Do I Need Co2

[george4]

hi, ive got two tanks with a combination of java fern and amazon sword plants the lighting on both tanks is roughly 1 WPG, i leave the lights on for 12 hours a day, i was thinking of making 2 diy co2 kits just to add a bit of co2 into the aqauriums. would you reccommend me doing this and will it be worth it with low lighting any way ? thanks

 

[xxBarneyxx]

I would say most likely not with under 1wpg. Are the plants growing ok, are you getting any algae problems?

What I would do is pick up a cheap drop checker and see what your CO2 levels are already. If they seem to be really low then go for some CO2 it wont have to be bang on the 30ppm that people with highlight/high dosing tanks go for just (a dark green on a drop checker would be ok).

 

[rdd1952]

Java fern and amazon sword are rellative low light plants an should do fine without CO2. I have them in both of my tanks with no CO2 and they do great.

 

[aaronnorth]

I wouldn'y use it, without high light, your plants dont 'react' as fast to absorbing co2 therefore algae uses the rest

 

[TwoTankAmin]

You could dose Flourish Excel which is similar in effect but is not a gas. It is actually carbon in a form found during an intermediate stage of photosynthesis which plants can use. It will give you about 1/3 of what actual gas would.

Do not overdose- follow the label directions.