ALL CO2 users need your HELP!!!!!!!!!!

[jtburf]

I am trying to set up a presurized Co2 sytem for my 20g by using a 24oz CO2 tank, beer keg gas regulator, and a beetle style difuser, now my problems are,

1. I have no clue as to how much CO2 is needed for a hyper densly planted tank.

2. I also have NO FISH, REPEAT NO FISH, in this tank, I only have dwarf shrimp.

3. I have 60 watts of light, I know that more light = more needed CO2+Fertilizers.

So please help me.

also I would like to say thank you in advance.

 

[Penfan66]

Well, you could start w/ 2-3 bubbles a sec, But it depends on how you are diffusing or reacting. You can get a drop checker to let you know approx. CO2 levels.

Do you have plants now? If so, what kind of ferts are you dosing?

 

[jtburf]

Semi, densly planted,

soon going to have red tiger lotus
anubias
drwarf hair grass
cyrpts
hormal hairgrass
and marimo balls, but they are algea,
and a Kleiner Bar.

Also, this tank is in a rather cold area.

I dose all nutriants twice a month. twice the recomended doseing.

 

[loaches r cool]

I am trying to set up a presurized Co2 sytem for my 20g by using a 24oz CO2 tank, beer keg gas regulator, and a beetle style difuser, now my problems are,

1. I have no clue as to how much CO2 is needed for a hyper densly planted tank.

2. I also have NO FISH, REPEAT NO FISH, in this tank, I only have dwarf shrimp.

3. I have 60 watts of light, I know that more light = more needed CO2+Fertilizers.

So please help me.

also I would like to say thank you in advance.

Your going to be wanting 30PPM co2. How much co2 that requires is hard to tell. I'd get a drop checker and also shoot for approximately a 1 point pH drop from before adding co2 to after. Not sure how sensative inverts are I dont use them in my tanks anymore (loaches). 60W doesnt sound too bad for that tank. You might also want to do some more research into ferts. Twice a month sounds like way to long of an interval to me. At 3WPG, with pressurized co2, and densly planted, youll probably want to be dosing ferts daily (like with the EI method or similiar).

 

[Squawkbert]

My suggestions:

1) Get a drop checker. pending that, go w/ ~1bps (it's still just a 20g tank - let's not kill the shrimp, anything between 15 and 30PPM CO2 should promote lots of growth & be shrimp-safe)

2) See that your filtration causes minimal surface agitation - if you're running a HOB, make sure it's running as silently as possible. No Biowheels.

3) I also agree that more frequent fert dosing, in smaller amounts, would improve things. Investigate EI & PPS methods, make good use of APC's fertilator (found here)or Chuck's calculator or whatever, but dial in a good, easy to follow dosing/PWC routine.

4) Even a KB sword is going to get a tad HUGE for a 20g...

 

[jtburf]

LOL "4) Even a KB sword is going to get a tad HUGE for a 20g..."

White pond lily number two had to be taken out about a week ago, it took over the whole surface in about a week.

i'll, do some more research on ferts, also I trim alot, and I am running an eheim 2211 on this tank, with an underwater output and a prefilter attachment. So there is very little surface movement.