do i need co2 injection?

**jrbirdman92** · 11-19-2012, 01:50 PM

So I have a 55g with two 46" 54w t5 bulbs. Three clumps of Amazon swords, two anubias and about six small stems of compacta. Do I need co2 injection??

**Cliff** · 11-19-2012, 04:21 PM

Although you do have medium to high levels of lighting, you may not need CO2 injection.

If your plants are doing well, and you don't out of control algae, I would keep things as they are.

You don;t always need CO2 to have a great planted tank

**jrbirdman92** · 11-19-2012, 05:29 PM

What about API co2 booster?

**Goes to 11!** · 11-19-2012, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by jrbirdman92

So I have a 55g with two 46" 54w t5 bulbs. Do I need co2 injection??

Jbird, This is a 55G running two 54h T5HO bulbs with no CO2:

To answer your question: No, CO2 is not required for a lush verdant tank.

**biotsrama** · 11-29-2012, 03:13 PM

I would probably add more plants, or at least a few more fast growing ones, to help out-compete the algae.

**Cermet** · 11-29-2012, 06:02 PM

I assume you dose correct values of Fe, K, Mg and S. These are easily measured and added.

Then balance is important and depending on number of fish, nitrates could be an issue as well.

If you do have fish then the main concern for any planted tank is too much phosphate. These are difficult to control unless you have an absorber or algae scrubber. So, if you do have fish, then keep a close eye on this nutrient level (well below 0.5 ppm) and take steps before it becomes an issue - otherwise algae will grow.

**Tobinkinz** · 12-01-2012, 10:48 PM

850R -

That is a beautiful tank! Mind me asking what plants and substrate you have? Do you dose any ferts at all?

**Goes to 11!** · 12-01-2012, 11:46 PM

Thank you very much

& Can do:

Here's the rundown: As mentioned, It's A 55G under 7 hours of 108W of T5HO [Ix6700K & 1x10000K] with No CO2 @ 77F.

I swap between the Seachem root tabs & 'Trace' & 'Total' tabs from here. There are differences as one is slow release and other is fast release etc. But IME as long as you are timely with replacement all is well. I like the results. Liquid ferts: I dose Seachem Flourish Comprehensive weekly [or as remembered ;-P]

The substrate is Black Diamond sandblasting media [About 8$ for a 50lb bag - I think here are 4 bags in there, Don't recall actually, It's 3 or 4].

Plants are pretty simple no-fuss numbers: Wisteria, Amazon Swords & Hygro Polysperma around the back, Some Narrow leaf Crypts & Java Moss up front with a Red Rubin sword in the middle and there is a some sort of red Crypt on the RH side but I don't remember what kind

In all seriousness, I effectively ignore this tank and it does it's own thing, I fert, Feed the fish, Do WC & prune it back on occasion. That's it.

I am not a fan of loving tanks to death, EG: essing with them all the time - I think it's usually counterproductive.
I figure if it grows without any help in the right conditions in the wild.. Provide similar conditions in the tank and the same applies.

No big secrets above but I hope that is what you wanted to know, Thanks for asking. :-D