Plant life

[Grrriph]

Plant life question

If I wanted to have a medium planted aquarium, would I need to invest in a co2 system? If so does it need to be pressurized? I just placed an order for a drop checker to see what my co2 levels are looking like. Any help and any information about this situation would be awesome.

 

[bruinsbro1997]

It depends on what your lights are and how big your tank is. I think for 20 and below you can do DIY CO2.

 

[Grrriph]

It depends on what your lights are and how big your tank is. I think for 20 and below you can do DIY CO2.

Check my profile for the tank info. I just updated it

 

[richpowell1989]

If I wanted to have a medium planted aquarium, would I need to invest in a co2 system? If so does it need to be pressurized? I just placed an order for a drop checker to see what my co2 levels are looking like. Any help and any information about this situation would be awesome.

Depends on your light and you could always use somethin like excel

 

[aqua_chem]

Check my profile for the tank info. I just updated it

Well, Im on a phone so...

Generally, the carbon dependence of a tank is determined by the light. Excel helps in all situations though. But then again, so does DIY co2...

 

[Grrriph]

What exactly does excel do?

 

[aqua_chem]

Its a carbon supplement, which helps supplement co2. Plants use this carbon to build just about everything.

 

[Grrriph]

Its a carbon supplement, which helps supplement co2. Plants use this carbon to build just about everything.

Ok thanks. I looked up excel real fast before this and saw excel cichlids food and I was like I don't think that's quite it haha

 

[aqua_chem]

Nope, that's Hikari's stuff. Our is by Seachem

 

[Grrriph]

Nice thanks a bunch. I'm gonna go to my lfs tomorrow and hopefully they'll have them. If not, is there a particular cheap co2 set up? I don't have room on my tank cause I just built a canopy and don't feel like cutting into it. Also would an air pump do anything. I've been going back and forth with getting one. Mainly for the purpose of helping the circulation at the bottom of my tank since its a taller-esk tank.

 

[aqua_chem]

If you're injecting CO2, skip the air pump. If you're doing CO2, an air pump will help, but it's mostly a preference thing.

Depending on the size of your tank, you could get more bang out of a DIY CO2 setup.

 

[Leftysav]

If you're injecting CO2, skip the air pump. If you're doing CO2, an air pump will help, but it's mostly a preference thing.

Depending on the size of your tank, you could get more bang out of a DIY CO2 setup.

Im new to this...so if you have a DIY co2 it wouldn't be beneficial? Cause it releases the co2 too quickly??

 

[aqua_chem]

With a bigger tanks, diy co2 is neither consistent enough nor potent enough to properly supply the tank. With small tanks, this has less of an impact.

 

[richpowell1989]

Nice thanks a bunch. I'm gonna go to my lfs tomorrow and hopefully they'll have them. If not, is there a particular cheap co2 set up? I don't have room on my tank cause I just built a canopy and don't feel like cutting into it. Also would an air pump do anything. I've been going back and forth with getting one. Mainly for the purpose of helping the circulation at the bottom of my tank since its a taller-esk tank.

You can pick it up on ebay cheaply

 

[Leftysav]

With a bigger tanks, diy co2 is neither consistent enough nor potent enough to properly supply the tank. With small tanks, this has less of an impact.

Oops. Asked that wrong. So having an air pump would defeat the purpose of the co2 kit??

 

[aqua_chem]

It would oppose it. The bubble increases gas exchange with the atmosphere. If your co2 levels are HIGHER than their equilibrium levels, you'll lose co2.

 

[richpowell1989]

Oops. Asked that wrong. So having an air pump would defeat the purpose of the co2 kit??

In it just offs the c02 a lot quicker so I wouldn't use one

 

[aqua_chem]

Yea, diy co2 is cheap and easy. The yeast stuff you buy is not worth it, imo

 

[Grrriph]

Any suggestions on a co2 system. Around $50? Like this
http://www.aquariumguys.com/redsea-co2-reactor1.html

 

[Faile]

That is not an actual "system", it's just a diffuser for the CO2. I found the best results with a DIY inline reactor and piping directly into the filter.