Co2 And Oxygen

[ToeMag1]

posted this in another section with no replies so thought i'd try it here!

I'm not really new to keeping fish but have just got the bug (and time) to re vamp the whole thing to a better attempt than what I did have. Anyway I really want my tanks planted and so have done all I can to achieve this. One thing that I find a puzzle because it's new to me is the use of co2. I have gone for the diy bottle option that works well through my filter intake. In doing this I find a conflict with what I do to add oxygen to the tank. If my filter outlet moves the water surface to add oxygen, but the co2 is easily lost at the surface before it dissolves I lower the outlet, but then no oxygen! So what do I do? Have it flow on the surface for oxygen or below for co2? Or is it just me missing the whole point of using co2?

 

[RadaR]

Inject the CO2, make sure the surface isn't being aggitated, and the plants should create oxygen for you. Keeping the CO2 at 30ppm wont harm your fish.

 

[ToeMag1]

Okay, thanks for that I'll give it a go.

 

[Ian H]

I was just going to post a topic asking this!!

From what i can understand from basic science though is that the co2 is taken in by the plants and oxygen given out by the plants. So if you were to have your plants pearling your tank would be very well oxygenated? more so than an airstone since that just allows gas exchange where as the plants actually disolve the oxygen into the water?

 

[RadaR]

Aye, you've got a good understanding. However air stones are generally useless at oxygenating. The bubbles are too large for them to successfully dissolve and air stones are more about surface agitation that drives of CO2.