CO2 Saturation

744 Views 13 Replies 6 Participants Last post by lauraleellbp, May 8, 2014

MeCasa

Discussion Starter · May 7, 2014

Do you have to saturate the entire tank to get good results or can you just add small amounts of CO2 at the base of the plant?

Something along the lines of a sprinkler drip versus spray head.

Thanks

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brandon429

· #2 · May 7, 2014

The biological systems that use co2 arent at the roots so no I wouldnt try that method

but even if you did, the affinity of Co2 in water will still disperse it tankwide as thats the eventual destination of gass in liquid, distribution.

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MeCasa

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 7, 2014

I don't disagree that the CO2 would quickly disperse but it would wash the leaves as it did, possibly magnifying the help to the plant.

My hope is to avoid another complex and expensive system which I need to maintain and just give my plants a little boost.

Look at this:

A CO2 Bio-system consists of a container, such as a 2-liter soda bottle, with small amounts of yeast, sugar, pH-buffer, and water. These ingredients naturally ferment to produce CO2. The container has a stopper with a hole through it for a piece of stiff plastic tubing that attaches to a piece of flexible tubing, which dangles into the aquarium and allows the CO2 to bubble into the water. The CO2 in the bubbles dissolves into the water, increasing the the concentration of CO2 and the growth of the plants. This is a very low-tech, natural, and inexpensive way to add CO2 to aquarium water.

I would simply hose down to the plant, add a tee and two pieces of weighted bubble wand and change the ingredients once a month.

And give my granddaughter a science lesson at the same time

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brandon429

· #4 · May 7, 2014

oh sure it w work no prob I did that for years in school before going pressurized. I see what you mean, let the bubbles rise up over the plants sure deal.

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lauraleellbp

· #5 · May 7, 2014

Might work if you're only growing one plant in a small tank.

You're welcome to try it in your cichlid tank setup, though my gut says it won't work well long-term.

Fluctuating CO2 levels tend to favor algae over plants.

My advice- stick with a low light setup. You're going to have so few planted areas in this tank that running too much light is just going to lead to algae issues.

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brandon429

· #6 · May 7, 2014

Nice call.

I stopped with home brew because the bottles started to pump h2so4 into the tank I never could figure why they went bad

I'd make new batch, rot 3 days. went pressure never looked back.

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Darkblade48

· #7 · May 8, 2014

brandon429 said:
Nice call.

I stopped with home brew because the bottles started to pump h2so4 into the tank I never could figure why they went bad

How did your DIY CO2 mix start (producing and) injecting sulfuric acid?

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MeCasa

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 8, 2014 (Edited)

Ye of Little faith

lauraleellbp said:
Might work if you're only growing one plant in a small tank.

150 gallons and multiple plants

lauraleellbp said:
You're welcome to try it in your cichlid tank setup, though my gut says it won't work well long-term.

My gut says I'm riding a winner

lauraleellbp said:
Fluctuating CO2 levels tend to favor algae over plants.

This small amount of CO2 washing those plants in a tank that large won't register as fluctuation

lauraleellbp said:
My advice- stick with a low light setup. You're going to have so few planted areas in this tank that running too much light is just going to lead to algae issues.

LOW LIGHT!!! I've already started building an LED system where every plant will have it's own grow light and in the daytime that will be enough light to light the entire tank. There will be shadows but I believe fish like shadows and there's shadows in the real world. If the shadows are too much I can even control the shadows by turning up the main lighting system which runs separate from the white LED's flowing over the plants. By doing it this way I can decrease the total light output helping with algae problems

And the Moonlight!!! The moonlight in my aquarium will be so sexy that women's clothes will fall off just walking in the room

I'll tell you what Laura, I'm not a forum guy and it seems weird posting pictures to the world wide wicked web from within my world but starting this weekend my 12 year old granddaughter (my partner in crime) and myself will start taking and posting pictures on a build thread and I hope you come by and take a look.

Win, Lose or Draw..I'll document both the thrill of Victory and/or the Agony of Defeat :biggrin:

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PlantedRich

· #9 · May 8, 2014

I like the attitude of win, lose or draw but there is a small point I see coming around at some point. About 90% of folks don't want to get into the complications of pressure CO2 and many have started with Different levels of DIY. But then it follows that many do move on to the complicated equipment. I see is that as we do find a certain amount of success with growing things, we reach a point where doing more is the only way to go.
Compared to gardening outside, we often stop using the rake and hoe and move to a tiller. Be warned--- I see a pressure tank in your future!

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brandon429

· #10 · May 8, 2014

lol meant h sulfide sorry. The setup worked well initially before whatever caused that set in.

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MeCasa

Discussion Starter · #11 · May 8, 2014

PlantedRich said:
I like the attitude of win, lose or draw but there is a small point I see coming around at some point. About 90% of folks don't want to get into the complications of pressure CO2 and many have started with Different levels of DIY. But then it follows that many do move on to the complicated equipment. I see is that as we do find a certain amount of success with growing things, we reach a point where doing more is the only way to go.
Compared to gardening outside, we often stop using the rake and hoe and move to a tiller. Be warned--- I see a pressure tank in your future!

I already started pricing them ...........

Not that I'm going to buy one you understand :biggrin:

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OVT

· #12 · May 8, 2014

MeCasa: really like your attitude and style. We, the old guys, can finally go back to our toys and do as we please, while the young Turks are still trying to figure out how to plug the light in. Full steam ahead and damn the torpedoes.

PS: if your partner in crime wants some new pink plants, do feel free to PM me.
Green ones are also available.

v3

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MeCasa

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 8, 2014

roud:

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lauraleellbp

· #14 · May 8, 2014

LOL I'm looking forward to it. :fish:

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