Liquid co2

[GMazzle 83]

hi everyone.
Being so new to the hobby I have millions of questions, sorry to wreak heads but I need to know is it a good idea to use liquid co2 for my plants and would it harm my fish? Plants look in dyer need of some help.
Thanks.
G

 

[Salty&Onion]

What plants do you have?

 

[Essjay]

No it isn't. The majority of these liquid CO2 products contain glutaraldehyde which is a disinfectant used to sterilise surgical equipment amongst other things.

Unless you have an underwater forest with very few fish you don't need to add CO2. The fish produce it and the breakdown of organics in the substrate also produces CO2.

Are you using any fertiliser for the plants? Those rooted in the substrate will beneift from root tabs while any plants attached to decor will benefit from a liquid fertiliser such as Flourish comprehensive supplement

 

[GMazzle 83]

What plants do you have?

Thats half the problem too.
I cant remember their names. I should have wrote them down. Rookie mistake I know.

 

[GMazzle 83]

No it isn't. The majority of these liquid CO2 products contain glutaraldehyde which is a disinfectant used to sterilise surgical equipment amongst other things.

Unless you have an underwater forest with very few fish you don't need to add CO2. The fish produce it and the breakdown of organics in the substrate also produces CO2.

Are you using any fertiliser for the plants? Those rooted in the substrate will beneift from root tabs while any plants attached to decor will benefit from a liquid fertiliser such as Flourish comprehensive supplement

@essjaythanks for that.
I have both tabs and liquid. I think I have to put more into the graves maybe this would help. This is what the worst plant looks like.

 

[Salty&Onion]

Its an amazon sword, heavy root feeder and doesn't need CO2 injections. All it needs are root tabs, seachem's and api ones are good.

 

[GMazzle 83]

Its an amazon sword, heavy root feeder and doesn't need CO2 injections. All it needs are root tabs, seachem's and api ones are good.

Thanks for that @Salty&Onion. Is it salvageable in its condition or will I trade it for a younger model?

 

[GMazzle 83]

Its an amazon sword, heavy root feeder and doesn't need CO2 injections. All it needs are root tabs, seachem's and api ones are good.

I dont suppose you recognise any of the other plants in my tank?
That would really help me research them.
I've been trying to find them with no results.
Tnx.

 

[Byron]

I concur with other members on the unnecessary addition of CO2, and on the serious toxic detriment of using any liquid carbon supplement. And on the need for substrate tabs in particular for sword plants. There are some other factors to mention.

Not all fertilizers (liquid or substrate tab) are the same, which means some are good and some are not. What brand of each are you using?

Light is the single most important factor in planted tanks. Any data you can give us will help.

You might want to discontinue that bubbler. There is evidence that this can drive CO2 out of the water. Normal surface disturbance from the filter should be sufficient for the necessary gas exchange.

A photo of the entire tank would enable us to the the plants, the numbers, and the fish load. This all factors in to the equation. And the GH of your source water is important as a source of calcium and magnesium. Do you know the GH?

 

[GMazzle 83]

I concur with other members on the unnecessary addition of CO2, and on the serious toxic detriment of using any liquid carbon supplement. And on the need for substrate tabs in particular for sword plants. There are some other factors to mention.

Not all fertilizers (liquid or substrate tab) are the same, which means some are good and some are not. What brand of each are you using?

Light is the single most important factor in planted tanks. Any data you can give us will help.

You might want to discontinue that bubbler. There is evidence that this can drive CO2 out of the water. Normal surface disturbance from the filter should be sufficient for the necessary gas exchange.

A photo of the entire tank would enable us to the the plants, the numbers, and the fish load. This all factors in to the equation. And the GH of your source water is important as a source of calcium and magnesium. Do you know the GH?

Thanks for that Byron.
I'm using jbl ferro tabs and multifit liquid ferts which the pet store recommended.
Tank load is only 10 neon tetras. As for the GH levels, I've only tested with the 6in1 test strip which says it it OK. Here are a few pics

 

[Byron]

OK for GH doesn't tell us what it is; is there a number on the colour chart? Or can you track this down on your water supplier's website?

I'll look into the JBL products and get back on that.

 

[Byron]

The JBL Ferro Tabs are apparently now called Ferropol Tabs (they are the same product). The JBL Ferropol Root (these are tabs too) would be better bnecause they do not dissolve into the water column, and that can encourage algae plus bother the fish.

I cannot track down "multifit liquid ferts" so I've no idea. Is there a manufacturer's name? JBL has nothing like this.

 

[GMazzle 83]

The JBL Ferro Tabs are apparently now called Ferropol Tabs (they are the same product). The JBL Ferropol Root (these are tabs too) would be better bnecause they do not dissolve into the water column, and that can encourage algae plus bother the fish.

I cannot track down "multifit liquid ferts" so I've no idea. Is there a manufacturer's name? JBL has nothing like this.

The GH shows at 4d. Is this an alright number? As for the fert, I don't se another manufacturer name on the bottle but its made in Germany. I'll have a search myself to see if I can find out more about it.
Thanks for the help ill invest into some new tabs.
G

 

[seangee]

4dGH is perfect for your neons. I used the JBL tabs last month because I could not source seachem tabs. IMO they did not work as well. Overall cost is probably similar because the JBL tabs last a month and the seachem ones for 3 months.

 

[Byron]

GH of 4 dGH is soft water, so fish species like neon tetras and almost any others from South America or SE mainland Asia are suited. Forget any livebearers, they must have harder water. I was asking specifically because of the plants; GH is the measure of calcium and magnesium in water, and these are two macro nutrients plants need. A GH of 4 will be OK for this, so that makes fertilizer additives a bit easier as most assume you have some of these minerals in the water already.

Given seangee's comment on the tabs, this may be worth considering. Seachem's Flourish Tabs are good, I've been using them for ten years now. Their Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium is another good product in the liquid form. When we have data on the one you have we may go into this further.