Tank Size for co2 production

[MYTY1705]

I have no experince with planted tanks, and have only started the research needed to start. The cost was one thing that is maybe prohibitive.

I am looking to make a pressurized co2 system for a 29 gallon planted tank. I have a 20 oz paintball gun tank for co2, would this be sufficient for a co2 injection system. I also have some regulators sitting around, so I think the only thing that I would need would be a diffuser.

To tell a little about the tank I will have. It will be as stated above a 29 gallon tank. (converted from salt) I have a (4) 55 watt pc bulb canopy that I built. 2 actinic and 2-10k lights. I know the actinic are useless for anything but color, but the rest of the lights still make it a high light situation needing co2 infusion. I have a emperor 400 with bio wheels (will be discarding the biowheels), and a 400 gph power head, and protein skimmer. Will this equipment be sufficient??

 

[Zezmo]

If you have the paintball CO2 bottle, and a regulator that fits it. Then you really just need to add a needle valve, to make a bubble counter, and the diffuser.

Lights sound fine, and you can replace the actinics at some future point if you want more light (which you certainly don't need for most plants).

As you said, remove the Bio-wheel and the filter should do fine. Protein skimmer... minimal use to a planted tank. Maybe remove it so you have less equipment in the tank.

Also, I strongly recomend you read the stickies about ferts. Get all the ferts you need before you start planting. Then, us EI (Estimative Index) until you get some experience at planted tanks and decide your own best fert methods.

Edit: BTW a 20oz bottle may last about 2-4 mos on a 29. Possibly much less. In the long run you may wish to go to a standard 5lb or 10lb CO2 tank.

 

[MarkP]

I have no real experiance with Co2 Injection systems with aquariums, but do have extensive experiance with paintball markers.

The regulators I've worked with in paintball have only every dropped the pressure down to about 200 PSI, at the low end. The aquarium systems I've been checking out drop the pressure down to 25 PSI, and then a needle valve to drop it down further.

Did you have a different type of regulator, or something else that drops the pressure enough to use it? I've been trying to figure out a way to use my existing hardware.