Good morning all! I was wondering a lot about this CO2 in a earosol tipe can. One of the lfs are using it on the tank that they keep there plants in! Does anyone know if its worth it? If i remember corectly it is a tetra product. Thanx Schalk
I believe Solex69 use to, or still does, use this product with good result. Not sure if he's still using it. If it's the same one he is using, it only lasts about 3 weeks and then needa to be replaced. Make sure your lfs keeps the replacement cartridges else you might land up in trouble trying to source them. I am however still of the opinion that unless you have a very heavy planted tank, or keep plants that specifically require lots of co2, it is not necessary. If you are using good undergravel substrate with good water column ferts like the professors ferts, as well as reasonable lighting, you should still see good growth results. I have personally found that without the 3 in good balance, i.e ferts, light, and co2, so will be creating the perfect opportunity for algae blooms.
Zoom i am using the profs "drops" and the pfp mixed in chemicult under my sand. The lights are 2x sylvania growlux and some aquarium light by boyu. i want to up my lighting more thats why i'm looking into co2. But the plants are doing well and are growing by the day! i'm just not so sure if the alternanthera reinickii wil make it without more light and co2 and i love this plants! Do you perhaps know how many times i have to inject with that can? should you inject one squirt in the morning? Schalk
Schalk if you are getting very good growth why spend money on something that may end up in algae? Just be a little patient and your plants will get to where you want them.
I agree with this one. If you can see the growth happening on a daily basis, this means to me that the plants are getting pretty much all the nutrients that they need. If you increase the lighting, this might help you plant that you love so much. I feel if your growth is going well, then there is absolutely no reason to add CO2. All you are thereby doing is giving the algae nutrients to grow.
Actually guys..wont the co2 help reduce algae by increasing growth in the plants..which means the nutrients will be used up by the plants leaving less nutrients for algae..resulting in less algae..but as mentioned earlier..everything has to be balanced for a algae free tank
Not necessarily Sarf. There are different types of algae. Some bloom in low CO2, some high CO2. Some high light, some low light. Some on nutrients not taken up by plants, some not. So if your tank is growing well on your current set up... by adding CO2 you will have to increase the light and the ferts to ensure that your balance is maintained. I still believe that if a tank is growing well with no algae... except for green spot algae on the glass towards the end of the water change cycle... then you shouldn't fiddle around too much with whatever set up you have. I may be wrong here... but when I added CO2 without increasing my light and ferts over 3 months ago, I landed up with SERIOUS algae problems. I've been going without CO2 now for 2 months, only only now starting to get on top of the algae.
That is absolutely correct. Given the right conditions the plants will out compete most types of algae. Yes, there are many different types of algae, but it's a little more complex than that. Unless conditions are favourable, adding Co2 to your tank will not cause an algae bloom, just like direct sunlight by itself will not cause an algae bloom. You make a good comment about balance, but then go and contradict yourself.
I don't agree that co2 can create more algae growth. Every expert article I have read states that CO2 can only improve conditions for plants to outperform algae to get to nutrients. Zoom, do you have a tank with proper co2 to compare the results and algae growth? In my experience, algae started to grow in my tank as soon as my co2 was depleted and I have neglected to replace it.
Fluctuating CO2 levels is the cause of most algea blooms.When aquarists first use CO2 in there tanks, they usualy start off with yeast based reactors.And because the gas production is very unstable,a number of things can influence this,and the aquarist did not do enough research,did not listen when the process is explained or do not understand the process,the result is sometimes dissasterus.They then dismiss all theorys and or explainations as to why the algea bloom happend,blaming only the CO2 introduction,when infact it is themselfs they have to blame for messing up a simple process.
