Flubberlump
Fish Addict
I plan to get a nutrafin co2 kit for the planted tank I'm setting up at the moment. I'm wondering about how to manage the co2 levels when the lights are out, as I don't want to starve my fish of oxygen.
I read somewhere that setting an airstone to come on at night works, as the oxygen created by the airstone diffuses the co2. Would this be sufficient? Or would it better to insert a valve into the tubing which can be opened at night to release the co2 into the room rather than the tank? Some people say that these fermentation canisters dont produce enough co2 to cause a problem at night. However, the tank will be heavily planted so the plants will use a fair amount of oxygen at night, and I don't want the plants and fish to have to compete for oxygen. There seem to be some mixed opinions on this.
I'm wondering whether it's better to just release the co2 into the air at night, or whether it would be beneficial to run an airstone anyway, to introduce more oxygen into the tank at night for both the plants and fish, seen as the fish won't have the oxygen to themselves at night anyway. Of course, I want optimum plant growth, but I want my fish to be happy too.
I'm tending to lean towards a valve to release the co2 at night, that can be closed in the morning a couple of hours before the lights come on, as well as an airstone at night to ensure that the plants and fish aren't competing for a limited supply of oxygen. Rather be safe than sorry.
Or am I just getting carried away?
Also, just a thought, will running an airstone during the day diffuse so much co2 that it would defeat the object of having co2 in the first place?
Although I've always had live plants, I'm new to heavily planted setups, and have never used co2 before ( in case you couldn't tell) and would rather get some reliable opinions from people with experience than have to learn from my mistakes.
Thanks in advance!
I read somewhere that setting an airstone to come on at night works, as the oxygen created by the airstone diffuses the co2. Would this be sufficient? Or would it better to insert a valve into the tubing which can be opened at night to release the co2 into the room rather than the tank? Some people say that these fermentation canisters dont produce enough co2 to cause a problem at night. However, the tank will be heavily planted so the plants will use a fair amount of oxygen at night, and I don't want the plants and fish to have to compete for oxygen. There seem to be some mixed opinions on this.
I'm wondering whether it's better to just release the co2 into the air at night, or whether it would be beneficial to run an airstone anyway, to introduce more oxygen into the tank at night for both the plants and fish, seen as the fish won't have the oxygen to themselves at night anyway. Of course, I want optimum plant growth, but I want my fish to be happy too.
I'm tending to lean towards a valve to release the co2 at night, that can be closed in the morning a couple of hours before the lights come on, as well as an airstone at night to ensure that the plants and fish aren't competing for a limited supply of oxygen. Rather be safe than sorry.
Or am I just getting carried away?
Also, just a thought, will running an airstone during the day diffuse so much co2 that it would defeat the object of having co2 in the first place?
Although I've always had live plants, I'm new to heavily planted setups, and have never used co2 before ( in case you couldn't tell) and would rather get some reliable opinions from people with experience than have to learn from my mistakes.
Thanks in advance!
