Co2 Qusetion

[tav]

Hi

I am new to the tropical fish world after switching back from marines. I am after some advice on DIY co2 dosing, and ferts as i want to achieve a good and healthy planted tank.

I am using flora base as recommended by the fish shop as a substrate for my plants.I am looking into DIY dosing co2 with the yeast method as i only have a 94ltr tank and am on a budget.
I have read many different ways on how to go about this, i am however confused on how people regulate the co2 at night using the yeast method as they don't have a solenoid to shut off at night?


Also i have read that it is a good idea to dose ferts like aqua nourish and aqua nourish +, do i need to dose these as i have a substrate that feed the plants,

Any pointers would be a great help.

Thanks
Tav

 

[Ps3Steveo]

As for keeping the CO2 levels constant you can use 3 x 2L bottles and change the mix in one every 2 days, this will keep the levels good. Don't worry about shutting it off there's no way to with yeast really, if you blocked it the pressure would build up so much a bottle would explode and you'd be left with a beer smelling room.

As for ferts, the substrate you have is good, I use it and I love it but the substrate will only last about 6 months and after that, as its porous, it will soak up excess nutrients an release them when needed. This means you will need Nourish & Nourish+, the Nourish contains all the trace elements all plants need and the Nourish+ contains the macro elements you need for dosing CO2 and you need CO2 if you have medium to high lighting. When buying make sure you buy twice as much + and regular as its double dosage . If your still worried about CO2 levels then buy some Aqua Carbon from AE and use instead of yeast CO2, a 500ml bottle will last you at least 4 months if double dosing.

Hope this helps.

 

[tav]

Great thank you for the reply, that's very heplful.
So when the flora base run out in 6 months that's when I need to start dosing ferts or is it best to start now and build it up.

Also do I need to run any sort of air stone or can I do with out?

Thanks

 

[Ps3Steveo]

You wanna start dosing as soon as the plants are in mate, what lighting do you have out of curiosity (wattage)? You don't need airstones with planted tanks, the plants will put oxygen in the water all day. I ask about the lighting in case you don't need to go with CO2/carbon as that would save you money unless there's certain types of plants you want to grow?

EDIT: When you say airstone, are you talking about to get the CO2 in to the water or to get oxygen in to the water?

 

[tav]

Hi,

My tank is the river reef 94ltr had I a while, but I have just put in 2 new 36watt hdl bulbs as supplied originally with the tank.
I was asking about an airstone in the oxygen context, as I have read that the co2 needs to be put through a ceramic diffuser.


Thanks for helping out it can be a bit confusing as there are so many threads on here to read.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Well your plants will provide the oxygen so you wont need an airstone and pump, with that lighting your gonna need really good flow as the lighting is so high and I do mean very high, you'd have been fine with one of those bulbs, if you have poor flow you will run in to algae problems. I hope it all works out for you anyway, keep us updated.

 

[tav]

Great thanks for the advice I do have good flow as I have uprated the pumps to power heads, but of the back of that I will take out one of the 2 lamps.
That also means the wife is off my back about the electricity bill.haha

Cheers again and I shall keep you updated.

 

[Ps3Steveo]

 

[tav]

Hi,

Sorry one last question, if I have my co2 running all the time will this effect the oxygen in the tank at lights out?

Have just taken one if the lamps out and looks better already.

Cheer tav

 

[Ps3Steveo]

If its yeast then there's not much you can do about it TBH, it wont affect O2 levels but the CO2 can get high during the night, I'd chuck a drop checker in there to keep an eye on it.

 

[tav]

Great already got me one of them so that should give me a good indication.

Where abouts do I put it, opsite side to the co2 outlet? Above it?

Cheers tav

 

[Ps3Steveo]

I keep mine the furthest away from my diffuser as thats the furthest the CO2 has to travel.

 

[tav]

when should the drop checker start to show signs? had it in two days and nothing. I take it i just have to let the co2 levels build up.


edit: user error all sorted.