Rate My Fish Tank

Sun Jul 05, 2009 5:27 pm GMT   Reply      

Im starting a planted tank and I've done plenty of research but I'm not really grasping what all is required in a Co2 system, i have a moderate budget around 50-100 dollars to spend for a 29 gallon tank.

Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:36 pm GMT   Reply      

do you have the tank allready?

Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:50 pm GMT   Reply      

I dont use CO2, my tank grows well! Its not required, but since I dont use it, cant help with your question. Just wanted to put in my 2 cents! Good luck with the tank either way.

Mon Jul 06, 2009 12:49 am GMT   Reply      

It all depends on what you want to grow. If you're going to grow java moss and java fern, you don't need CO2, but if you want to grow hungrier plants, you'll need it. It also depends on how much light you have, if you have nutrient-rich substrate, etc. I find it more difficult to grow plants than to grow fish. The eco-system is more delicate, with more interdependent factors, I think.

There is also a liquid CO2 product called Excel made by Seachem. It's about 6-7 dollars a bottle in my area. That may be enough, depending on all factors though. You'd pour a few millileters in a day and a bottle would last for months.

My advice would be to get easy beginner plants that are "easy" to grow and see how they do. You may not need CO2. If the plants start doing poorly you may just need to add a supplement such as Iron or one of the many others. You can tell what you need to add by exactly what the plants are doing. Only then I would worry about whether I needed CO2.

In the end, your individual tank setup my require CO2, but it may not.

Z

Mon Jul 06, 2009 6:32 pm GMT   Reply      

Yep, i agree w/zambize: plants are tougher to keep than fish! I use DIY CO2 with mine (the sugar/yeast method) plus liquid fertilizers and this has been sufficient for my tank. fishforums.net has a planted tank forum w/really good info on CO2, lighting, liquid fertz and all the things you have to worry about w/a planted tank. But like zambize said, there are several plants that are pretty easy to grow. cryptocoryn wendtii is another good one.

Mon Jul 06, 2009 7:19 pm GMT   Reply      

Thank You guys... your always a big help!

I think I will just get some java moss and java ferns and eventually grow into some more demanding plants.

Fri Jul 10, 2009 2:31 am GMT   Reply      

anubias of any kind require no C02, check these guys out