C02?

Well, it's just like how land plants take it in to... Sometimes, without it, they'll die, or won't grow as much. CO2 is just a form of nourishment for plants, to help them grow big, and sometimes pretty. ;)
 
Plants need three things to live,
Light
CO2
And ......Nutrients.

Water is not an issue here, the plants live in water.

If you don't have enough of one of these, then it will not matter how much of the others you add, it will not produce more growth.
So adding more CO2 will allow the plant to use the light and the nutrients much better. The amount of CO2 is relatively low in your tank to suit the plant's needs(they will grow without it, but adding really helps a great deal). Using CO2 gas helps this problem.

Plants are roughly 40% dry weight carbon. So adding it make this primary element much easier to supply.

Regards,
Tom Barr
 
The actual process is much more intricate. It is all a part of the photosynthesis process.... it is like their respitory system, how they "breath" During the light period plants take in CO2 and "exhale" 02. During the dark period the process is reversed.

People and other animals breath in oxygen, and exhale CO2. Plants must have enough of both, along with light and nutrients.

You can read more about photosynthesis here:

http://www.aquabotanic.com/wp101.htm
 
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