Should i add a Diy CO2 to my 5.5?

Lostchemist · 10-03-2003, 11:13 AM

I was thinking about adding a Diy co2 to my tank but wasnt sure if it really needed it. the plants seem to be doing just fine and my bannana plant has sprouted some very gigantic leaves.

MrGoodbytes · 10-03-2003, 11:32 PM

It depends if you want a high maintenance tank or a lower-maintenance one. You will have to do more testing and balancing for nutrients, because algae will do much better with high light. With higher wattages, the plants demand for CO2 will also increase, so they can use up the nutrients.
I have read that CO2 is best used on tanks with light around 2WPG and up.
Maybe this will give you an idea or someone could shed light on something I missed.

Graeme

djlen · 10-04-2003, 2:37 AM

It's hard to suggest one way or the other with no tank specs.
But from what you say, it's doing well. To that I would say, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it".

Len

anonapersona · 10-04-2003, 5:35 PM

Just to be contrary, I have also read that lower light tanks can also show even greater improvements with CO2. I have CO2 on all tanks, from 1.5 wpg to 3.5 wpg.

The Hagen system would probably work well on that, the diffuser is not very big and the whole thing is cheap enough when bought online. I run DIY mix in the Hagen systems in the 10 and 20 gallon tanks.

Richer · 10-04-2003, 8:39 PM

Some more details on your tank would be nice...

In a lower lighted tank, even a bit of CO2 addition will benefit your tank quite well. For a small tank, bubbling CO2 through an airstone should do just fine (the finer the bubbles the better... I'd suggest a wooden airstone).

For a higher lighted system, CO2 is a must... on top of a good nutrient balance.

-Richer

goldfish freak · 10-04-2003, 9:28 PM

Anonapersona, what recipe of DIY mix do you use in the Hagen system? Do you find that it works just as well as their prepared version?

Lostchemist · 10-06-2003, 1:08 PM

SOrry about not adding my tank details. just click on the link below... MY TANK

Lostchemist · 10-06-2003, 1:28 PM

My LFS told me that i would be fine without a substraight...so all i have is just plain gravel...but i am doseing my tank with Flourish Iron, as recomended on the label. THe tank is a five and a half gallon perfecto tank. I have one 14 W bulb (18,000 K). I am running a penguin mini-filter with biowheel to help with the bio-load.
If I bought a hagen CO2 system is there a cheep method to produce the co2 rather than buying there packages?

Thanks

djlen · 10-06-2003, 5:20 PM

There's no question that CO2 will improve the growth in just about any light level.
However, IMO, if you're getting satisfactory growth with no algae issues I'd leave it alone, especially when dealing with a 5.5 gal.
Sometimes, changing/adding one parameter in a small tank can put you onto the proverbial slippery-slope.......you add a little of this, now you need to add a little of that....and so on.
Just my opinion..........more and more I'm coming to appreciate the low tech approach.

Len