Jungle CO2 Fizz Factory, Hagen CO2 Natural Plant System, or Flourish Excel?

plah831

plah831

Am I mod enough?
Apr 29, 2006
2,788
0
0
48
Monterey Bay, CA
I have a 10 gal densely planted tank and was wondering what everyone's opinions are on sources of carbon. It's too small for me to bother with a pressurized CO2 setup, and I don't think I'm handy enough to make a DIY kit (besides the DIY yeast fermentation mix). I have a big bottle of Excel that seems to work OK, but not as great as everyone else's planted tanks look. I'm thinking carbon dioxide does a better job than liquid carbon.

What are people's thoughts on either the Jungle CO2 Fizz Factory or the Hagen ladder system? I'm leaning toward the Hagen because it looks like it will work more consistently.

Also, how much of a pH reduction can I expect? My pH is currently 8.0 with a KH of 143 ppm or 8 degrees. Both those systems work continuously, but if I turn on the air pump at night, will this cause another change in pH?

Is there a way I should acclimate my fishies (2 dwarf puffers) to the change in pH, or just hook it up and let it run?

Oh, yeah, and I've got about 24 watts for 8 gallons of water (10 gal minus room for substrate) and the depth to the top of the substrate is 10 inches. All the plants are tall, so close to the light, the only foreground/short plants are low light like Anubias.
 
10 gallon is too small for pressurized co2. DIY yeast co2 is as simple as making easy mac! well almost.... I never follow a recipe. Just at a cup or so of sugar, put in a pinch or two of yeast, and do not fill the bottom with water clear to the top. That is it! Oh put a valve on the tubing with a check valve so it does not back siphon when it runs out. If you buy a cheap co2 set up, that is all it is, but you pay them a ton for it....Good luck man! Let me know if you have any questions!
 
Ive got the Hagen system and it does make a difference. Plants really start to flourish after just a week or so of having it in. You know the equipment is sturdy and works, so you could always just make your own mix once you have used up what is supplied. Im not too fussed about paying 5 quid every couple of months for new stuff though.

Do you ussually turn the air pump off at night? With that size of aquarium this might be a bad idea with a CO2 system at work as the carbon dioxide to oxygen ratio might get out of control and start sending fish one foot under.
 
buy a diffusor and make a DIY chamber instead of buying the Hagen one. yeast works erally well for a small tank like a 10 and you won't regret it.

In my 20 gallon i use a hagen system with the occasional dosage of Excel and it's been great! I'm growing things in a 15 watt tank that people said would be impossible.
 
thefirethief said:
Do you ussually turn the air pump off at night? With that size of aquarium this might be a bad idea with a CO2 system at work as the carbon dioxide to oxygen ratio might get out of control and start sending fish one foot under.
Click to expand...
i will definitely turn on the air at night, especially since either of those two delivery systems cannot be shut off at any certain time (have to run until the yeast mixture or tab runs out).

what are people's thoughts on the pH change i shoud expect?
 
Well I myself have a DIY CO2 system and I have really hard water, 300ppm and high pH, 8.2 right from the tap. I used this in system with my live plants and the tank has dropped to a steady 7.2 and the hardness has dropped to about 150ppm. This is just to give you an idea of what it has done for me. It also made a huge difference in the plant growth. I change my bottle about once a month and it does prety good.
 
thanks, Needeles! do you think the change in pH is stressful for fishes?

i have plenty of hardness, too, altho not as much as you. is that GH or KH that changed that much? probly GH, huh? since it's probably the carbonate part that gets "used up" or rather converted by CO2.
 
I had the same question (about those 3 ways to add CO2), and was also leaning toward the Hagan system. According to this it is only rated up to 20 gallons.... what would happen if I put it in a 29 gallon... would it still work, just not as well?
 
You can add two or just dose excel every day with the DIY ... >.>;

I get a good steady 20ppm with my 20 gallon but I have surface aggitation from my hob aquaclear ... i bet i could get it higher if i broke out a sponge but theres no need because im happy with where things are.
 
plah831 said:
thanks, Needeles! do you think the change in pH is stressful for fishes?
Click to expand...

As long as the change is slow the fish will be fine. When you first add the CO2 system I would say to test the water every few hours to make sure there is not to much of a drop. They say to only drop about 0.5 pH in a 24 hour period but I have found that alittle more didn't seem to hurt my fish.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
AquariaCentral.com
Top Bottom