Planted tank with no co2??

[Geo Tropics]

Can it be done while maintaining a healthy and thriving foreground cover? I have been out of live planted aquaria for 15 years. I am just now getting back in. I am excited! My wife and I are going to go all out with a hand carved, elaborate, mahogony stand and canopy as a living room display. We will have co2, ada, proper lighting....the works. Likely a 200 gal tank that's custom made. But that is a ways off.


My daughter has a 55 gallon discus tank that she's wanting live plants in. We are going to do the ada and some good led lights but forego the co2. I have a friend that has a nice looking planted tank with no co2. It's no Amano or anything of the sort, but it's nice. I am also wanting to use her tank for a photo shoot for some of my rams that I breed. I am the owner of Geo Tropics on Facebook and many customers love watching rams in a planted tank. I love making videos so this will be fun! Thanks for the help guys/gals!



Oh...also....what is that called when you have a planted tank with no co2? I remember someone saying there is low, mid, and high....sonething. It is terminology used to describe how "high end" or "low end" your tank is. Thanks!

 

[irishspy]

Oh...also....what is that called when you have a planted tank with no co2? I remember someone saying there is low, mid, and high....sonething.

I think "low-tech" is the term you're looking for.

It's certainly possible to have a nice planted tank without injecting CO2: plenty have done it. Your plant selection will be limited mostly to those plants hat grow slowly and don't need a lot of light, such as java fern, anubias, and cryptocorynes, but you can easily have a beautiful tank with those.

Both your projected setups sound great, be sure to post pics!

 

[Lady JinglyJones]

I've had good luck with Sagittaria (subulatta) as a grassy foreground in low tech - but in a nano (betta) tank... can't say if being planted deeper might be harder on it - if there's less light getting down to it, it might just get wilty & encourage algae 'cause there's too many factors against it? But I bet with strong enough light & some ferts you can keep it happy.
Also, it stays somewhat smaller w/o co.

I'd stay away from the grassy-er stuff, because it looks like it's doing fine for a bit, then starts to disintegrate, unless it really loves the water parameters you happen to have.

I've also kept swords (Echinodorus blehiri, etc.) w/o co2. Again, they won't reach their full growth potential, but hunker down at a size that works for them & stay there.

Crypts will grow and grow and grow and....

 

[Greggz]

I think "low-tech" is the term you're looking for.

It's certainly possible to have a nice planted tank without injecting CO2: plenty have done it. Your plant selection will be limited mostly to those plants hat grow slowly and don't need a lot of light, such as java fern, anubias, and cryptocorynes, but you can easily have a beautiful tank with those.

Both your projected setups sound great, be sure to post pics!

Agree with this. The only thing I would add is be careful.....too much light is your enemy. Easy to start an algae farm. Slow steady growth is what you want.

And do post pics!

 

[Geo Tropics]

Thanks for the replies! So, I know putting plants in first and then coming back to add co2 later is a no-no since one risks algae getting a foot hold. But can it be done? If algae does take hold before I get co2 in a tank, will the plants out compete the algae later on once I put co2 in, "if" I decide to go this route? Thanks a bunch!

 

[Greggz]

Thanks for the replies! So, I know putting plants in first and then coming back to add co2 later is a no-no since one risks algae getting a foot hold. But can it be done? If algae does take hold before I get co2 in a tank, will the plants out compete the algae later on once I put co2 in, "if" I decide to go this route? Thanks a bunch!

Not having co2 does not necessarily mean you will have algae. If you keep the light intensity and duration within reason, there is a balance which will work. Of course, this will work best with low light plants.

If you start with plants that like higher light (most stems), and give them the light and ferts they need without co2, you could have an algae farm in two days. It can happen fast. And not just on plants, but everything.

IMO wait for more demanding plants until you are ready. Stay with Crypts, Anubias, Swords, etc. until you make the transition. More difficult plants could wither and become so covered in algae that they wouldn't recover. Just my two cents from having kept both high and low tech tanks.

 

[Geo Tropics]

Excellent! My brother pretty much schooled me on all of this already (he's very knowledgeable in live plants and aquascaping) but as I get back into this is need a broad scope of things as well as how other experienced people feel. It will all help me on my journey. Thanks again!

 

[irishspy]

If you start with plants that like higher light (most stems), and give them the light and ferts they need without co2, you could have an algae farm in two days. It can happen fast. And not just on plants, but everything.

I may be learning this lesson soon: Finnex planted-plus over a 20-long, but CO2 has to wait. I may become a warning to you all.

 

[tanker]

As all have said, it is a balance--Not just light (too much or too little), CO2, nutrients, ect.

 

[Geo Tropics]

Also, in a planted tank with no co2, how long should the lights be on during the day? And how long should they be on with co2? Thanks!