfish are not actually digesting the wood. Instead, they are digesting the microorganisms, microbal byproducts, algae, fungus, and other organic matter found on the rotting...
What do the red and yellow lights on the Aquarium Co-Op heater mean?When you first plug in the heater, a yellow indicator light will briefly turn on and then turn off again. The yellow light will only turn on again once the unit has run for 17,520 hours, which is 2 years of being plugged in full time. At this point, the heater will still continue to work, but the yellow light reminds you that it has reached the end of its expected life and it may be time to start thinking about replacing the unit to ensure the highest performance. The red indicator light tur...
How to adjust the Aquarium Co-Op heaterTo adjust the heater to the desired temperature, press the SET button once on the temperature controller. While the temperature display is still blinking, press the SET button again to change the desired temperature by 1°F increments. (The desired temperature cycles from 64°F to 91°F, meaning that you need to increase the heater up to the highest temperature setting of 91°F before it goes back down to 64°F.) When the desired temperature is reached, do not touch the SET button for 3 seconds. O...
Is CO2 gas dangerous for aquarium fish?It can be harmful for animals in large enough quantities if (1) CO2 causes the water pH to drop too quickly or (2) people try to be so efficient with the CO2 that they end up cutting off the oxygen that fish need to breathe. In the latter case, some hobbyists try to minimize surface agitation so that less gas exchange occurs and less CO2 escapes the water. However, less gas exchange also means less oxygen will enter the water, which can cause your fish to struggle and gasp for air. Our recomm...
When should I turn on and off the CO2 in my aquarium?Plants use CO2 when there is light to photosynthesize. However, the process reverses at night and becomes the respiration cycle, in which plants consume oxygen and sugars and release CO2. Therefore, we want to shut off the CO2 regulator when the aquarium light is off. For more optimized CO2 usage, program the regulator’s timer to turn on 1–2 hours before the light comes on and turn off 1 hour before the light shuts off. (If you only have one timer, you can use the same timer with a power stri...
Is it bad if the CO2 bubbles from the diffuser are reaching the water surface?No, this is normal. The key is to place your CO2 diffuser as low as possible in the aquarium. When the bubbles are released from the diffuser, they imperceptibly get smaller and smaller as they rise and the CO2 gas is being absorbed into the water. For more information on CO2 systems in high tech planted tanks, read the full article.
Why don't the suction cups on my heater (or other device) stay attached?If the suction cups are new and do not stay attached, please make sure to clean the aquarium wall before attaching the heater. We recommend using an algae scrubber, razor blade, gift card, or other appropriate tool for wiping off any algae or debris to ensure that the surface is completely clear and flat. If the suction cups are old and worn out, the Aquarium Co-Op heater comes with 4 replacement suction cups.
What size CO2 cylinder should I get for my planted aquarium?If you are running a high tech planted aquarium injected with high amounts of CO2, people recommend getting the largest size possible so you will not have to refill the cylinder as frequently. However, for the average customer, we often suggest: 2.5–5 lb. cylinder for 20-gallon aquariums or smaller 5 lb. cylinder for 25- to 40-gallon aquariums 10 lb. cylinder for 55-gallon aquariums or larger If you plan on using one regulator with five or six aquariums, then scale the CO2 cylinder size ac...
Do I need to use special CO2 proof tubing or CO2 resistant tubing with my CO2 system?We use the Aquarium Co-Op airline tubing (i.e., a flexible, black tubing made from food-grade PVC) on all of our aquariums and have not detected any perceptible loss of CO2. In our experience, special CO2 tubing is more expensive, harder to bend, and not as readily available. For more information on CO2 systems in high tech planted tanks, read the full article.
How do I clean a CO2 diffuser if it becomes clogged?Diffusers must be cleaned or replaced at some point because of algae buildup. Because diffusers can be made of different materials, follow the manufacturer’s cleaning instructions to use diluted bleach, vinegar, or other methods. For the Aquario Neo CO2 Diffuser, we clean it with the following steps: Make a solution of 50% water and 50% bleach inside of a cup so that there's enough liquid to cover the diffuser's brown ceramic disk. While the CO2 is still running and connected to the ...
