Debunked: CO2-Myth --- See tanks without carbon dioxide fertilization

[jcardona1]

alright so after reading some post it seems that i need 2 wpg+ to support medium light. so wouldnt it be beneficial to get that dual light back and then have 110w in a 55g tank?

thing is those wpg rules are old, and they are really made for normal output fluorescent bulbs. with T5HOs, that rule goes out the window since the light output is so intense. 2wpg of T5HO lighting is a lot, i would say very high lighting. i had 2wpg of T5HO lighting on my 55g and it was still hard to keep algae in check. if you try that much light w/o co2, im positive youll create an algae farm

 

[jcardona1]

I have to disagree. While you can have well planted tanks with easy to grow plants, having a proper C02 system will bring the setup to the next level. Plants grow noticeably faster with CO2 (I have a 20lb pressurized tank). In fact, they grow so fast it becomes a chore clearing out the "forest". You can't get that kind of growth without the amount of CO2 a proper pressurized system gives.

Also, go visit any hardcore plant forum, and you'll see that injected CO2 critical to their setups, and is not anywhere close to being an obsolete practice.

i feel the same way you do, but i also see where the other guys are coming from. some want an easy, low maintenance setup thats cheap to setup and maintain, and that is totally fine. but if youre ready to take it to the next level and go extreme, pressurized co2 is a must, not an option

 

[pyroman9]

alright cardona... so I am going with the double t5 lights.. which just means i need to get some co2 going!!!

I love excuses.

I want to be able to grow some of the red plants and ground cover.. so yea.

Hmmmm time to read up on some CO2 stuff!

For now I will keep with excel until i get my co2 up and going

 

[its_an_obsession]

harleyk... must say i love this thread and your post. seems everytime i post a question about my planted tank and ask questions... the only response i get is "why dont you add CO2". and the answer is that i want a nice low tech setup, which is why i got low light plants that are easy to grow.

like recently i moved and my original water was hard with a high pH and my new water is softer and a lower pH. ever since my move, i have noticed a big die off/lack of growing with one of my plants. "everywhere i asked people said add CO2". im looking at your list which has water chemistry labeled as second in importance and it makes alot of sense so me.

i must say i agree completely with your number 1 and to pick plants that work with oyur setup instead of always try to mess with ur setup to fit in some other plant. i tried alot of low light plants and some were successes and some werent. so i just stuck with the plants that were successes.

and now for my setup:
20g long
two 15w flourescent bulbs. one power glo and one flora glo
i dose seachem flourish 2-3 times a week (planning on trying excel soon)
pH: 6.8

plants:
cabomba
water sprite
water wisteria
two cryptocorne species
nymphea bulb

plants that didnt work:
blyxa japonica
java fern (didnt really die but absolutely no growth)
javamoss (didnt really die but absolutely no growth)

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

Great to see so much discussion, that's fantastic!

So leave the ammo-carb in the filter?

No - for two reasons:
1) activated carbon can absorb trace elements that may be important for healthy plant growth
2) a functioning biofilter detoxifies ammonia. Special filter media are not needed and just waste $$$.

I have to disagree. While you can have well planted tanks with easy to grow plants, having a proper C02 system will bring the setup to the next level.

You can also say that liquid ferts bring it to the next level, or adjustment of pH, or changing hardness. Any of these will allow specific plant species to flourish that need respective conditions. I just don't see why CO2 is always singled out as the silver bullet

In fact, they grow so fast it becomes a chore clearing out the "forest". You can't get that kind of growth without the amount of CO2 a proper pressurized system gives.

I dare to differ. Feel free to check out what I throw out of my 220 gal about every few weeks --> HERE <--

and the answer is that i want a nice low tech setup, which is why i got low light plants that are easy to grow.

Amen.
Nice set-up you have. Great to hear that Cabomba are doing great without CO2. That's another species said to "need" CO2....

HarleyK

 

[sostoudt]

to anybody thats cares, if you dont want the initial investment of co2 injection but still want a boost, you could try gultaraldehyde. it ill boost your plant growth alot. seachem sells a product called flourish Excel, glutaraldehyde is its active ingredient. also another one called easycarbo

excel is supposed to be 1.5% glutaraldehyde

i dont recommend you buying high concentrations of gultaraldehyde to save money, as in a more concentrated state the fumes are dangerous. if you do work out side as you dilute, get it to around excels percentage and follow excels dosage guidelines.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

to anybody thats cares, if you dont want the initial investment of co2 injection but still want a boost, you could try gultaraldehyde. [...] excel is supposed to be 1.5% glutaraldehyde[...] the fumes are dangerous. [...] follow excels dosage guidelines.

I do not like the word "supposed" in there!!! Because not only the fumes are dangerous!

Glutaraldehyde is lethal to fish at concentrations around 7 mg/L and it kills algae (known effect of Excel) and crustaceans (i.e. your shrimp) at concentrations around 0.6 mg/L.

Just something to keep in mind when trying to replicate this additive...

HarleyK

 

[ghengis]

I just discovered this Thread (yeah, I know, it's been a while since my last visit...)

Stupidest thread in history. I cannot believe what I just read in the OP... Sure, fine, one can have a planted tank w.out CO2...just concentrate on growing Anubia, J. Fern, J. Moss, Swords and Crypts. Easy. How does that make the use of CO2 a myth?? I have kept planted tanks for a couple years now, with varying success...I can honestly say that I have not had more success, with more of a variety of plants and less algal issues, than I have since turning to CO2.

Ever tried growing Ludwigia species under low light and no gas?? What about HC...Riccia? ...the list is endless.

Here's an idea, why don't we all turn our CO2 systems off and just grow Anubia...that should make for an interesting and diverse hobby, shouldn't it?? I would like to direct attention to the pic of the 220 gal on page one...nutrient/CO2 defficiency, much?? Everything is YELLOW!

CO2 might not be the be all and end all of planted tanks, one can have a lovely looking setup without it, but to call it a marketing myth is just preposterous.

 

[HrHagel]

I just discovered this Thread (yeah, I know, it's been a while since my last visit...)

Stupidest thread in history. I cannot believe what I just read in the OP... Sure, fine, one can have a planted tank w.out CO2...just concentrate on growing Anubia, J. Fern, J. Moss, Swords and Crypts. Easy. How does that make the use of CO2 a myth?? I have kept planted tanks for a couple years now, with varying success...I can honestly say that I have not had more success, with more of a variety of plants and less algal issues, than I have since turning to CO2.

Ever tried growing Ludwigia species under low light and no gas?? What about HC...Riccia? ...the list is endless.

Here's an idea, why don't we all turn our CO2 systems off and just grow Anubia...that should make for an interesting and diverse hobby, shouldn't it?? I would like to direct attention to the pic of the 220 gal on page one...nutrient/CO2 defficiency, much?? Everything is YELLOW!

CO2 might not be the be all and end all of planted tanks, one can have a lovely looking setup without it, but to call it a marketing myth is just preposterous.

What HarleyK is saying, is that for the average hobbyist it is very much hyped up, if you know what i mean.

The point is, co2 has become a fashion statement, more than a usefull tool (since in many cases the co2 is overkill)
As HarleyK pointed out, there are tons of hits on co2, more than anything else related to plant growth, and this is clearly because people see pictures of a hardcore planted setup with extremely needy plants, and then scroll down to read that in the setup is also a co2 system, which leads many people to ultimately believe that co2 is a key factor in any planted setup, where it is really only needed in the hardcore section of aquascaping.

Basically, if you don't know your co2 101, you probably don't need it.

 

[cornizzy]

i hope one day i can get a planted tank running for my cichlids~