FishProfiles.com Message Forums

am i just wasting c02 and not even worth having it?

my snail keeps pulling up my plants

There are many to choose from, but not knowing the name brands that are here and there, it is hard to recomend any to you. Ask around at your lfs or some others on here from Oz may be able to recomend something.

One thing to consider though, is that if you plants are well rooted type plants you will need to get some tablet type ferts and put them in the gravel near the root systems. And if they are free floating, or they are attached to something like driftwood or a rock, then you will need some liquid ferts.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

Thanks for the advice i will keep a close watch on the status and health of the plants, is there a fertizizer that you reccommend?

With the chemicals i was mainly refering to the non natural types, also not a big believer in meds unless absolutly necessery.

Also re-thought the math on the tank, in US gal its 38. ( im Australian, we dont use gal much here)

Also i dont use fertilizers, i believe it puts the fish at risk in the long term, after all adding artificial chemicals to their water is a form of pollution that they dont encounter in the wild.

Yes, you should not add any "chemicals" to your tank water. But, ferts are another story. As most ferts, especially those specifically prepared for aquariums, are all natural without any chemicals in them. You actually have ferts in your tank. The nitrAtes that come from your fish, are one form of ferts. The solid wastes of your fish on the bottom of the tank, will go down into the substrate, and are great organic ferts for the plants. Your tank may be doing great now, but as your plants become very large, you will have to add ferts of some kind to keep up with their needs. Unless you have a clay and mud soil in your tank. Which if you did you would have a murky muddy looking water in the tank. Plants can't live on water, O2, CO2, and nitrAtes alone. So you will have to keep up with their needs if you want to keep having a nice planted tank.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

Hi, with the Co2 generator, id buy one if i needed it, but i do not, my fish are healthly, plants are growing well and the water quality is excellent, that is why i dont want one.

Also i dont use fertilizers, i believe it puts the fish at risk in the long term, after all adding artificial chemicals to their water is a form of pollution that they dont encounter in the wild.

i put the notch down for a 70 gallon tank cause of the loss of C02 instead of 20/30 gallon

Ladders work great, as they slowly roll the CO2 bubble and let it dissipate into the water. But, as long as you have that much current on the surface, you will probably still have most of it to all of it lost with gas exchanges at the surface.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

is there anywhere in the tank that i could put the co2 ladder to get use out of it
ill show u a tank set up pic when i take one

Basically, from what you have told us about your setup, yes I would say you are wasting your CO2. You say "air pump", does this mean you have an air stone in the tank as well? If so, that is adding to the removal of the CO2 from the tank. And yes, it helps to add oxygen to the tank. The bubbles don't really help, but the surface movement but the bubbles does. It has been studied highly and determined that the actual bubbles do not do anything, as they are not in the water long enough. But the surface aggitation is what helps to oxygenate the water.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

i have the whisper 30 and the penquin 125 in a 28 gal tank
and a nice amount of plants with a co2 canister

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b253/judzvii/IMGP1698.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b253/judzvii/IMGP1697.jpg

i change about 2-4 gal every ohter week

my fish list is
1 gold: 1 black mystery snail
5 neons
5 glowlights
5 harlequin rasbora
1 dwarf gouramis
1 powder blue gouramis
2 dwarf frogs
1 villavo pleco L147

do u think i could add more fish to the tank and get away with it

and if so what would u recommend
ill like to maybe do some more schooling fish

does the air pump give the water enough oxg.?

I have to agree, there is alot of stuff out there these days that is not needed. But the thing is, the CO2 and O2 both disperse at the surface to create an even enviroment within the water and the air. So, this is why we want high surface aggitation in our tanks, as it lets the CO2 out and not build up, and also allows the O2 to enter the water. With you adding CO2, it is to allow a small build up of CO2 within the water, so as the plants will use it. Just because your plants are doing well, does not mean it is because of the increased CO2. As when you add CO2, you need also to elevate your fertilizer and lighting so as to accidate the use of the increased CO2. Kinda like a fire. You need oxygen, heat, and a fuel. Now no matter how much gas you throw on the fire, without more oxygen the fire is extinguish and go out. In other words, no matter how much CO2 you add, if you don't have the ferts and the higher lighting, the excess CO2 will not even be used. The same goes, if you have increased your lighting, and your ferts, but you are wasting CO2 being dissipated at the surface, then the lighting and extra ferts are not being used either.

My point is, you are dissipating CO2 at the surface with the high surface water movement. My suggestion to you, is to get a canister filter, and have the return outlet down below the surface. Thus causing minimal movement related to the filter. You will want some movement on the surface, as otherwise you will get too much of an increase in CO2, and more importantly for the fish, less increase of oxygen.

HTH....

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

Hi, no ive never measured the CO2, the plants are going well with the set up i have, ive modified the outlet of the Aquaone powerhaed so that its gentler on the surface yet doesnt cause massive current, also the media in both is custom which cuts the flow a bit.

My plants have never had a problem so i havent bothered with anything special, personally there is alot of stuff available nowadays that i think is unnecessary.

i was told that if u had the ladder/despenser close to where the filter sucks up, that it is better

how do u prevent that?

My question is, do you measure your CO2? Because with those surface moving filters, you will be taking out a lot of the additional CO2 you are putting in. In other words, you are wasting alot of the CO2.

_____________________________________________________________

There is always a bigger fish...

Hi, I run two filters also, in my 30g i have
Aquaone 103f with a modified outlet and a Aquaclear mini.

The mini is mainly there just to add oxygen, i use very fine media in it and it also provides more space for the bacteria to live.

The tank is well planted though i dont use CO2 generators or fertilize my water, i avoid chemicals at all costs.

30g fish list

3 silver sharks
3 clown loaches
2 angel fish
1 suckermouth catfish
1 black ghost knife fish



Last edited by jakieblak at 23-Jul-2005 08:32

Last edited by jakieblak at 23-Jul-2005 09:57

Maybe you can add 1 more Neon, Glowlight & Rasbora, so you'll have a school of 6 each.



http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/s8xi5heh/my_photos
http://www.geocities.com/s8xi5heh/classic_blue.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/buzaqq/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/corydoras/
Member of the Malta Aquarist Society - 1970.
http://www.maltaaquarist.com