WE ALL KNOW THAT HAVING A HEAVILY PLANTED AQUARIUM COMPETES WITH AND IF DONE PROPERLY DEFEATS THEIR ALGAE COUNTER PARTS. MY QUESTION IS DOES THIS SAME PRINCIPLE APPLY TO THE SAME DEGREE WHEN INVOLVING A PLANTED AQUARIUM WITHOUT CO2.... THAT IS SHOULD WE PLANT HEAVILY IN THESE TANKS (W/O CO2) AS WELL TO MINIMIZE ALGAE GROWTH? I HAVE ALWAY ENJOYED THE TANKS OF THE MONTH AND THE AMAZING AND OFTEN METICULOUS PLANT/WATERSCAPES...I WONDER IF AC SHOULD HOLD A CONTEST FOR TANKS NOT ON STEROIDS IN HOPES THAT THESE HOBBIST CAN SHARE SOME OF THEIR TRICKS TO SUSTAIN PLANT GROWTH, ALBEIT LESS LUSH, IN TANKS W/O CO2?
planted aquarium without CO2 Question
- Thread starter jemanser
- Start date
With proper fertilization and careful attention to plant selection and lighting it is possible and many here have these kind of tanks. Co2 just makes it easier to grow more challenging plants and helps the plants to out-compete the algae.
Sorry about the caps...my bad. But my question still stands - should we plant heavily in tanks without CO2 to minimize algae growth? I realize some have succeeded in maintaining nice planted aquascapes with less fastidious plants in in tanks w/o pressurized CO2, but more time is often invoved for growth. Also I guess I can't read between the lines Liquid Pyro...is the contest a good or bad idea ( I am neutral but I thought it would interesting) or are many of the past tank of the month winners already not using pressurized CO2 in their planted aquascapes.
A few years ago , I went through a complete BBA bloom in my tank. This is when I was leaving the light on all day in a room that also had some natural sunlight, and changing the water once a month. After taking a sanding tool to all of the driftwood to remove the algae, performing regular water changes and regulating my light, it got a lot better, but it didn't go away completely. It was then that I started planting my 92 Gallon bowfront, because the workers at my LFS told me that the plants would compete with the algae for nutrients. I've never used (and don't plan to use) CO2.
I started with Java ferns, and kept adding other low light plants (Water Sprite, Water Onions, Anubis,etc) and I seem to be close to having some sort of balance right now. The remaining BBA has been dying for the last few months (I think, it's turning grey and transluscent), and I haven't had much new algae growth. A few more plants and another bristlenose pleco or two, and I think that I will have solved my algae problem.
Here is a thread with some pics of my tank as it is right now. I'm sorry I don't have any pics of the tank when it was in full BBA Bloom. It was EVERYWHERE!
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243650
I would have to say from my own experience that planting heavily in non-CO2 tanks can definitely help to combat algae growth.
I started with Java ferns, and kept adding other low light plants (Water Sprite, Water Onions, Anubis,etc) and I seem to be close to having some sort of balance right now. The remaining BBA has been dying for the last few months (I think, it's turning grey and transluscent), and I haven't had much new algae growth. A few more plants and another bristlenose pleco or two, and I think that I will have solved my algae problem.
Here is a thread with some pics of my tank as it is right now. I'm sorry I don't have any pics of the tank when it was in full BBA Bloom. It was EVERYWHERE!
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=243650
I would have to say from my own experience that planting heavily in non-CO2 tanks can definitely help to combat algae growth.
There's no reason not to plant heavily if you want a lush, abundant looking planted tank. It doesn't matter if you go with high lighting and CO2 or low-moderate lighting without CO2..... just be sure you choose plant specimens that will flourish with the level of lighting you have and you're all set.
IMO having a beautiful, heavily planted tank is reason enough all by itself. While that does minimize algae growth as well, just hoping to counteract algae growth isn't the primary reason for planting a tank that way.
BettaFishMommy
finkids make me happy :-)
So far, I just use Flourish Tabs and Tetra Flora Pride liquid Fertilizer once a month. I just started using those about a month ago, and honestly, everything seemed to be growing fine before I started using them.
My lighting is low for a tank my size and height - 2 30W Flora-Gro fluorescents on a 22 inch high tank, but it seems to work for what I am growing. I'm planning to upgrade to a dual T5 HO fixture, which should give me moderate lighting with my tank height.
My lighting is low for a tank my size and height - 2 30W Flora-Gro fluorescents on a 22 inch high tank, but it seems to work for what I am growing. I'm planning to upgrade to a dual T5 HO fixture, which should give me moderate lighting with my tank height.