Pro's & Con's Of A Co2 System

[corinne]

I currently have a small 10gal tank that I have maintained for over a year and a half with plenty of live plants and nothing but a little liquid fertilizer and a plant light. I have decided to upgrade to a 20gal tank and want to add more plants. I want to know if getting a Co2 system will be the right desicion for me? I know nothing about Co2 and need to know all the maintinense I would need to do and how it will affect my fish and such.

Thanks!

 

[RadaR]

Whether you need CO2 or not is largely dependent on how much light you have. Two or more bulbs and you will be looking at getting a CO2 kit or atleast liquid carbon.
However, there are some plants that demand more carbon, than others. For example, HC.
If you decide to go for CO2 injection or liquid carbon then more is demanded from you. You have to add more nutrients including macro nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium). These are usually added everyday or every other day. Water changes also need to be done weekly and quite large. This is because more plant growth = more plant waste. As a result, there will be more organic waste in the water which we need to get rid of by performing water changes.
Flow and circulation is also important in order to deliver these CO2 and nutrients to the plants. Plants should atleast be "swaying£.

 

[corinne]

Hmmm okay well adding liquid carbon to my tank seems like more than I want to deal with. If i just get a Co2 system from a store and have bubbles in the tank and one light would they do okay? I could always get one of those current blowers to help the circulation.

 

[RadaR]

Just go more simple.
One light tube, no CO2, no ferts, undemanding plants. Sorted.
Just in case, it might be worth popping a few of these tropica capsules in the substrate. The majority of the nutrients though is produced by your fish.