Set-Up Flaws?

[azn_fishy55]

This is gonna be my thirty gallon set-up: Coralife 95 watt PC, Aqua Clear 20, 150 watt Visitherm Heater, 2 DIY CO2 Systems, powerhead diffuser, with Shult's Aquatic Sand as the substrate. Will this set-up be okay to keep high light plants such as glosso?

 

[Tiffi]

Should be if you get the CO2 to work right and constantly. You might need some fertilizer, liquid and/or in the substrate, depending on your plants. Any idea yet, what plants you wanna keep?

 

[SnyperP]

You're definitely going to need a fertilizer source with your setup. Make sure you keep your CO2 consistently high and dose regularly. With the amount of lighting you'll have, i doubt you'll have any issues growing glosso =D

 

[azn_fishy55]

Ummm..I intend to order the aquariumplants.com 36 plant assortment, so I don't know what plant I'll be getting, but it is sure I am getting glosso. I also have some floourish tabs to but in the subtrate with some laterite, and I have flourish which I can dose. But my main concern is if the CO2 system is adequate to keep the plants growing.

 

[Tiffi]

What you got for the substrate sounds good, liquid ferts too. Maybe over time you might dedect some strange leavegrwoth and need to get extra fertilizer for it (e.g. leaves rotting on the edges - potassium).

As far as DIY CO2, I tried it myself and it didn't work, had too much to fiddle around with it (mixture didn't start, was exausted 1 day later, not really sealed etc, etc). That's why I got pressurised now . It's sooo much easier. I would consider that CO2 natural kit from Hagen(?), since it should be enough for a 30gal, or later maybe pressurised to make it very easy (and cheaper in the long run).

But if you want fiddle around with the DIY first, works out for many people.

 

[Steve Hampton]

I'd be concerned running that much light and depending on DIY CO2 to provide stable controlled CO2 levels. If a pressurized system is out of the question them I'd suggest using Seachem Excel combined with DIY CO2 injection.

 

[rich311k]

I have a 130 watts over 36 gallons. I do it myself as well and my CO2 levels have been fine.

 

[azn_fishy55]

I might just dose flourish excel too just to be safe, rich311k wat is ur recipe for ur DIY CO2 system. If urs can keep a good CO2 level over 130 watt lights it must be good.

 

[azn_fishy55]

ummm for the recipe would it be beneficial or detrimental to add brown sugar instead of regular sugar?

 

[czcz]

I think brown sugar is better because it is a more complex sugar. IIRC Piscesgirl and Zezmo replace regular sugar with molasses and such, for example. I think both have posted their recipes in the archives, but Zezmo definitely has.

 

[azn_fishy55]

how do you measure CO2?

 

[Hoovercat]

http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

 

[rich311k]

I use 3 two liter bottles. 2 cups of brown sugar, 1/2 tps yeast 1/2 tps baking soda fill to where the bottle starts to curve with luke warm water, shake it up and let it rip. I change one every monday night.