Gas Exchange

[Ac30fan]

Can someone share (in layperson's terms) their insights (or post a link to threads / external websites) on the gas exchange process thats going on in planted freshwater aquariums?

I've increased my aeration & heat to combat an ich problem. I've heard prolonged / increased aeration can be bad for plants over time. Actually, a friend blamed a mass die-off of his plants on a "gas exchange problem". He said he was running a C02 diffuser continuously - and i guess these should be turned off at night (?). I have no clue about that...

So, should air-stone run nonstop, 24/7?

And how do the gasses taken in & released by plants factor into this process? I searched the forum for information & can't find the detail I'm looking for .....

If possible, no complex molecular diagrams... : )

 

[20cc]

plants take in co2 and release oxygen when lights on...plants take in oxygen and release co2 when lights off . i have my co2 on a timer to go off 2 hours before lights off and moonligts on. i also use and airstone coming out from behind a cave on a timer with the moonlights purely for aesthetic reasons. moonlights and airstone on for 2 hours then off....bedtime .co2 comes on 2 hours before lights on. some say dont use airstone in planted tanks some say its ok just make sure that you have your co2 levels pumped up by the time your lights come on.

 

[Ac30fan]

plants take in co2 and release oxygen when lights on...plants take in oxygen and release co2 when lights off . i have my co2 on a timer to go off 2 hours before lights off and moonligts on. i also use and airstone coming out from behind a cave on a timer with the moonlights purely for aesthetic reasons. moonlights and airstone on for 2 hours then off....bedtime .co2 comes on 2 hours before lights on. some say dont use airstone in planted tanks some say its ok just make sure that you have your co2 levels pumped up by the time your lights come on.

I'm not sure at what point a C02 diffuser becomes necessary - currently dosing liquid carbon

Recently upgraded my lighting, and learning the ropes of how this impacts tank conditions.

I gotta do some research on C02.

Thanks much for responding

 

[20cc]

the higher the light..the higher the photosynthesis of the plant which in turn makes them demand more co2 which in turn makes them hungry so you gotta fed them more ferts..and on and on in a circle until you find the correct balance of light+co2+ferts then all is well on the western front

 

[Mebbid]

I'm not sure at what point a C02 diffuser becomes necessary - currently dosing liquid carbon

Recently upgraded my lighting, and learning the ropes of how this impacts tank conditions.

I gotta do some research on C02.

Thanks much for responding

Like was said, planted tanks are all about finding a balance. If you are upgrading your lighting you will have to increase the amount of excel and ferts you are using as well or you will most likely experience a horrendous algae bloom.

For example, I am currently dosing 20ml daily of excel and have an EI based fert schedule in my 55g planted tank just to keep up with the amount of plants I have.

What are you doing for a fert dosing schedule and how much excel are you dosing in your tank?

What's your lighting situation at now?

 

[aqua_chem]

I've increased my aeration & heat to combat an ich problem. I've heard prolonged / increased aeration can be bad for plants over time.....

It's not. There are streams that are more oxygenated than our tanks ever get. You might have heard something about airstones offgassing CO2, which is true in CO2 injected tanks to an extent.

Actually, a friend blamed a mass die-off of his plants on a "gas exchange problem". He said he was running a C02 diffuser continuously - and i guess these should be turned off at night (?). I have no clue about that...

See above. You can't overdose plants on CO2, although fish are a different story.

So, should air-stone run nonstop, 24/7?

And how do the gasses taken in & released by plants factor into this process? I searched the forum for information & can't find the detail I'm looking for .....

If possible, no complex molecular diagrams... : )

The bottom line is that an aerator won't hurt your plants in the slightest, and could very well be good for them (high O2 environment). It will only hurt if you have gas CO2 injection, and it has it's purposes then. Some people like to turn it on at night to offgas their CO2, which is largely an elective choice.