Hey everyone,
I'm looking to get my plants looking fuller and I've been thinking about getting some carpeting plants. I've heard that Co2 can really help with this, but I'm not sure where to start. From what I've read, yeast Co2 seems like a pretty easy and affordable option - is that right? I'm on a super tight budget at the moment, so I need something that won't break the bank. Thanks in advance for any advice!
Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
Re: Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
If it's really simple to set up, I'd love to add it to this tank for some carpeting plants, the shrimp would definitely appreciate it, plus I think it'd look amazing with the cave they love so much.
Re: Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
Honestly, I think you're putting the cart before the horse. Those few plants you've got don't really need Co2. Just a heads up, when you do start adding more plants and ferts, steer clear of anything with copper in it, it's not good for your shrimp and snails.
Re: Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
Thanks for the advice, so I'm thinking maybe liquid ferts would be a better option for me right now instead of Co2, especially since I'm on a tight budget and I don't have a lot of plants yet.
Re: Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
Yeah, I appreciate the input. So you're saying liquid ferts are the way to go instead of Co2?
Re: Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
Honestly, I'm not ready for that level of complexity with equipment just yet.
Re: Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
You'd only consider CO2 if you've got a tank full of aquatic plants and just a handful of fish. Then you're looking at buying a CO2 bottle, regulator, valves, and a diffuser. It all gets hooked up to the tank and you add a tiny bit of CO2 during the day when the plants are getting light, then switch it off at night.
Those DIY yeast CO2 systems are a recipe for disaster - they're unstable and can dump too much CO2 into the tank, sending the pH plummeting or even killing everything off. Plus, they need replacing every few weeks because they run out of food.
If you do decide to use CO2, you'll need to make sure your water's got plenty of carbonate hardness (KH) to keep the pH stable.
The thing is, your tank's already getting plenty of CO2 from the fish and bacteria, and there's loads of it in the air that gets into the water. You just don't have enough plants to make CO2 worthwhile.
For now, just stick with a liquid iron-based plant fertiliser and keep an eye on the iron levels. You're aiming for 1ppm (1 mg/Ltr).
Those DIY yeast CO2 systems are a recipe for disaster - they're unstable and can dump too much CO2 into the tank, sending the pH plummeting or even killing everything off. Plus, they need replacing every few weeks because they run out of food.
If you do decide to use CO2, you'll need to make sure your water's got plenty of carbonate hardness (KH) to keep the pH stable.
The thing is, your tank's already getting plenty of CO2 from the fish and bacteria, and there's loads of it in the air that gets into the water. You just don't have enough plants to make CO2 worthwhile.
For now, just stick with a liquid iron-based plant fertiliser and keep an eye on the iron levels. You're aiming for 1ppm (1 mg/Ltr).
Re: Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
Honestly, I think it's not worth going through the hassle.
Re: Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
"I agree with coltin and infold, but there's another point that hasn't been brought up - the type of plants you're dealing with. You've got primarily slow-growing plants, like Anubias, and they need less intense light and fewer nutrients. CO2 is just one of 17 nutrients, and with slow-growing plants, it's not as crucial. In fact, adding CO2 could do more harm than good, as it'll likely feed and encourage algae growth."
Re: Is carbon dioxide (co2) easy to understand and manage?
So overall, I think I'll pass on the Co2 for now. I'm going to try my luck with Liquid Ferts instead, seems like a better option for my tank.