which one first?

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flitabout

flitabout

Aquarium Advice Addict
Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Messages
1,933
Location
Pipestone, Minnesota
I am upgrading my planted aquarium. I am going with a dirted tank. At the moment I am just setting up I have plans to change out to dirt, upgrading to t5 HO bulbs and a small co2 system. Here is what I was thinking.
Lighting
Aquarium Lighting T5 Fluorescent Light Fixture: AquaticLife T5 HO Dual Lamp Light Fixtures
co2 system
Freshwater Planted Aquarium & Plant Care: Fluval Pressurized CO2 Kit

I am not rolling in money and I have to do this in stages what should I do first to not kill my plants. This week I want to dirt the tank and get the lighting and then do the co2 in a few more weeks. Or should I just wait and do everything all at once? and will this work for my system? I have a 37g tall, I have a crappy led lighted hood that came with the tank and my plants are
3 swords
5 wisteria
2 anubias
5 lace java ferns
4 purple waffle (not true aquatics but they seem to be doing really well
2 small cuttings of ambulia
3 anacharis cuttings
and I want a tun more in there!
 
I would actually disagree here, just my opinion though. I think upgrading co2 first is the better idea because you can dial co2 down or up where as with lights its a lot harder to dial them down if you have too much. Also, as much as I enjoy my 88 on my 8 gallon I think you're going to be spending a ton of money on replacement cartridges with a bigger aquarium, my suggestion would be to just save up a but more and get a paintball regulator and tank, its only probably $40 more and will save you a ton of money. I have an aquatek regulator ($100) and a 24oz PB tank ($20) on my 36bf and it only costs my about $5 a month to run or less. You can get a 24oz tank filled at dicks or academy for about 4$, for three 88g cartridges its $35, you can see how it all adds up really quickly
 
Zimmanski said:
I would actually disagree here, just my opinion though. I think upgrading co2 first is the better idea because you can dial co2 down or up where as with lights its a lot harder to dial them down if you have too much. Also, as much as I enjoy my 88 on my 8 gallon I think you're going to be spending a ton of money on replacement cartridges with a bigger aquarium, my suggestion would be to just save up a but more and get a paintball regulator and tank, its only probably $40 more and will save you a ton of money. I have an aquatek regulator ($100) and a 24oz PB tank ($20) on my 36bf and it only costs my about $5 a month to run or less. You can get a 24oz tank filled at dicks or academy for about 4$, for three 88g cartridges its $35, you can see how it all adds up really quickly
Click to expand...

On average, how long does the 24 oz PB tank last you?
 
Fresh2o said:
On average, how long does the 24 oz PB tank last you?
Click to expand...

It varies a little bit, but its cheap enough not to care. When I get a guy who knows what he's doing at the sporting goods store it lasts probably 6 weeks or so, somehow I always end up losing track of actually how long. My 88g on my little cube lasts a month usually. I just filled up my 24oz and 20oz PB tanks at dicks and spent a whopping 9.88 and I don't plant on needing to fill again for at least 2 months, I'm upping my bps so we'll see how it goes
 
I'm going to agree with zimmanski on going with the CO2 first. It can save you a lot of issues with algae by getting the co2 down before upgrading the lighting system.
 
I agree with co2 as well. But if space isn't an issue, save yourself some cash, even if it is a few bucks a month and get a 5lb co2 tank. They aren't that expensive and are actually not very big. I set mine up in may and the pressure needle has not moved since I filled it up. It's one less thing to worry about short term. We all know how things come up or we want to add something. I always want new plants or fish to spice up my scape.
 
It really depends on what you want to do with this tank. An light now + Excel might be all you'll ever need, or CO2 system now might be a good investment. That being said, I might be really frustrated if I dropped a good chunk of money on a CO2 system and was still stuck with the crappy LED that comes with most kits. What's your budget in all of this, or at the moment anyways.

There was someone selling a complete paintball CO2 setup on the market for $70 shipped last I looked....


Also, Ray II PAR at 24" is probably ~30 or so. That might be disappointing after spending $100 on it.
 
Also agree with co2. I use the 88g on my 10 gallon and can't wait to get away from it. I've dropped more money on the cartridges than my 40 breeder system.
 
Well by the sounds of it I think I am going to try going with the light first and dosing with the excel. I will have to be honest I am feeling very intimidated by the bigger co2 systems. I don't know what I need or how to set it up. I have seen bubble counters and co2 reactors, huge scuba tank looking things. I looked up DIYs and came up with a yeast system for weed. The confusion with all of this is what led me to deciding to dirt the tank. Or is there a set up that is all in a kit that would be apporpriate for a tank of my size?
My space is pretty limited because I have at anytime 10-15 gallon jugs under my tank for my RO and DI water. I have stupid hard water.
 
flitabout said:
Well by the sounds of it I think I am going to try going with the light first and dosing with the excel. I will have to be honest I am feeling very intimidated by the bigger co2 systems. I don't know what I need or how to set it up. I have seen bubble counters and co2 reactors, huge scuba tank looking things. I looked up DIYs and came up with a yeast system for weed. The confusion with all of this is what led me to deciding to dirt the tank. Or is there a set up that is all in a kit that would be apporpriate for a tank of my size?
My space is pretty limited because I have at anytime 10-15 gallon jugs under my tank for my RO and DI water. I have stupid hard water.
Click to expand...

Either way is up to you of course, whichever move you make will probably be the right one for you. Co2 can be very intimidating at first (just ask rivercats) but is also very rewarding. To simplify it here's a basic setup :

A PB tank

http://www.amazon.com/PMI-Pure-Ener...40117&sr=8-2&keywords=24oz+paintball+co2+tank

A regulator

http://www.amazon.com/AQUATEK-OF-CA...40201&sr=1-1&keywords=paintball+co2+regulator

A drop checker and 4dkh solution

http://www.amazon.com/U-P-Aqua-Supe...=1378940256&sr=1-13&keywords=co2+drop+checker

A diffuser

http://www.amazon.com/U-P-Aqua-Supe...=1378940256&sr=1-13&keywords=co2+drop+checker

You'll also need airline tubing

Just thought this might help in the future when you decide to take the plunge.
 
Mebbid said:
I would be worried about buying that brand of light. They are known for catching on fire.
Click to expand...

Not really. Or at least they haven't been for nearly a decade. There were some issues with HQI fixtures about a decade ago, and one random guy on a SW forum that managed to catch one on fire. Thousands of people have used them in the meantime without much problem.
 
I too would do good lights first simply because I know from experience that you can use liquid carbon on med to high light tanks using only liquid carbon and not have algae issues when dosed at the proper amount. I use Aquatic Life T5HO fixtures and Build My Led fixtures on my tanks. Both IMO are quality fixtures.
 
Rivercats said:
I too would do good lights first simply because I know from experience that you can use liquid carbon on med to high light tanks using only liquid carbon and not have algae issues when dosed at the proper amount. I use Aquatic Life T5HO fixtures and Build My Led fixtures on my tanks. Both IMO are quality fixtures.
Click to expand...

Let's remember your also a good exception to the Glut route. Then again no algae could survive in a glut/excel dosed tank. Co2 is just one less thing to worry about dosing. But I still use excel with it, go figure lol. Def try the buildmyled I want one so bad! But make sure if you do to buy the dimmer. blasting them with that light is an invitation to any algae and no fert or Co2 supply is going to help you unless the tank Is green from top to bottom with plants lol and even then.
 
bshenanagins said:
Let's remember your also a good exception to the Glut route. Then again no algae could survive in a glut/excel dosed tank. Co2 is just one less thing to worry about dosing. But I still use excel with it, go figure lol. Def try the buildmyled I want one so bad! But make sure if you do to buy the dimmer. blasting them with that light is an invitation to any algae and no fert or Co2 supply is going to help you unless the tank Is green from top to bottom with plants lol and even then.
Click to expand...

bshenanagins your PM box is full so you need to empty it... lol! Sorry for the post OP.
 
flitabout said:
I found this on another forum trying to get my head around the co2. I think I'll need to read it about 20 more times before I really get it! I am going to try to get my hubby to help me with it.
Pressurized CO2...Just thought I'd share.
Click to expand...

This is the sticky at the top of the Planted forum page. I simply followed it and found set up was quite easy. And trust me if I could do it anybody can do it! http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/how-to-set-up-a-co2-system-137982.html
 
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