No CO2 Planted Tank

Hey everyone, how are you guys doing. I've been thinking of starting a planted aquarium because clearly, they are a lot more fun than a non planted tank. But, I don't want to make one with CO2, and I know there are ways to do it but I have some questions about it, and I can't find any answers on the internet. I'll just list them out.

1. I am aware that I can get plants that do not require a CO2 system, and during the day when my light would be on, the plants would produce oxygen for the fish right? What about at night? If I turn off the light and I do not have a CO2 system running how will the fish get oxygen? Do I need an air pump that produces bubbles?

2. Do I need a filter to keep it clean? Or can I treat the water and put in a few algae eater or shrimp to take care of it?

3. Do I really need to wait a few weeks or more for the tank to be cycled so I can put in fish? Or is there a way to speed it up? Are there things I can add to the water?

4. Where can I get cheap plants? Do stores like PetSmart and Petco have plants that don't require CO2?

(Excuse me if I sound dumb I'm still new to most of this)

 

1. Plants do not produce oxygen at night when the lights are off anyway, people who use Co2, turn it off at night. You only need an air pump at night if your tank is heavily stocked.

2. Its probably best to have a filter to keep things clean, build up beneficial bacteria and it will also provide some water movement and aeration.

3. you don’t necessarily need to cycle the tank with ammonia if you are growing plenty of plants including floating plants, but wait until they get well established, producing new leaves etc. Adding a liquid fertilizer will help. You should then add fish very gradually, feed lightly at first and monitor the water parameters to check for ammonia, nitrites (toxic for fish, you would have to change water and add prime if you see these) and nitrates. If the plants are doing well they should be taking up all the harmful nitrogen compounds and it should be fine, I have done two tanks this way with no problems, you do need plenty of plants though.

 

Welcome to Fishlore!

1- Yes there are lots of plants you can get that do not require CO2. Look for "low light" plants.
2- Yes to keep it clean as stated. Also the filter putting water back in the tank will give your fish air if its aimed on the surface.
3- Read this if you have cycle questions. Nitrogen cycle. If it doesn't link I will provide it later...
4- Yes They have all kinds of no CO2 plants.

 

Buceplant, h20plants aquaticarts marcusfishtanks are all good places to buy plants from. I've bought plants from all 4 with no issue and they are growing great with no co2. Remember to add root tabs for any root feeding plants you might get to keep em happy.

 

Welcome to Fishlore!

1- Yes there are lots of plants you can get that do not require CO2. Look for "low light" plants.
2- Yes to keep it clean as stated. Also the filter putting water back in the tank will give your fish air if its aimed on the surface.
3- Read this if you have cycle questions. Nitrogen cycle. If it doesn't link I will provide it later...
4- Yes They have all kinds of no CO2 plants.

Could you provide the link to the Nitrogen Cycle

1. Plants do not produce oxygen at night when the lights are off anyway, people who use Co2, turn it off at night. You only need an air pump at night if your tank is heavily stocked.

2. Its probably best to have a filter to keep things clean, build up beneficial bacteria and it will also provide some water movement and aeration.

3. you don’t necessarily need to cycle the tank with ammonia if you are growing plenty of plants including floating plants, but wait until they get well established, producing new leaves etc. Adding a liquid fertilizer will help. You should then add fish very gradually, feed lightly at first and monitor the water parameters to check for ammonia, nitrites (toxic for fish, you would have to change water and add prime if you see these) and nitrates. If the plants are doing well they should be taking up all the harmful nitrogen compounds and it should be fine, I have done two tanks this way with no problems, you do need plenty of plants though.

Thank you so much

 

Here is a list of all kinds of beginner topics. I think you can find bunches of info here!
READ FIRST: Freshwater Beginner Important Topics | Freshwater Aquarium Discussion Forum | 14296

 

Buceplant, h20plants aquaticarts marcusfishtanks are all good places to buy plants from. I've bought plants from all 4 with no issue and they are growing great with no co2. Remember to add root tabs for any root feeding plants you might get to keep em happy.

Can I have some examples of Non CO2 Root plants? And what are root tabs?

 

Can I have some examples of Non CO2 Root plants? And what are root tabs?

Anubias, Java Ferns (cannot be planted have to be tied to wood or decor) Vallisneria, Sword Plants, Anacharis, Watersprite, Hornwort, Some floating plants like Duckweed.....There are more but I can't think of any more right now.

Root tabs are a very slow releasing tablet or capsule that you put in the substrate by the roots to fertilize them at the roots. Some plants eat more from the roots than the water.

 

Can I have some examples of Non CO2 Root plants? And what are root tabs?

Root tabs are fertilizer tablets you put into the substrate for root feeding plants to have access to nutrients. Dwarf saggitaria, amazon sword or umbrella hairgrass are all examples but the size and setup of your tank will determine what you go with. I suggest water sprite, dwarf saggitaria or amazon swords. Stem plants are pretty easy to grow as well. Just do as much research into what plant you want before you buy it as you can. From what i understand, most plants grow without added co2 but they wont grow as fast. There is also the option of anubias and java ferns that don't feed from the root but from their rhyzomes, getting nutrients from the water column.

 

Air pumps do not pump oxygen into the water. The rising bubbles from an internal filter or air stone agitate the water surface making it easier for gases to exchange. Excess CO2 escapes and O2 dissolves into the water.

The same thing happens with a filter of or powerhead. Every aquarium should have a filter of some type: internal filter, sponge filter, hang on back filter, or canister filter, depending upon the size of the tank. The filter is filled with media that become and ideal medium for growth of beneficial bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate so your fish are not poisoned. There are bacteria in the substrate and on the walls of the tank, but the water flow through the filter media provides nutrients and oxygen so the bacteria can do their job. The filter also removes debris from the water helping to keep the water clean.

If you do get a filter, remember that it does not take the place of routine water changes.

 

Air pumps do not pump oxygen into the water. The rising bubbles from an internal filter or air stone agitate the water surface making it easier for gases to exchange. Excess CO2 escapes and O2 dissolves into the water.

The same thing happens with a filter of or powerhead. Every aquarium should have a filter of some type: internal filter, sponge filter, hang on back filter, or canister filter, depending upon the size of the tank. The filter is filled with media that become and ideal medium for growth of beneficial bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite and nitrite to nitrate so your fish are not poisoned. There are bacteria in the substrate and on the walls of the tank, but the water flow through the filter media provides nutrients and oxygen so the bacteria can do their job. The filter also removes debris from the water helping to keep the water clean.

If you do get a filter, remember that it does not take the place of routine water changes.

So let's say I add a pump at the bottom of my tank that shoots bubbles to the surface, it doesn't produce oxygen?

 

So let's say I add a pump at the bottom of my tank that shoots bubbles to the surface, it doesn't produce oxygen?

Not exactly, the bubbles are ordinary air but they do help the exchange of of gases to and from the water as RayClem explained, so will help to keep oxygen levels higher.

 

So let's say I add a pump at the bottom of my tank that shoots bubbles to the surface, it doesn't produce oxygen?

A tiny amount of oxygen may dissolve into the water from the bubbles, but the bubbles are too large to be very effective. However, as those large bubbles burst at the surface of the water, they disrupt the boundary layer between the water surface and the air above, allowing gas exchange. That is where most of the oxygen transfer happens.

If you were to use a ceramic diffuser rather than an air stone, the bubbles would be far smaller and there would be more direct oxygen transfer. That is why those with CO2 systems use ceramic diffusers. However, you have to have over 20 psi to pass CO2 through the tiny pores. An air compressor could generate sufficient pressure to do that, but a typical diaphragm air pump cannot.

 

1: There ARE people who run CO2 at night, but its pointless as the plants dont consume it unless there is light.

2: You always want a filter as it not only collects debris, but more importantly provides media for your beneficial bacteria colony to live in.

3: Yes, you need to cycle the tank which can take 2 months, roughly. The ONLY way to avoid this is to get completely cycled media from a friend.

4: I buy all my plants from my local Petco and a couple other small stores. You have to know which ones are easy and which arent.

These 2 tanks are in my living room. Neither runs CO2 and neither gets fertilizer. I do add root tabs as the Amazon Swords in the bottom tank really need them, but other than that, nothing. I use a 24" T5 grow light for 7 hours a day on each tank, and both tanks have been running for 5+ years.

Top tank has 8 different types of Anubias, 2 different types of Crypts, Aponogeton, Java Moss, Hornwort, Dwarf Water Lettuce and the Pothos growing out of the top. I have 15 Harlequin Rasboras, 1 Dwarf Gourami and 8 Striped Kuhli Loaches in it.

Bottom tank has Dwarf Water Lettuce, 5 types of Amazon Sword, Pothos and another house plant growing out of the back. In this tank I have 17 Black Neon Tetras, 8 Peppered Corys, 1 Clown Pleco and 1 Bristlenose Pleco.

 

1. I am aware that I can get plants that do not require a CO2 system, and during the day when my light would be on, the plants would produce oxygen for the fish right? What about at night? If I turn off the light and I do not have a CO2 system running how will the fish get oxygen? Do I need an air pump that produces bubbles?

Yea they produce oxygen during the day and release Co2 at night. Meaning oxygen levels are low at night. What you need is surface agitation (movement of the water at the surface). There are many ways to do this. A decent filter suffices for nearly every setup.

2. Do I need a filter to keep it clean? Or can I treat the water and put in a few algae eater or shrimp to take care of it?

All tanks generally need a filter.

3. Do I really need to wait a few weeks or more for the tank to be cycled so I can put in fish? Or is there a way to speed it up? Are there things I can add to the water?

Yes you need to cycle your tank for 5-8 weeks and buy a master test kit. You can speed it up with Fritzyme turbo 700 - but it is expensive and is not necessary. Be wary of bottled bacteria from the shelf. It’s not the same thing.

4. Where can I get cheap plants? Do stores like PetSmart and Petco have plants that don't require CO2?

Yea they do but they’re not cheap. At least not ones without algae and pests. As a new person I would not suggest taking on plants that will cause you trouble you don’t know how to deal with. Their plants in plastic containers with gelatin bottoms won’t come with issues but aren’t cheap.

Best bet is to buy a noob package online. All plant sites have them.

On a side note do not blast your tank with light (intensity or duration). It will not turn out well even though it’s tempting. Your beginner plants will be fine with 4 hours of light a day and your tank will be healthier.

 

All plants require CO2. However, there is enough CO2 dissolved in water normally to sustain most plants. Some plants like carpeting type plants do a lot better with CO2 injection.

I have a a 55 gallon tank that has a variety of plants. That tank has CO2 injection, good fertilization and good lightning. The plants in that tank grow rapidly, so much so that I have to constantly prune the excess growth. Many of the prunings have been moved to other thanks that have good lighting and fertilization, but do not have CO2 injection. The plants have done well, even without added CO2, but the growth rate is not as high. I have been keeping fish and plants for over six decades and never had a CO2 injection system until this past summer. Thus, do not be too concerned about getting a CO2 system at this time.

Yes, CO2 injection is nice if you want rapid plant growth. However, there are lots of other aspects of fishkeeping and plant keeping that are far more important. In your profile, you indicate that you do not understand the nitrogen cycle. It is MUCH more important for you to understand the nitrogen cycle and how it impacts the fish and plants in your tank. CO2 injection is an advanced topic. Focus on the fundamentals now. Once you get a good grasp of them, then you can start to look at CO2 injection.