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At one of my lfs I was in there looking for plants for my still cycling tanks. I've been reading thru a lot of the posts & se a lot of talk about C02. I've spent quite a lot in the last couple of weeks with my tanks in general and just can't afford the CO2 systems with the gas cylinders (maybe not even for a yr or 2). But they did sell me cheaper alternative by JBL which I'll give a try. They said that I shouldn't start using the C02 until my tank has finished cycling - is that right?

They also told me I should take out my air stone, because they said my plants do not like all that oxygen and will not do well. So, I've taken their advice & disconnected them, but I do miss the look of my bubbles in the water. Are they right. Does the oxygen created by the air stones do the plants harm. Thanks, Robyn

Cheers
TW

Robyn,

To the first question: that is news to me. Did they have any explanation why you should wait with the CO2 until after the cycling is complete? Maybe it is the specific type that you purchased. Can you find a link to a site that describes it.

Number two: Oxygen is not harmful to plants per say. The problems with airstones and CO2 is that the air creates surface agitation which in turn will make it easier for the CO2 to escape the water column. And that is not good.

Hope that helps,

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

Thanks LF. Now, I'll try to insert a link to the site - but don't know if I'll get this to work 1st try. Here we go. [http://www.jbl.de/index_uk.html]. I think it's a German site & if the language shown is not English, just click on English flag & it will change. I’m not really clear on why LFS said I should wait till I’m finished cycling – think it was something to do with effecting my water test results to tell how my cycling is going. They also said that I shouldn’t have planted while I’m cycling, because my plants don’t like that either.

I asked them what fertilizer I should buy (as that was one of my main purposes of going there) but came away with none. They said I didn't need them because of my substrate. Is that right?

Looking at the website, I don't really think I've been given the right info. LFS told me product would last up to 6 months - but site says 45 days. Also says only does up to 100L - and I have 165L (43.5G), so I guess that means I need 2 packs. I've just done the maths, and this system would cost me $485 a year. I think the gas cylinder systems were less than that - so I guess I'm going to have to do some more homework on this subject. PS. This is the same company that makes the Aquabasis Plus that I was asking about in my earlier thread about substrates.

Thanks for your time in helping me with this. Even though my plants have only been in since Sunday, my Macranda is not looking good. It's leaves have a slimy look. Not sure if this is because the water returns very strongly from the filter at the point directly above & is giving them a bit of a pounding. The tank’s return water pipe is a little long & the water seems to return a little forcefully. I’m going to see if the return pipe can be shortened or the water otherwise directed. My other plants seem ok.

PPS you might remember I was going to trade in my 20G - but I can't bring myself to do it. I've rearranged my lounge room, found a spot & I'll be keeping both tanks! Off to tell lfs tomorrow & pay them the money they took off from the price of my new tank (which was the trade-in price).

Edit: I don't know why I have all those funny symbols appearing in the text above

Cheers
TW

Robyn,

I will have to read up on your ferts and stuff, but I don't think there is a substrate that does it all. It would have to leak ferts into the water column in the amounts needed by your plants in order to keep plants that take most of their ferts from the water column happy.

And congratulations on having become a hobbyist with MTS

Ingo

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Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club