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

[mgamer20o0]

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

yes i have done both ludwigai and riccia under low light with out co2. now there are some ludwigai species that just wont handle it but you left the statement open.

HrHagel i wouldnt call it a fashion statement more of a lack of knowledge. its one of the reasons i tell people to start off with low light set up get the basics down then go forward. so many people jump straight in with too much light with out the basic understanding. it takes time and some people just dont want to take the time to learn. they think co2 will fix all problems where it can help but its not the end all solution.

 

[ridehardorgohome]

My 46 gallon fertilized only by flourish excel twice a week,Sorry for crappy pics, What do you think???

 

[ridehardorgohome]

46 gallon planted bowfront, fertilized only by flourish excel twice a week,sorry for crappy pics, Let me know what you think????

 

[Lepisosteus platyrhincus]

http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=215962&page=4
my planted tank. was running with no CO2. unfortunatly i was very busy and unable to keep it trimmed and it over grew. tank has been disassembled. it was at least 2 times that many plants(cuts from the ludwigia and java moss, and spiral grass) when it over grew. hope to get it back up sometime soon

 

[barbarossa4122]

I have 2 planted tanks, no co2. I use root tabs, Flourish Iron and Flourish. My lights..........108w t5 ho + 30w t8 on the 55g, 78w t5 ho on the 30g. My plants are healthy and growing, some faster some slower but growing. My goldies pick on the plants sometimes but not enough to destroy them. Oh, lights are on 10 to 12 hrs.

 

[S&KGray]

Very interesting read

 

[Potts050]

any harm using a CO 2 injector to eliminate it is the limiting nutrient?

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

any harm using a CO 2 injector to eliminate it is the limiting nutrient?

No harm to the tank if you keep CO2 levels within the safe range. It might trigger thread algae. The only potential harm is to your wallet and time invested. I'd try other possible limiting factors first, it's cheaper and easier to get good lights and ferts and try different plant species.

HarleyK

 

[its_an_obsession]

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.

another closed minded person with respects to planted tanks and CO2. im fully aware of the fact that some plants need injected CO2 to grow and CO2 does help boost growth.

while calling CO2 a myth and marketing ploy might be excessive. i think the main point here is that with correct lighting, fertilization, and water parameters, many plants can be grow successfully without CO2 injection. and i think a lot of people would like to do this, unfortunately not many people give good advice on how do do this without suggesting CO2.

id like to see all the plant species that people have grown without CO2 injection, so that we can show that its not just anubias, crpyts, swords and java fern. also id suggest anyone to recommend what lighting they've had work the best.

ill start out with ive had the best success with hagen's life-glo bulb.

plants: ill start the the obvious
anubias
crypts
swords
javafern

cabomba - grows like wild fire
water spite
water wisteria
duck weed
nymphaea pubescens - grows like wildfire as well. just moved mine the other day and the root system was massive, shoots up new lily pads every 2 days.
banana plant

i will say i did not have success with blyxa japonica or HC, both before i was using excel. i might try blyxa japonica again tho now.

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

Let's keep it civil and respect each other's approach.

Here are the tanks I pictured in post #1:
Plants, lighting, and ferts by tank:

• 10 gal
  Glossostigma elatinoides
  Eleocharis acicularis
  Suesswassertang
  Anubias nana
  Anubias barteri
  Java moss
  Elodea sp.
  .
  2x Coralife Mini Compact Fluorescent Bubls 20 Watts ea.
  Tetra PlantaMin
  substrate: unwashed playsand
  .
• 15 gal
  Cryptocoryne wendtii
  Vallisneria spiralis
  Anubias nana
  .
  1x Dennerle Amazon Day 18 Watt regular fluorescent bulb
  no ferts
  substrate: washed gravel
  .
• 40 gal
  Echinodorus ozelot
  Eleocharis acicularis
  Cryptocoryne wendtii
  Cryptocoryne lucens
  Java fern Windelov
  Ceratopteris thalictroides
  Anubias sp.
  .
  1x Coralife Freshwater Aqualight 96 Watts
  Kent Iron & Manganese
  Sera Floredepot + 3M Colorquartz
  .
• 75 gal
  Java fern (normal + Windelov)
  Suesswassertang
  Anubias nana
  .
  1x Sera Plant Color 36 Watt regular fluorescent bulb
  .
• 220 gal
  Echinodorus tenellus
  Ceratopteris thalictroides
  Cryptocoryne Wendtii and C. crispatula
  Echinodorus rubin and E. ozelot
  several bulbs of Crinum natans
  Anubias barteri
  .
  4x Coralife Freshwater Aqualight 96 Watts ea.
  Kent Iron & Manganese
  Sera Floredepot + 3M Colorquartz

That's it. I hope I got it all. Any further questions, just ask

HarleyK