Benefits of CO2?

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abw0004

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Jan 18, 2014
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Location
Alpharetta, Georgia
Good morning everyone,

As you may have seen from the multiple threads I have created lately, I am in the process of rebuilding my tank from the ground up. I am continuing from having a planted aquarium, but want to take the next step. The tank is now up and running again and the substrate is fertilized for the plants currently in the tank. I am upgrading my lighting system to a Current Satellite+ Pro, and with the intense light, I have been taking the advice of those on this forum to look into CO2. I have been reading previous threads, and articles as well as call 4 different LFS's in the area for advice.

My questions:

What are the benefits to CO2? Is all it does help plants grow faster, or do they look better too? As in, will my plants look the same without CO2, but just grow slower?

Does CO2 really lower algae? I figured added CO2 would also promote algae growth.

Would having a more powerful light alone (no CO2) cause problems for the plants and ultimately kill them?

How easy is it to maintain without harming the fish? I do not know if I could forgive myself if I suffocated my fish on accident.

If anyone has any before and after pictures of their tanks with CO2 to help illustrate I would much appreciate it. Thank you to everyone willing to help. :)
 
abw...

CO2 helps the more demanding plants. The slow growers are naturally low light and standard low light is enough. No added CO2 is needed for them. These plants get plenty from the surrounding air.

Algae grows if it lives in water with high levels of phosphate. Since algae is a form of plant, it would benefit from higher levels of CO2.

High light tells the plant to grow faster, but it needs the same amount of food as it does light. High light without the same level of food won't give you the results you want.

A separate CO2 system is pricey and tricky to set up and maintain. I would keep to the less demanding plants like mosses, Swords, floating plants, species of Anubias and the ferns. These are more than enough to fill even a larger tank.

B
 
abw...

CO2 helps the more demanding plants. The slow growers are naturally low light and standard low light is enough. No added CO2 is needed for them. These plants get plenty from the surrounding air.

Algae grows if it lives in water with high levels of phosphate. Since algae is a form of plant, it would benefit from higher levels of CO2.

High light tells the plant to grow faster, but it needs the same amount of food as it does light. High light without the same level of food won't give you the results you want.

A separate CO2 system is pricey and tricky to set up and maintain. I would keep to the less demanding plants like mosses, Swords, floating plants, species of Anubias and the ferns. These are more than enough to fill even a larger tank.

B

Survey says..... Ehhhh... all plants benefit from Co2, all of them... the crypts and anubias I have in co2 injected tanks are far and away larger and healthier than without. Increased phosphate does not cause algae, that is a dated myth, I've found higher levels to decrease green spot algae actually.. co2 systems are fairly simple and affordable. They are well worth the money and necessary in high light setups.

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Survey says..... Ehhhh... all plants benefit from Co2, all of them... the crypts and anubias I have in co2 injected tanks are far and away larger and healthier than without. Increased phosphate does not cause algae, that is a dated myth, I've found higher levels to decrease green spot algae actually.. co2 systems are fairly simple and affordable. They are well worth the money and necessary in high light setups.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Aquarium Advice mobile app
+1. Do not underestimate the benefits of co2 and nutrients regardless of par to all plants.
 
abw...

CO2 helps the more demanding plants. The slow growers are naturally low light and standard low light is enough. No added CO2 is needed for them. These plants get plenty from the surrounding air.

Algae grows if it lives in water with high levels of phosphate. Since algae is a form of plant, it would benefit from higher levels of CO2.

High light tells the plant to grow faster, but it needs the same amount of food as it does light. High light without the same level of food won't give you the results you want.

A separate CO2 system is pricey and tricky to set up and maintain. I would keep to the less demanding plants like mosses, Swords, floating plants, species of Anubias and the ferns. These are more than enough to fill even a larger tank.

B

Thank you for the information. For the past 3 years I have had Crypt Wendtii, Anubis Barteri, Swords, Hygrophila Corymbose, and Salvinia Minima. Those grew and did fine although I could see some small effects of deficiencies.

In the new set up I still have some Anubis Barteri, Swords, and Salvinia Minima. I have added Dwarf Hairgrass, and Rotala Rotundifolia.

My end goal is to have the tank look like a show tank since it will be in my living room and I put so much effort into it. I would like the plants to look vibrant like in your thumbnail. I hope that helps illustrate the point of view I am envisioning.
 
Survey says..... Ehhhh... all plants benefit from Co2, all of them... the crypts and anubias I have in co2 injected tanks are far and away larger and healthier than without. Increased phosphate does not cause algae, that is a dated myth, I've found higher levels to decrease green spot algae actually.. co2 systems are fairly simple and affordable. They are well worth the money and necessary in high light setups.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Do you have before and after pictures of your Anubias with CO2 by chance?
 
This is low light, about 8 months I'd say.

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Lookit the crypts in my hightech tank after a few months

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My first picture was day one second one is today. Tank is 6 months old today. Co2 about 5 months. Ive had extremely minor algae. Nothing to do with co2 directly. More about time it took me to get tank balanced. Which honestly I think that has happened just recently.
 
My tanks have had gas since day one. Always issues with algae. If one little thing is knocked out of balance you have a problem. It's a constant struggle.

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Ya my tank probably not fair. Im low par low bioload easy plants and liquid macro/micro.
 
So then wouldn't CO2 potentially cause more issues and potentially put the tank on a thin line trying to balance the tank? I.E. if I did not do CO2, then my tank would be more stable?
 
Your going to a light that will probably require co2 and nutrients. I have a light that doesn't. But as we both said. Co2 and nutrients are always helpful.

Hence I stated ease in to photo period. Every tank is different. Too many factors involved. But yes with increase par comes increase in algae potential
 
Your going to a light that will probably require co2 and nutrients. I have a light that doesn't. But as we both said. Co2 and nutrients are always helpful.

I guess what I am trying to get to is, what happens if I do not add CO2 with a light like I have coming and fertilizer I already have in the tank?

Do the plants melt, and die? Does nothing happen? Do they still improve on a smaller scale with the better light?
 
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