Best / Most Cost Effective Liquid Carbon

[arobinson1984]

Hi,

Today I've just planted my tank with the following plants:

1 x Aponogeton Longiplumulosus
1 x Volcanic Rock with Java Fern
1 x Crypt Wendtii (potted)
1 x Bacopa Monniera (potted)
1 x Cryptocoryne Petchii (potted)
1 x Anubia Nana (potted)
1 x Crypt Nevillii (potted)
1 x Bacopa Caroliniana (potted)
2 x Amazon Sword (potted)
1 x Water Wisteria (potted)
1 x Sagittaria Platyphylla (potted)
1 x Hygrophila Polysperma (potted)
1 x Hygrophilia Augustifolia (potted)
1 x Aponogeton Crispus (potted)

I've just bought and added the 1st dose of TPN+ nutrients and I have added some flourish excel liquid carbon that I had left from last year.

My liquid carbon is nearly finished so I was wondering which people would recommend to get? are there any better liquid carbon out there? or any that are more cost effective but still do the same job?

I'm also looking to get a pressurised co2 system at christmas time and have been looking at this set LINK does anyone have experience with this kit?

Cheers for any advice

Andy

 

[Nick16]

Best pressuised system is the Fire extinguisher route. its the cheapest and has a really good sized bottle. It is safe if you are careful.

CO2 FE style

Background info on co2

Click here


Easylife Essycarbo is a tiny bit stronger than excel, but you can buy excel in larger amount, thus benefitting from economies of scale. But im talking 4 litres here!!!

Discussion on Liquid carbons here

Click here


Aqua essentials do an own brand of liquid carbon which is the cheapest on the market. if you want to save money go for that. It has everything in it.


N.B - hope you have taken all plants out of their pots, rockwool etc and planted them up well. trimmnig roots slightly and removing dying/emmersed growth leaves

 

[arobinson1984]

Hi Nick,

Yes I removed all the plants from pots and removed rock wool and planted in 2" of gravel, forgot to trim roots though but see how I go.

I had looked at the fire extinguisher route but was worried over the safety aspects and would rather pay a little more for a proper system if it means its that little bit safer.

Do you have a link to the aquaessentials own brand of carbon? I had a look on their website earlier but didnt see it

Cheers

Andy

 

[Mikaila31]

the problem with that CO2 system is it has a silly disposable canister. You want something refillable. It is expensive to replace those canisters, the sight says 20 pounds I think. 600g is only slightly bigger then my 20 oz paintball canister, which only lasts a few months on my 20 gallon. I can refill it for $4 though. You don't want a setup that is expensive to maintain. CO2 setup is expensive, however canisters are pretty cheap to refill.

 

[arobinson1984]

Hi,

Thanks Mikaila31,

There is a adaptor available for that setup for quite cheap which enable it to be connected to re-fillable bottles which is what I would get.


Andy

 

[hillbilly]

Do you have a link to the aquaessentials own brand of carbon? I had a look on their website earlier but didnt see it


Andy

Would this be it?

AE Design Aqua Carbon 1000ml

 

[arobinson1984]

Thankyou hillbilly,

I must have overlooked it earlier lol


Andy

 

[Nick16]

i set my FE system up at the age of 16 and its perfectly safe.

Its not different from any other system, you still have apressuised container in your living room!

nothing can go wrong when you do it, take the horn off, attach the reg + soleniod simple.
The pin is in so you cant pull the handle anyway. even if you take the pin out, once the red is on if you pull the handle nothing will happen.

2 or 5kg FE's are cheap and last along time!

 

[arobinson1984]

i set my FE system up at the age of 16 and its perfectly safe.

Its not different from any other system, you still have apressuised container in your living room!

nothing can go wrong when you do it, take the horn off, attach the reg + soleniod simple.
The pin is in so you cant pull the handle anyway. even if you take the pin out, once the red is on if you pull the handle nothing will happen.

2 or 5kg FE's are cheap and last along time!

Thanks nick, I'll have another look at the FE setup, I'd heard of people having probs with badly fitted reg's etc.

My tanks only 33 gal (the juwel rio 125) so I think a 2kg would be sufficient plus I'd want it to fit in the cabinet as I can get some large strong cable ties from work which I could use to strap it to the inside of the cabinet to stop it from falling over.

How do you fasten yours nick?


Andy

 

[Nick16]

mine isnt fastened. never has been.

i just put it in the corner of the cabinet and then put an external filter near it so it cant fall over. People go to such extremes about this things. almost panic sets in.

Unless you buy really dodgy 'un-official' 'un-regulated' cannisters the only way they are going to go bang is if you start wacking it with a hammer or sitting it on a lit cooker.