co2

[rookie]

ok let me just start by saying that i want to avoid using co2 lol. but i just want to know what i am looking at. right now i have 1.45 wpg plants grow slow but are healthy. i am thinking of adding some more lighting to put me at 2.18 wpg do you think if i add this lighting i would need co2. and wht exactly does co2 do for my plants i know it keeps algae away but is co2 just for algae or do you need it if you have alot of plants so they can use it or both. right now i dont have many plants or fish but right now i think i got a good balance and i want to try to keep that as i add more plants and fish.

[rich311k]

You should be alright without the CO2.

CO2 is a macronutrient for plants. Plants make sugar with the energy from the sun. Carbon is a major part of sugar (C6H12O6). The carbon the plants use to make sugar primarily come from CO2 gas. It keeps algae away because, in abundance the plants use the CO2 better than algae and out \compete the algae for nutrients and grow faster. Thus growing plants receding algae.

[Neon]

how CO2 is added in the tank/water ? Won't fertilizer + lights suffice ?

[rich311k]

In a low light tank.There is enough CO2 available in the water to keep the plants growing. As light increases the plants grow faster and use more nutrients, (nitrogen, potassium, phosphate, carbon as well as traces of lots of other things) if these needs are not met the plants will not grow well and algae, which grows better in a low nutrient situation takes over. If you supply all the nutrients the plants want, they will grow rapidly and out compete the algae.

In a closed environment like your aquarium enough CO2 is not available for plant use and carbon must be supplemented. Either with Excel or other carbon supplements or by injecting CO2 gas into the water column.

[Neon]

how is injected ?

[MonkeyPox]

In a professional setup, its injected through a diffuser and valve assembly, sometimes through a controller. In a DIY setup, an airhose into the water column.

[kennedpa]

Putting it simply - plants need co2 to produce o2 whch = photsysnth which equals plant growth. Co2 also controls ones PH (without going in to the details of KH levels etc), plus you need adequate light to make the plants photosynth

[kennedpa]

Also I would go to the expense of defusers and other wizz bang hoo haa yeh ha gizzmo's....unless you run an ehiem ( no affiliation) My co2 feeds into my ehiem....disolves in the canister and blows out the spray bar... Personally I wouldnt try this setup on other brands of filters.

[rookie]

thank you all for your input some of the answers were a little over my head but i thank you all for your input

[Lady Hobbs]

If you have low light plants, I see nothing wrong with what you already have. Perhaps they need some root tabs? As long as your current plants are doing fine I'd leave your tank alone. Once you start "adjusting" a happy tank, you end up with algae and the balancing act begins.

I used CO2 when my plants were first new to give them a bit of a jump start but then discontinued use. If you think they need a bit of help, I agree with rich on the Excel.

[rookie]

If you have low light plants, I see nothing wrong with what you already have. Perhaps they need some root tabs? As long as your current plants are doing fine I'd leave your tank alone. Once you start "adjusting" a happy tank, you end up with algae and the balancing act begins.

I used CO2 when my plants were first new to give them a bit of a jump start but then discontinued use. If you think they need a bit of help, I agree with rich on the Excel.

i guess you are right i have been a little unhappy that everything is growing slow but i guess as long as they are growing healthy i should just leave it alone. i just ordered quite a few more plants so i will monitor them and see how things go. due to money i have been stocking slowly fish and plants.

[rookie]

update for the heck of it i decided to put the 3rd set of lights on just to see if it makes a diffrence in the look of the tank and it does dramatically before it always seemed to have a dark look to it and i was not sure if the water was a little cloudy or if it was because i never had a tank with that much water to look through. i now know that i just needed to light up that water a little more. so i am going to keep the 240 watt 2.18 wpg set up. i still have not recived my new plants but when i do should i dose excel immediatly or should i see how things go first.