Should I Use Co2 For This Set Up?

[phishyphil]

Just wondering if i should add CO2 to the tank to boost plant growth as my roots on certain grass type plants are rotting away

SIZE 200L
LIGHTING 1 x T5 35 watts (Is this enough) I have independant switches for my lighting, one for 2 x T5 35 Watts and one for 1 x T5
CO2 - None (Do i need to inject in this low cost set up?
FERTS Leaf Zone Weekly Dossage
TANKMATES Community
FILTRATION FLUVAL U1
ADDITIONAL Bogwood, rocks, air pump with air stone

What plants should i be using with this community tank with the following fish:
Current Stocking is:
2 Plecs
1 Peacock Guppy
10 Leopard Danios
1 Balloon Molly
1 Sailfin Molly
1 Elephant Nose
2 Dwarf Gourami
5 Rhombo Barbs
10 Bleeding Blue Tetras

 

[RadaR]

Few points.


You wont need CO2 using 1x35W t5. Heck, you won't need CO2 for 2x35W T5 on a 200litre.
Your filter is way to small for your size tank and stocking. Did you really mean Fluval U1? I imagine that your plants are suffering because of the lack of water flow.
Leaf zone is a pretty poor fert. There are other micro nutrient products out there. For example, Easylife Profito and Tropica Plant Nutrition (not the "+" version).
Not that you asked but... Elephant Nose's prefer to be in tanks with slow moving tank mates and other slow feeders. Otherwise they get stressed. Ideally they should be in groups of 5, which a 200litre is too small for.

 

[minnnt]

His filter is a u4.

What is the difference between tpn and tpn+ Fred? I am looking for a nice fertilizer to use in my setup. Cheers.

 

[ATK!!!]

TPN+ includes macro nutrients like Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous aswell as micro nutrients in one big package! TPN only includes micro nutrients.

 

[RadaR]

TPN+ includes macro nutrients like Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous aswell as micro nutrients in one big package! TPN only includes micro nutrients.

What he said.
TPN+ is needed for tanks that use CO2 or liquid carbon.
Tanks that are non-CO2 should only need the regular TPN because their fish should provide the macro nutrients.

 

[minnnt]

Brilliant, thanks. Would tpn be ok to use in a 180 litre tank with 2 24w t5ho tubes?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Yeah its fine to use in any tank but you need to check what your plants need before you just throw in some TPN+, if they have yellowing leaves then that's a good indication but if they're growing happily I wouldn't waste your money as adding more of these nutrients can mean the plants will need CO2 to help use the extra nutrients.

 

[minnnt]

Thanks. I have only had it set up about 5 days, so if I start to notice any discolouration of the leaves then I will start to dose tpn.? Is that ok?

 

[Ps3Steveo]

Yeah should be ok just make sure it's TPN+ not just TPN what plants do you have and stock, filtration lighting etc?

 

[minnnt]

TPN+ includes macro nutrients like Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous aswell as micro nutrients in one big package! TPN only includes micro nutrients.

What he said.
TPN+ is needed for tanks that use CO2 or liquid carbon.
Tanks that are non-CO2 should only need the regular TPN because their fish should provide the macro nutrients.

Yeah should be ok just make sure it's TPN+ not just TPN what plants do you have and stock, filtration lighting etc?

So which one do i need then?


Tank is 180 litres, 3ft, 2 24w T5HO tubes on for 8 hours a day and running 2 TetraTEC EX1200 external filters.

Fish are:

1 Ellioti
2 Angel Fish
2 Anomalochromis Thomasi
2 Pitbull Pleco's
1 L001 Pleco
5 Columbian Red Fin Tetra's

Plants are:

Anubias Barteri
Anubias Barteri var. Nana
Cryptocoryne Beckettii 'Petchii'
Cryptocoryne Wendtii 'Brown'
Echinodorus Amazonicus
Microsorum Pteropus 'Narrow'
Vallisneria Americana
Vallisneria Spiralis
Vesicularia Ferriei 'Weeping'

Sorry to hi-jack the thread a little, but i believe me and Phil are in a similar situation so it will probably be beneficial to us both!

Thanks alot!

 

[RadaR]

Well, how are they doing so far? Because it sounds like it's already set-up so you should know the answer as to whether the plants are doing ok.
But, judging from your list, I'd say the regular TPN would be ok to use once a week or so. You have no CO2 therefore the demand for nutrients isnt as high.

 

[minnnt]

Thanks. The plants have only been in 5 days, so hard to assess really. If I start to see any deterioration I will start to dose something. What's flourish Excel like?

 

[RadaR]

Thanks. The plants have only been in 5 days, so hard to assess really. If I start to see any deterioration I will start to dose something. What's flourish Excel like?

Ah I see.
Excel is a liquid carbon product (glutaraldehyde). It is an alternative to injecting CO2 (no where near as good as the real thing).
Overdosing it is dangerous.
I would prefer using this than DIY yeast CO2.
If this is added to the tank daily then you also need to dose macro and micro nutrients.
Water changes should be large and weekly in order to cope with the increased metabollic waste produced by the now fast growing plants.