Plant Questions

[DarkDH]

Hey!

I am very anxious to get my Java moss to carpet nicely, and maybe have lots of anubias. I light I will be upgrading to is 48 watts over 20 gallon long, and will dose ferts and excel will be co2. Will I need DIY Co2, and if I do, do I need to know anything important about it?

[jmhart]

You will want co2. Excel will get expensive in the long run. DIY CO2 will be cheaper, going pressured(in the long run) will be even cheaper. Check out the DIY CO2 sticky in either this forum or the DIY forum.

If you are only interested in java moss and anubias, you don't need to add that much light. 20 w would be fine. Also, java moss isn't really a "carpet" moss. In order to make it "Carpet" you have to tie down or hold it down with mesh or something.

[DarkDH]

Other plants would be nice, I would like to get plants the thrive. 2.4 WPG sounds nice though. Would I have to worry about pH fluctuations or anything w/ DIY Co2? Remember, I can't make that much money.

[jmhart]

You will experience a pH drop injecting co2. How much depends on the hardness of your water. KH= 4 or above and you'll be fine. The average is a 1 degree drop in pH, which is usually a good thing because most people's water is a little basic(7.2, 7.4) and most plants like slightly acidic water(6.4, 6.6).

As far as costs. Excel is the worst option, will cost you the most money in the long run. You can setup a DIY co2 system for under $20 using stuff lying around the house. Then you have to buy sugar. With a 20g, DIY co2 is fine for a couple of years. After a few years, the total costs exceed what the costs would have been to purchase a pressurized system.

On larger tanks, the sugar you use makes DIY co2 become more expensive than pressurized in under a year. I'm doing DIY co2 on a 45g. 30 ppm of co2 in the tank(the desired level) so no problems there, but sugar adds up.

On top of that, I have another 46g tank that I'll be planting soon, so now I'll have 2 tanks, doubling my sugar costs. Furthermore, my next tank(year or two down the road) will be over 100g. Therefore, I'll be going pressurized very soon.

Point is, put together a diy co2 system and set the excel aside. Again, check out the sticky about diy co2. If you ever go above a 30-40g tank, then it's time to save your pennies for the up front cost of a pressurized system.

[DarkDH]

okay, I guess I have to invest in a better test kit, then get my new lights. So much money going away.

[jmhart]

okay, I guess I have to invest in a better test kit, then get my new lights. So much money going away.

Yes, it's a slippery slope.

Of course, you could always keep your tank low light. Meaning, 1 wpg or so. Then you don't have to add ferts, you don't have to add co2, and you can still grow many different plants.

For a planted tank on a budget, low light is the way to go.

[DarkDH]

It would be nice to have a tank with a little more lee-way. >2 watts would be good. My tank looks pretty tacky with fake plants.

[jmhart]

Check out the plants this guy has for sale:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1266625




All of those plants can be grown with 1 wpg, no ferts, no co2.

[DarkDH]

Thanks, I have been looking at that. Right not I have about .85 Wpg in my tank, check out the "Progressing Tanks Thread" I made.