Do I Need Co2?

[Gazpug]

Hello all,

I have had my 300ltr tank for well over 12 months now and i am suprised just how quickly you learn with the help of others. I have just got back from being away for 7 weeks and things are fine appart from the plants i put in a few weeks before. I have upgraded my lighting in my tank by installing 2 extra T8 30W strip lights into my hood... taking it to x 4 30W. i know this doesnt give me optimum lighting in my hood but there is enough lighting to give the plants like anubias sp, cryptocoryne sp, elodea/ egeria densa, hygrophillia polysperma, echindorous sp. I have some of these in my tank at the mo. The only thing is they look a little tatty with little holes in them.. They are alive and they have grown considerably while i have been away. In the last few days i have done some serious tank cleaning etc to catch up on the last 7 weeks and i have added some flora boost to the tank i usually add this after i do a water change. I was wondering what i could do to improve the quality of my plants. Do i need to install a CO2 system in this tank? If so how do i do it cheaply? The problem i have is that my tank is 60 cm deep and the light isnt as bright at lower levels in the tank i suspect.

Please look at the pic and see what i mean?

Any help or advise is welcome.

Thanks

Gaz

 

[aaronnorth]

well since upgrading to the extra tubes, you have 2wpg, but because it is a lrge tank it will likely be a bit more but yes you need CO2.

the pinholes are due to a potassium defficiency, do you dose any ferts? - then again did anyone do it for you while you were away?

to do it cheaply, check out the fire extinghuisher in my sig (2 articles)