Co2 Help

[carpking]

Hi All

So I've been keeping fish for a while but only in the last year having i "tried" to keep real plants I've been doing ok but my amazon swords i think don't look as good as they could be, they have really good root growth but the leaves don't appear to be the lush green that we all hope for currently I'm only using liquid fert's to feed them.

Right now for my question i keep thinking about using CO2 but to be honest i don't know where to begin with it. Can anybody offer me some advice on where to start or even an idiots guide to CO2 I've looked at the other posts on here which are good but i just wanted some help. also a guide to correct lighting would be great.

CO2 kit recommendation please for below set up.

My current tank info:

180 litres
lighting 2 x 3ft tube "cant remember the power currently on 10hrs a day sometimes longer.
8 amazon swords
6 guppies
2 mollies
1 clown loach
4 SAE's

Thanks in advance

 

[techen]

To start we need the wattage of your lights

 

[carpking]

3ft tubes x2 25watts i think but will need to confirm

 

[carpking]

Hi Again

Right ive just checked my bulbs and the dont say much all they say is FX25 and FY25 i assume that this is the wattage?

i also have my lights on more than i thought its 10-12 hrs a day.

So any thoughts guys?

 

[DrRob]

Sounds like 2 25W T8's, which would be most likely. The letters probably denote different tube types, like daylight, colour or plant specific tubes.

Means that you're around the low light level there, so CO2 probably isn't necessary. Swords can be fairly heavy nutrient feeders though, particularly of iron.

I suspect that they're sulking about nutrient levels, so I'd start there with increasing the micros.

This is a relatively useful diagnostic, but it is, like anything else, not perfect.

http/www.aquascapist.com/co2-fertilization/common-signs-of-plant-deficiencies/

 

[carpking]

Thanks DR Rob nice link however i think my tubes are T8 as my running gear for them states T8 nothing about T5 so do you think my lighting is still ok?

 

[DrRob]

Aye, as I said, T8's.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Your lighting is fine for low maintenance plants.

 

[carpking]

so any CO2 required?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Not really, providing your not growing plants which require it like carpeting plants.