C02 thoughts.

lol

tom barr slap


end discussion.

plantbrain said:
Stop wasting your time with DIY, for a tank this size, go with a Gas regulator set up. You have a nice large tank, light, plants, the weak spot and the one that will cause algae and lots of time wasted: poor CO2.

Be smart, use the Gas tanks. Worth every penny. I did DIY for a decade, I know.

Regards,
Tom Barr
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I fully understand get why folks are leary about adding CO2 and spending $ on it, it's something way outside of the norm for most folks,but...............trust us here...................

Once you do and get a gas tank, you will totally see and understand, you will see the speed of gowth etc, this is the single most dramatic thing you can do for a planted tank.

Plants are very active and pearl like mad etc, w.o CO2, they still grow, but not like this.

It's very hard for most people to justify CO2 gas, anyone and everyone that has CO2 gas tanks will tell you the same type of thing.

DIY is fine to see what CO2 can do in smaller tanks, 20 Gal or so etc......

But for folks wanting to finally use CO2 for real, then a gas tank is about the best option.

We all certainly know how you feel about it..........but trust us:)

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
I trust you guys thats why im taking your advice. I first got advice from a Petsmart worker as I wanted to see what fish I was interested in. He says No you never need C02, you wont get algae. Blah Blah... I fully understand how C02 will basically double the plants growth, have a algae free tank, and a healthy environment. I will get C02 once I have the extra money to do so.
 
fabsroman said:
I bought mine off of ebay a couple of weeks ago. Here is an example of one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Co2-Drop-Checke...ptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

Just do a search for "drop checker" on ebay and it will give you several options. The tricky part is creating 4dKH water to use in the drop checker. Luckily, I already have a very sensitive measuring scale to measure the baking soda with. It measures to the hundreds of a gram/grain. If I use it in the grain mode, I can get extremely close, if not dead on, to 6 grams of baking soda. I also spent a little money on graduated cylinders and beakers to help me measure everything out like the dry ferts and the amounts of water to use in the 4dKH solution and the dry ferts for those that I choose to mix with water.

By the way, just in case you don't know this, 4dKH means water with 4 degrees of carbonate hardness. You will need a carbonate hardness test kit.
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I would not want to be pulled over by a cop with a drop checker in my car.
 
phanmc said:
DIY CO2 for that size tank will be a pain in the *** and you will go through a lot of sugar every other week. Invest in a pressurized system, the $150-200 up front is much more worth it than juggling a bunch of bottles every 2-3 weeks and you will get a consistent level that cannot be achieved with DIY.

If you don't have the cash for a pressurized system then stick with a low light setup and appropriate plants until you can afford one.
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That's what I was thinking when I was doing mine for a 29 gallon tank with two 2ltr bottles. The price of yeast, 4 cups of sugar, mixing and waiting, going threw the Co2 slow down and not being able to turn it off when you need to.
I got a regulator, solenoid, 5lb aluminum tank, bubble counter and Co2 tubing for about $140 shipped. I wish I would have bought this a long time ago, Yeast generated Co2 causes the same amount of problem as it does good I think.
 
fabsroman said:
I don't think I would ever take the advice of a guy at PetSmart. In fact, I think I might do the exact opposite of what they tell me just based upon principle.
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I went to Petsmart a long time ago looking for Co2 stuff and they had know idea what I was talking about. They asked me if it was for fish.. I said plants and they said oh.. and looked at each other like they where wondering what I was talking about... You should know about more things then just using knowing how to scoop fish with a net when working at a pet store, don't jobs have certain requirements anymore?
I wouldn't get hired at a Autozone if I didn't know what a battery was for... No offense to anyone who doesn't ;)
 
Heck, I have been putting the potassium sulfate powder in vials so I can dose them straight into my tanks, which happen to be at my parents, and I put them in the trunk for that very reason. I definitely don't want an LEO to pull me over, look in the back seat, and see a bunch of vials with white powder in them. At least he would have to ask me to search the trunk, to which I would answer NO. Knock on wood, I haven't been pulled over in 9 years.
 
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