Is CO2 necessary?

[Fishingforfish]

To reduce or prevent algae, you need to have a good balance between lights, ferts, and CO2. Leaving one of those components out often leads to algae growth.
Have you considered DIY CO2? It is really inexpensive and easy to setup. The pic below shows the same tank after introducing DIY CO2. Notable is the dwarf sag at the front of the tank. I was getting slow growth with weekly ferts (Seachem Flourish Comp), daily Excel, and monthly root tabs. The light is a Finnex Fuegray. After 6 weeks the dwarf sag has taken off. The Bacopa caroliniana will reach the surface in a week or two after cutting it down to half the tank height.

Wow, that is one big difference! I've heard of DIY CO2 but never really read up on it.

 

[aqua_chem]

Honestly, Excel only outright kills a few plants (riccia, subwassertang, etc). Vals and anacharis can and have been kept in Excel tanks if you properly acclimate them. That being said, if you're not doing a pressurized CO2 tank it's a better idea to use Excel and plan around it than to not get it because it kills a relatively small list of plants.

Honestly, I've never had a problem with anacharis and Excel. It's not a matter of oxygen either. I think a lot of people kill it off because they put it in warmer tanks when it really prefers cooler water. Either way, there are a lot of reports online of it growing well in Excel tanks.

 

[Goldfish loach boy]

Hum, anacharis is a plant native to North America, ranging temps from 85 degrees to about 55 degrees

 

[Fishingforfish]

Honestly, Excel only outright kills a few plants (riccia, subwassertang, etc). Vals and anacharis can and have been kept in Excel tanks if you properly acclimate them. That being said, if you're not doing a pressurized CO2 tank it's a better idea to use Excel and plan around it than to not get it because it kills a relatively small list of plants.

Honestly, I've never had a problem with anacharis and Excel. It's not a matter of oxygen either. I think a lot of people kill it off because they put it in warmer tanks when it really prefers cooler water. Either way, there are a lot of reports online of it growing well in Excel tanks.

How do I go about acclimating them? I read that you'd have to dose little by little until they get the hang of it. I'm not sure if they sell excel at my lps, but do you think the API co2 booster will do just the same? I most likely will be getting 10w.

 

[Fresh2o]

Wow, that is one big difference! I've heard of DIY CO2 but never really read up on it.

Just Google "DIY CO2" or "DIY CO2 recipe" and you will find numerous links to preparing the yeast/water solution along with materials and setup instructions. A two liter batch lasts me a little over two weeks.

 

[Fresh2o]

How do I go about acclimating them? I read that you'd have to dose little by little until they get the hang of it. I'm not sure if they sell excel at my lps, but do you think the API co2 booster will do just the same? I most likely will be getting 10w.

Can't help you with the acclimation, but what you described makes sense.
API CO2 Booster should work as well.

 

[Fishingforfish]

Can't help you with the acclimation, but what you described makes sense.
API CO2 Booster should work as well.

Thanks.
Right now I may or may not get away without co2.
Im thinking of getting 2 10w cfl. Which makes 2wpg, which means ill probably have to rewrite my options. I really want to try and 'acclimate' what the liquid co2 might kill, though. So I still have some variety.

 

[Jkeating8]

Anacharis/Elodea is NOT native to the United States. It was introduced by pet stores selling it, and people then letting into streams and such. As already said, the plant does not need a low oxygen content. In fact, in fast flowing, spring creeks of Pennsylvania, you can find it commonly.

 

[aqua_chem]

There are three species of plant commonly referred to as elodea/anacharis. Elodea canadensis, aka Canadian elodea or Canadian watered, has three leaves per whorl and is native to the US. The other two, egeria densa (four leaves per whorl) and hydrilla verticillata (five teeth per whorl and serrated leaves) are non-native invasive species.


Actually, that makes me wonder if only one of the three (two really, as hydrilla isn't as common as the other two) reacts differently to Excel.