Co2
- Thread starter tetrafan
- Start date
The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an interest in aquariums or fish keeping!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
rich311k
Aquarium Advice Addict
Co2 provides a carbon source for plants. Plants need carbon to make sugar through photosynthesis. CO2 injection will reduce the PH of your water, it does not effect dissolved solids so the fish do not notice the change.
If you add to much, say over 50ppm the fish will be unable to release Co2 from their blood streams and they will die. A drop checker is a must so you know what your levels are.
A pressurized system is easy to use and easy to control. Once it is dialed in you can pretty much ignore it until the tank needs refilled. A DIY system will need the mix bottles changed every week or so and it is hard to maintain a steady CO2 level. DIY is much cheaper to setup but will lead to a lot more work.
A 30 gallon is getting to the size where DIY is hard to do in a way that will provide enough Co2 to justify the effort.
If you add to much, say over 50ppm the fish will be unable to release Co2 from their blood streams and they will die. A drop checker is a must so you know what your levels are.
A pressurized system is easy to use and easy to control. Once it is dialed in you can pretty much ignore it until the tank needs refilled. A DIY system will need the mix bottles changed every week or so and it is hard to maintain a steady CO2 level. DIY is much cheaper to setup but will lead to a lot more work.
A 30 gallon is getting to the size where DIY is hard to do in a way that will provide enough Co2 to justify the effort.
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
+1 Also, CO2 reacts with the water to for an acid, carbonic I believe, and will lower your pH. If you have unstable CO2 levels, you'll kill off your fish due to the shock of big pH swings.
I'll second the recommendation of a pressurized system for your tank. I've done the DIY CO2 and the pressurized system is much nicer.
I'll second the recommendation of a pressurized system for your tank. I've done the DIY CO2 and the pressurized system is much nicer.
Johnstamos003
Aquarium Advice Regular
Been having some success with a liquid CO2 additive. Did not like the maintenance of a yeast system. Might be an alternative for you.
