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[Rebel1970]

I haven't had an aquarium in years. I am setting up a new 75 gallon tank. What is the real story about CO2? Is it really necessary. When I had tanks in the past, the plants grew like weeds. I had to thin them out every week. Any advice would be highly appreciated. Thanks Rick

 

[BigJim]

CO2 becomes necessary when you have high-light tank to prevent algae blooms. Plants need carbon to grow and CO2 provides it to the plants. If you've got an excess of any nutrient, algae will grow.

CO2 is still beneficial in low-light and med-light tanks, but it's not mandatory. There are plants that grow very quickly without CO2 and they'll grow even faster with it. I used to run DIY CO2 on a med-light 20L and I was cutting back my water sprite weekly or the fish would run out of swimming room. I stopped the CO2 when I moved and I've had a steady BBA growth on some of my plants since.

 

[Rebel1970]

Thanks for the info. The DIY might be the way to go. I would think that I can vary the amount of CO2 that I put into the tank through experimentation.

 

[BigJim]

For a 75g, DIY CO2 will be difficult. You'll need a lot of bottles to generate the necessary volume of CO2. Look into a pressurized system. The buy-in cost is higher, but it's cheaper to maintain and your CO2 rates will be much more constant than with DIY. Fluctuating CO2 levels usually results in BBA.

 

[Rebel1970]

Ok Thanks
I will have to buy it next month or so, I am still building the stand. I have the doors to put and then stain it. Where would you suggest that I LOOK FOR A CO2 system? Thanks again.

 

[BigJim]

Unless you're lucky enough to have a good hydroponics store nearby, your best bet will be online. Drs Foster and Smith have some CO2 systems. Rex Griggs has some CO2 stuff as well. You really don't have to go crazy and buy the fully automatic systems with a pH monitor. A regulator with an electric solenoid and a timer works well. Avoid the systems that use paintball or disposable tanks. They get expensive. You can refill a 5lb-10lb tank for the same price as a paintball tank at many filling stations.

 

[JustOneMore20]

BigJim has good info up there ^.

You can get a Milwaukee brand regulator for about $80 usually with some co2 tubing and a needle valve. Check ebay. After that you'll need to find a co2 tank (look locally) and a check valve. Rex Griggs (bestaquariumregulator.com) has brass check valves (the plastic ones will eventually wear away) for a decent price. Greenleafaquariums.com also has a couple options that aren't expensive. They have regulators too but they aren't as cheap as the Milwaukees.

Pressurized co2, if you need it because of your lights or just want it for plant growth, is really a set it and keep an eye on it every so often kind of thing. I was going to say set it and forget because that is what I do...but I have some bad BBA in my 40g because my co2 diffuser gets clogged and my levels fluctuate. It really is low maintenance though and the up front cost is alot but its worth it.

 

[ChizerBunoi]

Just a warning on the Milwaukee regulators. The two metering gauges are soldered onto the regulator housing and cannot be replaced.

Depending on the plant species that you go with, with pressurized co2 and highlight, you will be pruning the tank 1 - 2 times a week.