Getting started... CO2 Question...

[GoldenBoy77]

Hello,
I just recently set up a new 55 gallon aquarium. I cycled it and added fish and a couple plants, tested the water and added more fish, then I bought a package deal of driftwood and a whole ton of plants.
Then (I know, a bit too late) I tested and did the calculations for CO2. My water is a bit on the hard side and my Ph is a bit high. (Ph 8.3, Gh 8, Kh12) and the chart that came with my test kit says I have a CO2 content of 1.1ppm (I believe, I'm at work so I'm doing this all from memory) and that was alot lower than the recomended level.
I have 110W of lighting.
Should I supplement CO2? I added a few of these plant fertilizer fizz tabs that I found in the LFS but it didn't seem to change any of my test results.
Also, I've read that filtering through peat moss will lower my Ph. Is that safe for the fish and the plants? Does it work? Do I put the peat in the filter (Penguin 330)? What exactly is peat moss? Do I get it at home depot?
Thanks for any help you can provide!
Here's a list of what's currently in the tank:
fish: 6 Clown Loaches; 5 Gourami; a bunch of assorted tetras; and a betta
Plants: 8 Corkscrew Val;2 Water Wisteria;3 Amazon Sword; 1 Melon Sword;1 Aponogeton Crispus; 5 Giant Val;1Tiger Lotus;1 Bacopa;6 Pygmy Chain Swords;2 Rotala Indica; 3 unknown hedge plants; and 2 Anachris;
And someday I hope to be able to identify all those individual plants!

 

[abstract]

at 2 watts per gallon i believe everyone here will say that CO2 is not necessary since your plants will not be using up all of the available CO2 with that amount of lighting as is....

generally speaking at 2.5 wpg + you should consider using CO2

peet moss can be used to lower Ph, but you want to be very careful in doing so - lowering the Ph too much too fast could harm your fish. generally speaking you should start out with a very small amount of peat in your filter (or floating around in a stocking/floss of some sort and throughly rinsed) and see what effect that has within a day or two....then gradually increase until your Ph is at the desired level....I have never used this method of doing so, so hopefully others can further increase your knowledge

 

[Aulonochromis]

Co2 is very beneficial to even low light tanks.

 

[George Farmer]

Welcome to the forum!

I would add CO2 for sure. You seem quite heavily planted and have enough light for it to benefit greatly. An added bonus would be the lowering of your pH, it seems a little high for most of your fish.

If you've setup your tank recently then I'd suggest adding CO2 as soon as possible, 2 WPG with no CO2 may lead to algae trouble. Avoid those tablets IMO. Go for DIY of funds are limited, there's loads of info out there.

Good luck.

 

[GoldenBoy77]

Hello again, and thank you for the replies! So we have 2 votes for CO2 and one vote for no. Based on what I've read now I'm going to be building one of the DIY CO2 reactors from the web to both help the plants and soften my water.
I have a new question now, How do I measure the CO2 that I'm injecting? Can I just use the results from the Ph and Hardness tests to find my CO2 content in the chart that came with the tests? Or is it trickier than that when you're injecting straight CO2? There's probably some outlandishly expensive CO2 test out there that I should buy huh?
Oh, on a side note, my friend is giving me his 260W compact flourescent canopy for use on my tank since he just upgraded to metal hilides on his saltwater tank. So with that added light I guess that makes 3 votes for CO2 right? (I doubt I'm going to run all 4 bulbs in that fixture as 260W is alot for what I'm doin)

Thanks again!

 

[jimbooo]

hi,

i'd definatly go with CO2, as to a test i have one of these in each of my tanks.

theyre really good and give you a permanent reading so you dont actually have to do anything to test the water, just fill up the test thingy and stick it to the glass. you refil the reagent every 2 weeks. well worth it.

oh it also tells you the ph

ps i wish i had a friend with unwanted spares!!!