Beginner C02

Hey guys,

I've been thinking about dosing my tank with c02 but have no idea how to go about doing it and what I need. (I'm planning on getting everything tomorrow since it's my only day off)

Does anyone have any helpful links, or recommend any products they've personally used?

Thanks

 

Bithimala TexasDomer

 

You mean dose with a liquid substitute or inject CO2?

 

I don't know. What do you think is easier or better?

 

The equipment to inject CO2 is not cheap, but not horribly expensive either. And once you have it, all you have to do is refill the CO2 bottle periodically. Dosing with something like Flourish Excel is very easy and helpful, but is an ongoing expense.

 

What plants are you trying to grow? Many do not actually need it, making it just an added expense.

 

I don't dose a liquid substitute or inject CO2 in my low and medium light tanks, and I get great growth.

 

What plants are you trying to grow? Many do not actually need it, making it just an added expense.

A melon sword, two other types of sword and some type of other plant I got recently but can't remember the name (I kept the info card it came with but I'm not home atm)

In another post I made someone said it looked like my swords had a c02 deficiency, so I was curious.

I don't dose a liquid substitute or inject CO2 in my low and medium light tanks, and I get great growth.

I've been using Seachem flourish in the tablets and liquid, but it only helped to an extent.

The growth isn't bad, but the overall health is what I'm worried about.

 

I've been using Seachem flourish in the tablets and liquid, but it only helped to an extent.

The growth isn't bad, but the overall health is what I'm worried about.

What kind of light do you have?

And what makes you concerned about the plants' overall health?

 

What kind of light do you have?

And what makes you concerned about the plants' overall health?

I have Fluval Eco bright LED.

The leaves on the melon and swords are sort of pale to the point where you can see through them.

 

And how long do you leave the light on?

You could try dosing Excel to see if that helps?

 

I don't know about the melon plant, but the swords shouldn't need it. How many root tabs do you have near the swords? Mine us a lot of nutrients (I think I have about 2 tabs near each sword).

 

At first I didn't think CO2 would solve this issue either (because it's usually not necessary for many plants), but if your leaves are turning see-through, CO2 may help.

 

Useful pic. Definitely saving that one

 

Cat, CO2 units can be expensive. What is your budget? I bought a unit from GLA and am very happy with it.

 

How would one go about dosing for Manganese / maybe Iron?

 

You can dose iron separately, but Manganese is in Flourish Trace and other trace mineral fertilizers.

 

And how long do you leave the light on?

You could try dosing Excel to see if that helps?

I leave them on for about 10 hours, give or take a few depending on my day.

I'll pick some up today to see if that helps.

Cat, CO2 units can be expensive. What is your budget? I bought a unit from GLA and am very happy with it.

How much per month do you think it would be?

 

I might try Excel first, and then decide if injecting CO2 is worth it.

 

If you buy a CO2 regulator and the accessories to go with it, you can do it anywhere from around $150 to $300. For a 29 gallon tank I would buy a 10 pound CO2 bottle and then you would have to refill about once a year. The cost of a refill is around $20.

 

How much per month do you think it would be?

Money wise or CO2 wise?

 

Money wise or CO2 wise?

For the initial cost of everything and then monthly.

I might try Excel first, and then decide if injecting CO2 is worth it.

I was just at pet smart and they only had flourish and c02 boost, so I bought the c02 boost to see if it'll help.




Sorry about my angel he likes attention. The swords are a little dirty, but you can see they have white patches. The melon swords leaves are curling a bit.

 

I was just at pet smart and they only had flourish and c02 boost, so I bought the c02 boost to see if it'll help.

This stuff is Glut too. 0.6 ml of this equals 1 ml of Excel and it is cheaper. I buy it on Amazon.

For the initial cost of everything and then monthly.

I bought a regulator from GLA years ago (single stage) and I think it was about $230, but it has three outlets on the manifold.




After perusing through this and other forums I built my own dual stage for about $250.




I keep my tanks in the garage because my wife will not allow them in the house. I have spilt water in the past, so tanks are banned in the house. Anyway, once you have a regulator and CO2 you will need a way of dispersing the CO2. I built Cerges reactor:




CO2 makes plants go nuts! I am always trimming these plants in this tank. I leave it "jungly" because the Neons like to hover in dark areas on the bottom.




My Tiger Barb tank has just been trimmed and looking pretty good.




This tank has to be trimmed constantly! Plant growth is great though.




Here is a 10 that I just started. I am not sure what to do with it just yet. I am a poor planner.

 

CO2 makes plants go nuts! I am always trimming these plants in this tank. I leave it "jungly" because the Neons like to hover in dark areas on the bottom.

View attachment 197906

My Tiger Barb tank has just been trimmed and looking pretty good.

View attachment 197907

This tank has to be trimmed constantly! Plant growth is great though.

View attachment 197908

Here is a 10 that I just started. I am not sure what to do with it just yet. I am a poor planner.

View attachment 197909

All of your tanks look great! What are the long plants in the first pic you posted?

 

Aponogetons. They have multiplied and just taken over. Sooner or ater I am going to have to do a major plant purge. I hate doing it though.

 

Perhaps you can do a post on CL and offer them for a few dollars and start another tank!

 

Cat, if you do decide to get pressurized CO2 this thread may be informative. It basically explains all of the parts of a CO2 system.

 

Cat, if you do decide to get pressurized CO2 this thread may be informative. It basically explains all of the parts of a CO2 system.

Thank you! It's still up in the air, but I'd like some resources to look at.

 

Aponogetons. They have multiplied and just taken over. Sooner or ater I am going to have to do a major plant purge. I hate doing it though.

Are they low maintenance plants? Looking for something tall to put in the back of my tanks.

 

I like these plants:

Thank you! It's still up in the air, but I'd like some resources to look at.

These are only suggestions, you can/should shop around:
GLA Regulator -

tubing -

CO2 diffuser -
CO2 diffuser for canister filter -

drop checker (look on Amazon or Ebay for cheaper one) -

4dKH solution -