CO2 Advice about diffusion

[mordred]

I have a 140 gallon aquarium with a wet/dry filtration/sump under my tank --- can I have the CO2 tapped in just the return line after the UV Sterilzer? I ask, because I like the look of uncluttered tanks and already have real estate issues both under and inside of the aquarium.

[neilanh]

You can run it inline. The combination of the UV and the inline diffuser is going to put quite a bit of backpressure on your return pump though, you may want to consider that.

You're going to have a tough time maintaining CO2 levels with a sump. Especially a wet/dry system. The turbulance causes the water to offgas, which is going to release your CO2 into the air.

[Purrbox]

Unless you want to switch filtration methods, you're probably best off sticking to a low to medium light aquarium and skipping the CO2 injection. As Neilan mentioned, that type of filter is excellant at gassing off CO2, so you'd have to inject an aweful lot of CO2 to have any chance at maintaining reasonably good levels.

[mordred]

how do you guys have your filtration? Canister? I guess I could always run the CO2 on its own line, maybe a black thin air tube down the back of the aquarium if that would help? If not let me know and perhaps I will ditch this CO2 idea of mine.

[Purrbox]

You could go with a Canister or HOB, if set up correctly both work well and won't gas off all your CO2. It doesn't matter where you put your CO2 input at, as long as you continue using a Wet/Dry Filter it's going to gas off the CO2.

[mordred]

Crud! I am kinda sold on this wet/dry for a few years. Looks like my lush planted aquarium dream will not be happening for quite some time. Any suggested alternatives for the setup I do have that will keep down algae and promote healthy growth?

[neilanh]

You can consider dosing with excel for carbon supplementation.

[Purrbox]

Flourish Excel will be rather expensive on a 140 gallon aquarium. This thread provides some information on an alternative.

[marchmaxima]

Don't give up on the lush planted aquarium because you can't do CO2 injection. There are plenty of us with planted aquariums on lower lightikng. We just need to pick low & low-medium light plants, of which there are plenty.

[mordred]

A little worried about that chemical mentioned in the thread called "glutaraldehyde". Anyone know of some health concerns? I imagine I would not be using the heavy dose, but is the lighter stuff not only safe for the fish but for me to clean the tank and dump down the drain?

Otherwise, anyone have suggestions on places to get Excel? Looks like BigAlsonline.com is not so much online anymore. I usually shop at Dr. FostersSmith or PetSolutions, but if anyone knows of a better deal out there please let me know.

[mom2reds]

Hey you can have a low to med. light planted tank with out the Excell I just use root tabs and a liquid fertilizer for my plants you can check out my tanks under my name and the pictures in my album were takin right after I planted it they have grown out a lot. You just need to keep your wpg under 2 watts.

[CatatonicBug]

I get Excel at the LFS. I recently found a new (to me) LFS just up he road from where I go to church, and they actually have a very impressive FW and SW selection. They seem to have a good stock of the entire Seachem line, in various sizes, so that's where I will be getting it from now on.

[zenkatydid]

if you can seal the sump, you won't have a problem with offgassing co2 - it will act as a sort of reactor.