Adding CO2

I just set up a new tank yesterday, it's a low tech planted tank with LED lights. Is it necessary to add CO2?

 

Hi Claire

Low tech does not need co2, off course it will assist, but depending on your plants, you should be fine without it.

 

Thanks Hennie

 

@Claire

You can add some Flourish Excel

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/FlourishExcel.html

 

Thanks Dinky, will go get some!

 

Yeah I would recommend in getting some source of CO2 as you went with LED lighting.
The LED lighting is strong for a low tec tank if you know what I mean, the stronger the lights are the more CO2 needs to be available for the plant to take in.

 

i have to agree with the seachem excel. works very well. also nothing rong with c02.

 

Appreciate the advice I will set up a proper planted tank sometime and get the whole CO2 thing going, but for now this is perfect!

 

DIY co2 is easy , cheap and works well

 

Does the CO2 level need to be monitored at all?

 

I run DIY CO2 in my one setup, I use a ladder diffuser and even if I have one bubble per line I get the plants to pearl but there NEVER is enough CO2 to harm the fish. This is however in a 28l aquarium.

 

Thanks Hein, my tank is also a 28L, I'm going to try the diy CO2! My handy work isn't all that great, so let's hold thumbs then haha

 

This is the tank I set up yesterday (my first planted tank)

 

nice tank. the plants at back part of a picture?

 

Thanks byron yip, that's part of the background pic, but as soon as I have enough plants in there I'll take the picture off. I'm soaking driftwood so that I can attach some moss to it and put it at the back of the tank :dancing2:

 

Quick update My DIY CO2 "system" is up and running! Question is, where can I get a diffuser? Phoned a couple of places and they don't have

 

Diffusers don't work with DIY CO2, there isn't enough pressure. You can use an air stone.

 

Hi Claire, that is a cool little tank you have there! What type of filter are you running in there? Bubbles from an airstone are big and will most likely end up floating to the surface and popping. For DIY CO2 you can try using a very small power head to diffuse the CO2. Something like this...



The impeller chops the CO2 into thousands of tiny bubbles and also distributes it in your water. The smaller the bubbles the quicker it will dissolve in the water. I must mention this will make the tank look almost like a glass of sprite with all the bubbles everywhere You also asked if the levels should be monitored. Yes they do. Easiest, but not most effective, is to get a CO2 drop checker. You can find 3 more ways of calculating co2 levels here http://www.theaquatools.com/co2-calculations based on you pH and kH values. I also want to mention that adding CO2 can cause drastic pH swings if the water isn't buffered, especially with DIY CO2 as it is difficult to control (as compared to pressurised). HTH and don't forget to upload pics of the progress!!

 

Sorry, i forgot to mention this. Plants that have enough CO2 and light will require more nutrients as well. Have a look at EI dosing. It's cheap and very effective.

 

Thanks K.C, very helpful post! The filter is a Cascade 300, I don't know if it's the right kind or anything, but it seems to work well enough! :blink: The power head is a good idea, I'll definitely be trying it out, I might just like the sprite effect haha! I've been checking the pH levels and it looks like it's pretty much stayed the same, but I will keep monitoring it. EI dosing looks cool, I see you can get the KNO3 from a pharmacy, but where would I find KH2P04?