Liquid carbon vs pressurized co2

[leek86]

How effective is liquid carbon compared to pressurized co2 regarding plant health and growth?

If pressurized co2 is 100% effective what percentage effectiveness would you say liquid carbons like excel are?

 

[mohican]

I'm gonna guess like 70% maybe; just a guess.

 

[George9]

How effective is liquid carbon compared to pressurized co2 regarding plant health and growth?

If pressurized co2 is 100% effective what percentage effectiveness would you say liquid carbons like excel are?

Liquid carbon doesnt even compare to to pressurized imo. Excel like products will increase plant growth imo, but not nearly as much as a good pressurized co2 setup.

There is no product out there that can match the effectivness of pressurized co2

Pressurized co2: 100% liquid carbon: 0%

I used liquid carbon in a higher medium light planted tank with less than optimal growth

 

[Super_Blueberry]

I have had a planted sine February. I started with root tabs and excel and everything grew fine. Then I decided to start a DIY co2 system just to see if it made a difference and see if I could encourage any red coloring to come out. Boy did it ever. My swords took off, ludwigia is growing with a red hue to it, my echinodorus vesuvius grew about 3 inches taller, and my dwarf sag is filling on better, and this is on a 55g that people say DIY systems aren't that effective on a tank that size. I'm so impressed with the difference that I'm going to pull the trigger and get a true system.

Long story short, though liquid co2 works, there is no comparison to true co2.

 

[Batt4Christ]

Not to mention some plants don't tolerate Glutaraldehyde, the substance folks call "liquid carbon".

 

[George9]

Not to mention some plants don't tolerate Glutaraldehyde, the substance folks call "liquid carbon".

Yeah, some crypts will start to melt with it

 

[aqua_chem]

I've generally said that liquid carbon supplements are around 30% as effective as co2. That's a completely arbitrary number, albeit, and doesn't necessarily take into account other effects of either co2 or liquid carbon supplements, but gets the point across.


My crypts have always responded well to Excel. Vals or riccia on the other hand are two examples of potentially sensitive species.

 

[Jscoggins]

I have had a planted sine February. I started with root tabs and excel and everything grew fine. Then I decided to start a DIY co2 system just to see if it made a difference and see if I could encourage any red coloring to come out. Boy did it ever. My swords took off, ludwigia is growing with a red hue to it, my echinodorus vesuvius grew about 3 inches taller, and my dwarf sag is filling on better, and this is on a 55g that people say DIY systems aren't that effective on a tank that size. I'm so impressed with the difference that I'm going to pull the trigger and get a true system.

Long story short, though liquid co2 works, there is no comparison to true co2.

I had the same instance as you...and exactly the same results...when I started the diy co2 on my tank, there was a very noticable growth change. And I had been adding excel months before like clock work, and really no growth and alot of hair algae...soon as I started the diy co2, things changed big time...

There is no comparison to true co2...

 

[sedgy90]

I have my first aquascape set up with relatively easy but nice plants with no c02. The growth is slower but still noticable. Thegreenmachineonline.com (TGM) has pressurised c02 on their tanks and their results speak for themselves. I'm not going to waste my time or money on buying a cheap kit or the diy kits. I think I'm gna see how this way goes and save for TGM's expensive one.