Co2

[CPQ]

ok - so I know I'm being thick here but i need to ask ....

I've got quite a heavily planted tank at the minute but I'm wanting to improve it and turn it into a proper planted tank (like some of the ones shown on here!! ) but I'm a very very confused girl when it comes to CO2. Now I know this is a stupid thing to ask - but does injecting CO2 into a tank have any adverse efefct on the fish? and does it alter any of the water measurements (like changes in ph and suchlike!?). If I'm going to go ahead with this and do the CO2 thing ... err ... how exactly do i?? lol. is there some CO2 pumping machine thing i need to buy (please dont mock me for being so UN-knowledgable! lol)?

If I'm injecting CO2 into the tank is there anything else I need to do differently to keep water parameters and that sort of thing right for the fish?

Sorry if I'm just being stupid

Thanks

 

[Themuleous]

First off, what’s prompted you to get pressurised? You might not need to. That said pressured, once you've got all the kit, is far easier to work with IMHO. For arguments sake I'll assume you definitely want/need pressured CO2.

Adding CO2 shouldn't affect the fish. It can kill them should it get to high but that is easily avoided if you are careful, I've yet to lose any fish to high CO2, but it does happen and is something to be aware of but do let that put you off pressurised CO2

Adding CO2 will cause the pH in your tank to do down, normally by around 1 pH point, say from pH 7 to pH 6. This is often beneficial as plants like to have slightly acidic water. The CO2 can also cause your KH levels to go down, but this is easily sorted when you do a water change as this replaces the lost KH. Again I've never had a problem with KH, and you shouldn’t providing you do your regular water changes, which being a good fish keeper you will

Now, the need to add other things really depends on your light levels, if you have a high light tank then you are likely to need to add fertilisers to the water to give the plants enough nutrients to grow. These are easily added in liquid form, but I suggest for the time being you post your proposed tank stats and we'll have a look at that side of things later.

As for the kit you'll need, the most basic pressured CO2 kit has a regulator (most have a needle value built in, more on that later), a co2 cylinder (well of course!), a length of CO2 tubing (identical to airline tubing but designed not to degrade in the presence of CO2 which airline will apparently). Lastly you'll need some form of diffuser to get the CO2 into the tank water; there are several types but again more on that later.

Now the hardest part of pressured CO2 is finding somewhere to get your CO2 cylinder refilled, especially in the UK. I suggest you check with your LFS to find out if they can and which make of cylinder they will refill, as LFS in the UK will often only fill certain brands. I hear it’s easier in the USA with places refilling generic cylinders. This will probably determine which brand of CO2 gear you get.

The cheapest way of getting pressurised CO2 can be to get all the bits separately, however if you are not sure about it, a kit version might be easiest and for the sake of a few quid, might be worth it to know you’ve got the right things.

I'll go into more detail on the ‘ins and outs’ of pressured kits once you've read this thread and found out what you LFS will refill. Just so I know where about are you? UK or USA?

Sam

PS - good thing my boss didn't see me write all that!

 

[JamesC]

There's a good pinned thread all about CO2 - http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=105266

James

 

[CPQ]

themuleous - what's the alternative to pressurised and how do i know if i need it? I'm just presuming i need some CO2 adding something-or-other because everyone else who has planted tanks seems to!
erm - my ph stays steady at just over 7 (say 7.5 for arguments sake) and I do weekly water changes of about 20%

my lighting's quite high (i think) and, like i say, the tank's already planted so i do already have a layer of under-gravel plant fertiliser stuff in there!

any more help would be grand! (I'll read the link in a bit - my boyfriend's calling me for dinner! lol)

Thanks

 

[Themuleous]

The alternative is yeast based CO2, which only really works on smaller tanks. What size is the tank and what lighting level you planning to have. i.e. whats the wattage of the bulbs?

Sam

 

[CPQ]

the tank's 4 ft by 1ft by 16 inches (about 120 litres).I'll have to get back to you on the lighting at the weekend though - i work away from home during the week so I'll have to check all this out when i get home tomorrow.sorry - i know im bring useless - i just never knew having plants was so complex! lol.

oh and I'm in the UK (think i forgot to answer that question!)

 

[nry]

Having plants is not complex - providing you match the plants to you your lighting levels you will do fine. Running standard lights can produce stunning tanks, have a look through the pinned threads at the top of the page, as an example George Farmer has a recent one showing his low light tank which looks better than my higher light/CO2 ones in my opinion!

You don't need CO2 and loads of fertiliser to grow plants providing you choose the right plants!

 

[Themuleous]

As Nry says plants needn't be complicated

Your tank is a fair size, but I suspect your lighting isn't going to be very high. Unless you are wanting to increase your lighting, a yeast based CO2 system would probably work fine. There is a huuuugh long pinned thread all about it. Given that you are away during the week I would also think a high light tank would be impractical for your situation.

Sam