hrvat31
Aquarium Advice Activist
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2012
- Messages
- 103
In my 2.5 gallon tank I have HC and parts of it is turning brown. Any tips? Please help
With high light and the proper amount of liquid carbon it grows just as thick and quickly. I have no issues growing it, just keeping it down while it's establishing with yo-yo loaches in the tank.
That might be your personal experience, but its in contrast to the experiences of the rest of the planted tank community, as well as Seachems's description of their own product. The vast majority of the nice lawns that people associate with HC are grown with co2. If anything high light will make the difference even more stark.
What kind of liquid carbon do you use other than excel?
Yes it's my expierence, which shows it can be grown without CO2 under the proper conditions and even you have stated that HC is one of the most tolerant of all carpeting plants when it comes to using liquid carbon. I also don't use Excel and have no idea what Seachems description of their product has to do with growing HC. I seriously doubt I am the only person in the rest of planted community here, in the states, in the world, who doesn't use CO2 and grows HC without issue. Just because many or even the majority people do do things one way doesn't mean it is the only way it can be done sucessfully. JMHO
You've said it yourself here, having to trim more means you have more growth. It's not always someone's main goal of course, but it's clearly shown and accepted that pressurized co2 outperforms glutaraldehyde, which is what I was implying.I still agree to disagree Jetta. Honestly I really can't see what more it could add to my tank for example. Other than possibly making me have to trim even more.
Calling it liquid carbon is as much of a misnomer IMO. That term implies that it is an equal substitute to co2 injection and it just simply is not. Even seachem makes this clear in their PDF on excel. This takes people down a road thinking they can have a high light tank without pressurized co2, and while it can be done, as evidenced, it's not easy nor is it the norm. 9/10 high light setups that begin like this are disaster stories as I'm sure you've seen.I believe that there isn't enough info available on how much individual tanks need when it comes to dosing liquid carbon. Aqua was right on when he posted that one size doesn't fit all when this subject was brought up in another thread (we were discussing the lack of directions). Liquid carbon, which I wish wouldn't be called Liquid CO2, has to be dosed to the tanks needs and on the Excel bottle it even states "higher doses may be required in high production tanks" yet gives no directions. I think if there was alot more information available on liquid carbon, what affects it, and how much different types of tanks need, people would in fact see better results in their tanks when using it instead of CO2 as I have had in my 220g.
I'm sure this wasn't intended to create a debate, but as I'm learning more about how to operate a planted tank, I have developed this simple opinion. Pressurized CO2 is more common because its easier. Using liquid carbon instead is more difficult to "get right."
I've seen the pics of Rivercats tanks on here, a I don't know how anybody could want more. While that approach may be the exception, it seems clear that it can be just as successful.