ok Iam going to have a 10gal planted tank, with 2 23watt CF lights over top equalling about 46watss, 4.6w per gallon, will there be many advantages to using a DIY co2 over excel, I don't mind the expense of the excel and i won't be using to much due to the size, but if there is a huge advantage of using DIY then I'll just go that route....
excel vs DIY Co2
- Thread starter jaymasta
- Start date
Depends to some extent on lighting. If you have 4 wpg of good light with a good reflector you will probably need CO2. If you don't have a good reflector and the bulbs are spirals then you will lose some output and Excel may be an option. Personally I like the slower growth rate of about 2 wpg with Excel. Some folks don't. CO2, if you can keep it stable, will give you more growth with either 2 or 4 wpg. This is good if you are okay with more pruning and more fertilizing.
Bill
Bill
Excel is good up to about 2 - 2.5WPG anything over that and you wont be able to match the carbon,that such a high light tank needs,resulting in algae issues
DIY C02 is cheaper and will get the plants growing faster.
If you still want to go the excell route,lower the WPG.
DIY C02 is cheaper and will get the plants growing faster.
If you still want to go the excell route,lower the WPG.
Excell will be more expensive, but as you said not too bad in a tank your size. I would say try a bottle and see how things go. If you like the results then stick with it. It definately won't hurt to try. Just follow directions and don't over treat with excell.
The great thing for me about using excell is that I have very soft water with a low buffer. I would have to start adding buffer to the water or the CO2 would eat what I have and lead to drastic water chemistry changes. Excell doesn't do that.
The great thing for me about using excell is that I have very soft water with a low buffer. I would have to start adding buffer to the water or the CO2 would eat what I have and lead to drastic water chemistry changes. Excell doesn't do that.
The benefit of using DIY CO2 over Excel is you will be providing a constant supply of CO2 with a DIY setup. Excel can be used up before the next dosage, which may slow down photosynthesis ad plant growth. This is especially true at higher light settings.
I respectfully disagree with this. DIY can be highly variable especially during the beginning and ending of the yeast reaction. However, I do agree that excel can be used up at a variable rate also, but the fact that it's dosed every other day or daily makes up for that fact, where as with DIY CO2 one typically doesn't monitor for a daily constant output.phanmc said:
For small tanks under 10 gallons feel free to do Excel or DIY.
For tanks larger than 10 and between 20 gallons DIY CO2 is more cost effective and as efficient.
With your amount of light though be sure you are getting high levels of CO2, with DIY or excel, or you will likely encounter major algae problems.
-John N.
yea Iam using a standerd CF, bulb, so I have a few options right now I have the more powerfull bulbs in rated at 23w I could easily switch to 2 18w, or to 2 13w bulbs, or any combination of them becuase I have them all on hand I have got the penguin 170 biowheel in there which is a fairly good filter for this tank I think, and I will be making a homemade reflector probobly out of tinfoil or something, so it will be a fairly "low end", reflector...
John N. said:
What I meant by a constant supply of CO2 is that it will always be present, not that it will always be present at a consistant level (though there are ways to minimize fluctuations in DIY setups). Compared to Excel that even when dosed daily, can be used up if given enough light.