Easycarbo And/or Co2 Bubblers

[N0body Of The Goat]

These days I typically run 8-12x water turnover of current in my Rio240, which stocks my "high maintenance" plants, with plenty of water surface rippling (so presumeably some carbon dioxide is going into the water along with oxygen).

Is there any benefit for the plants by using a CO[sub]2 [/sub]bubbler is such a setup, or would most of the gas come out of solution from the water movement?
Would Easycarbo work any better in such a situation?

 

[ian]

is this the tank thats got the pressurised system on?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Yes, this originally had the Dennerle system last summer, when I had less water movement. When the bottle ran out of gas, I was unable to afford the replacement bottle, so I bought a bottle of Easycarbo (which ran out a couple of days ago, so I've being heavily reducing the light times of the 108W T5 to just a few hours a day).

I really need to get to my LFS for some plant ferts too, both liquid and "root tabs," before I risk the whole plant stocking going to the dogs. Was hoping to get out there today, but so far today I've been wiped out and a headache is not shifting .

 

[ian]

If the carbo is working for you and it's remaining cost effective, i would carry on as you are.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Finally got across to LFS this afternoon and got Easycarbo, Dennerle V15 and Profito for the plants. Already I'm wondering if that covers everything the plants need, or whether Dennerle V30 adds something else they need.

The Dennerle CO[sub]2 [/sub]system is looking like another one of my bad investments, just like the Magnum 8 powerhead... Given that I finally decided upon riverine fish, I should have not even considered anything but "low tech" plants like Java and Windelov Fern, as the fish need a good surface aggitation for oxygen which is just going to expel the carbon dioxide gas before it can really do anything positive for the plants. Which then brings into question why I bought a new tank (Rio240) with 108W T5 lighting, added Dennerle Deponitmix under the "Congo sand"and then proceeded to buy a load of plants that were always going to struggle in such conditions.

On the other hand, the 620T is a much more sedate setup, so perhaps the real answer is to swap its plain sand with some of the Congo sand/Deponitmix from the Rio240 and then add the CO[sub]2 [/sub]system and the "high maintenance plants" over...

"The best laid plans of mice and men" springs to mind!