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At a recent visit to a new LFS the owner was addvising to add a CO2 system to the tank, obviously for the plants. So is it worth the time and effort and expense or should I stay with the low light plants that I have now? I have java fern, wisteria and swords growing quite well at the moment. What are your thoughts?
I have a 55 gal, with praecox rainbows, emerald cory cats, 2 algae eaters, 1 zebra danio, and just about ready from the quarantine tank 6 harlequine rasboras.

that depends on a few other things as lighting, how long is thetank set up and if you plan to add more plants and species that require CO2. lighting is extremely important as it is essential for photosynthesis - if you have inadequate lighting in the long run, CO2 will not help. The reason I am asking how long the tank is set up - there is an initial burst of growth after tank set up even under inadequate lighting conditions, which quickly passes. Java fern, swords and wisteria are not reliant on CO2 supplement.
If you are curious, try Seachem Excel first to see how much of a difference it makes. This is a liquid source of carbon and can work already small miracles. You can get it rather inexpensive online.

Hope this gives you an idea

If going to have a planted tank than i would suggest working on you light system and you gravel additives first before investing hundreds into a pressurized CO2 system. When going into a LFS remeber one thing, they are there to SELL they will sell you the most expensive thing they have if thy can. They will sell you things that will require you to get other things to make it work, they will sell you a lesser quaility product that has a bigger price tag. They are in the bussiness of selling, that is one of the main problems with chain LFS. Not all but most justhave people in ther to sell. You should do the research yourself, ask questions to people who have nothing to gain from giving you info. (like here)


Djrichie
"So Long, and Thanks For All The Fish" Douglas Adams

Hi,
CO2 or no CO2, that is the question...

In truth it depends upon the plants that you have and the
amount of light (watts per gallon, wpg) that you have
illuminating the tank. Look at the light bulb(s) you have
over your tank and total the wattages for the bulbs.
Divide that total by the capacity of the tank and that
result is the number of watts per gallon you are providing
to your plants. For instance, if you have one 40 watt
fluorescent bulb over a 55 gallon tank you are running
0.727 watts per gallon (I'd call it a half a watt).
If you have two 40 watt bulbs, you multiply
40 x 2 = 80 watts, divided by 55 gallons = 1.454 watts
per gallon. (I'd call it a watt and a half).

If you are running 1.5 watts or less then you definitely
do not need to add CO2 to the tank. Your Java Fern,
Wisteria, and Swords will grow perfectly well with 1 to
2 watts per gallon.

When you start increasing your light from 2 wpg to 3 wpg
then it is sort of "optional."
When you increase your light to 3 and 3+ wpg then
the addition of carbon becomes a must.

Think of light as the engine for plant growth, and carbon
as the fuel for that engine.

Low light plants, plants that prosper in less than 1 wpg
to about 1.5 wpg, such as crypts, Anubis and some ferns,
have evolved to extract their carbon from the organic
compounds in the tank (mulm, detritus, fish waste,
decaying plant leaves, etc.) and can grow quite nicely
without additional carbon.

Medium light plants are kind of in the middle between
"need" and "must have." If you add CO2 to plants that
prosper in 2 to 2.5 wpg, then they will increase in their
rate of growth, and in general will become more "lush."
Again, you don't need to inject CO2 or add Carbon but if
you do, you will be surprised by the difference.
Your swords and wisteria fall into this category.

High light plants simply cannot get enough carbon from
breaking down the organic compounds. They can break
down the compounds but because of the driving light they
need it at a faster rate than they can break it down.
For these plants to reach their full potential, you will
need to provide carbon.

The need for adding nutrients (fertilizer) to the water
for plants also depends upon the ratio of plants to fish.
If you have a normal or above bioload, and a few plants
then you probably won't need to add them. However, if
you have a jungle, and only a few fish, then you will
need to add the nutrients.

How to provide carbon? You can either add carbon in the
form of injected CO2 and the plants use the carbon.
Or, you add carbon by using one of the many liquid forms
of plant nutrients (fertilizers). Sachem's Flourish Excel
is one of many sources.

If you are injecting CO2, you want to have at least a
CO2 saturation of 15mg/l and most will run around 30mg/l
saturation.

CO2.... DIY or Bottled?

This depends upon the size of your tank. Generally, 30G is
the "break point" for the two different styles of injecting
CO2 gas.
Tanks over 30 gallons (sometimes you can squeak by with the
40 and 45G tanks) demand more than two of the CO2, 2 liter
bottles to generate enough gas to reach the desired CO2
saturation. Keeping two or more of the generators connected
together, and leak free can easily become a real chore.
You will need sets of replacement bottles cleaned and ready
to mix to replace the ones in use as they wear out.
DIY CO2 uses the CO2 gas that is the byproduct of the
fermentation of the yeast and sugar water mixture. As the
mix ages, the liquid turns to alcohol, and less and less
gas is produced. As this occurs the CO2 saturation
decreases to below usefulness and down to the normal
ambient saturation of 5mg/l. When first started the mix
is fresh and will produce a large, unregulated, amount of
gas, and then it tapers off. These surges and ebbs in
saturation really do not help plants grow.

Bottled gas is more expensive to start up. You need the
tank of gas, a regulator, a one way check valve, a bubble
counter, CO2 hose, and either a diffuser or a reactor.
The diffuser or reactor is the device where the mixing of
the gas and water actually occur. However, after the
initial expenses the maintenance of the system is actually
inexpensive. My 5 pound bottle, provides enough gas, at
a rate of 2 bubbles per second, to maintain my CO2
saturation at 30mg/l for 5 to 6 months at a time. When I
have the bottle recharged, it costs $9 and some change (tax).

Hope this helps...

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

I have never owned one but I did look into it some time ago for the 5ft tank but very quickly found out it would be a total waste of money reason I have a massive air and water movement and this is a big nono for any Co2 unit.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

my tank is about 7 months old now. definitely low light at the moment. I have been using flourish as the fertilizer, but I will try the sachem brand as this is the brand the new store has? anyway thanks for your thoughts helpful as always.

Hi,
Flourish Exel(sp) is the product that has carbon in it
as I recall. With low light plants, a low light tank,
and a moderate fish load, you may not need it, or any
of the fertilizers.

I don't believe in adding stuff that is not necessary or
that can be obtained naturally within the tank itself.
Look at your plants. If they need fertilizer they will
tell you.

Read through this site:
http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_nutrient.htm

Remember that each species/type of plant will use different
nutrients at different rates. For instance, some need
more iron than others while some need calcium or
magnesium more than others, etc.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--