co2 really needed?i need 2 no :/

[DOLORES]

hey there! i dont want to sound annoying and disturbing for you guys, but as i really need to know if co2 its indispensable for plants, or not...i found a DIY CO2 , (if it was indispensable) becuz as everyone should know they are expensive.

since half of the forum goes to "HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW" i just have 2 replys for My thread 1 for the DYI and other about a styrener, wich i dont know what it means.
so as 95% of the forum comes here, i wanted to see some more answers and im sorry if im annoyin to you guys, i really am,

thank you so much for being this patient with me!!!!!

 

[jams.alaskan]

Dolores,
1) how many watts per gallon do you have on the tank?
2) how deep is the tank?
3) what type of filter are you running in the tank?
4) any airstones?
5) what type of plants are you useing?
6) how much have you planted in the tank?

ALASKA

 

[DOLORES]

jamS,

1) No light yet , but plannin on 2 per gal as my plant list are medium low light rate
2) 18 inches (29 gal)
3) emperor 280
4) mmm i dunno
5) anubias nana - petite nana - anacharis - brazilian penny wort - water sprite
asian ambulia - java moss and dwarf sagittaria , and silk ones.
6)nothing yet, just wanting to make sure of the co2 before buyin them


thnx!

edited: oh oho h almost forgot, sanded with tahitian moon sand abou 1.5" depth

 

[CFC]

The plants you have listed are all fairly hardy easy to grow plants with low to moderate lighting needs, though with the 18" depth of the tank i would suggest using reflectors on the light tubes to help the light penetrate to the bottom. IMO your substrate is a little shallow for a planted tank, for planted tanks i preffer to use a mix of fine gravel and sand laid on a bed of laterite to a depth of about 2 1/2 inch. Co2 benefits any planted tank but its more important to use a good fertiliser both in the substrate and a liquid one added weekly, personally i use the root tabs and liquid feed made by Aquarium pharmacueticals and find them to work well without costing a small fortune.

One last thing is remember that the anubias and java fern both need to be attached to a rock or piece of drift/bog wood and not planted into the substrate, if planted the roots quickly rot and the plants die.

 

[luxum]

In my experience, the roots of anubias and java fern can indeed be planted in the substrate. It is the ~rhizome~ which can't be buried. The rhizome is the main trunk of the plant which runs horizontal along the surface of the substrate. I have a clump of java fern which rooted strongly into pure flourite, i pick it up and it has a tennis ball sized rootball of flourite. My anubias species have all grown incredibly in this substrate with the roots buried, so long that when i decided to mount my 2 large anubias barteri to a piece of driftwood, i was able to use their amazing long roots to tie them to the driftwood, and the ends tucked back into the substrate.

Just be very careful to not bury the rhizome.

Edit: and Dolores, no you don't need to start with CO2. If plants become your obsession and you are devoting yourself to your garden, with lighting and ferts out the wazoo, then perhaps CO2 might be in order.