co 2 info

[FranAndMark]

hi all,

i am searching for advise on the use of carbon dioxide for plant growth.

is it really necessary to use co 2 if you want strong plant growth?.

which method is best DIY yeast bottle, tablets or a co2 unit.

which is the most cost effective?

if anyone could point me towards a good website with lots of co2 info that would be great.

how do you set up a DIY yeast bottle?.

any info would be most appreciated

thanks

fran

[jim r]

Wagonman june 22 had an article on diy co2

[alanmin4304]

It is fashionable rather than necessary to use CO2. Your fish provide a much cheaper and easier source of CO2. If you use CO2 you realy need to do a whole lot of other things as well. You need the right lighting and fertilizer balance as well for CO 2 to be any use. I don't use it and I get pretty good plant growth.

[me love fishy]

I agree with Alanmin.

I don't use CO2, I have never looked into it. I only have low-medium lighting as well and manage to grow plants perfectly well. IMO the trick is to buy the correct plants for your lighting. Plants will get fertilized by the fish waste.

[Zev]

Hi Fran

What sort of planted tank are you looking at setting up?

Or probably more to the point, what sort of plants are you looking at having in your tank?

If you are after some of the lush carpet-like ground covers, such as Hairgrass or Glosso or even Riccia at ground level, good lighting is essential. The amount and type of lighting you will require is also dependant on the depth of your tank, anything over 600mm and even Metal Halides will struggle to give you adequate light at the bottom.

Unfortunately, a good source of light at the correct colour temperature and watts per litre can lead to the necessity of Co2 and a fertilizer regime.

I have a 400mm cube tank, which I put a 70w 6500degK lamp over, the Hairgrass struggled, it was short and pale and got some strange ginger algae on it until I got my Co2 (Nutrafin bottle with a Ball reactor on the filter outlet) set up, AND the added correct amout of ferts daily (PMDD). Now it grows like a weed!

There are quite a few people on the forums who use Co2 in one form or another, from DIY to the full blown regulator/needle valve/hire Co2 bottle/diffuser setups.

Have a look here, they usually state what setups are being used.

http://showcase.aquatic-gardeners.org/2 ... w-showcase