CO2 for all planted aquariums?

[Arandasmom]

I just have a 10 gal with 3 cryptocorynes and 3 anubias. They have barely grown any new leaves or gotten bigger. My anubias each has 1 new leaf and the crypt haven't put out any runners or grown taller. Each or both species is only 3 inches tall. To experiment I put 2 crypt in a 1 gal bowl with no heat or filter and waited 3 months and they're all the same. (there's only snails in the bowl, I'm not a complete sadist!)
Back to my question: I keep hearing that to get plants to grow I have to add a co2 set up to my tank...
Really?! Someone plz help.
If I have to do this, I'll need a DIY system and am open to advice.
Thank you in advance.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Nope. Crypts and Anubias are frightfully slow growing and need nothing in particular to do so. Crypts are heavy root feeders so will appreciate some root tab fertiliser but will be OK if you don't bother. Anubias are epiphites, they get what they need from the water column, you could dose a bit of liquid feed if you want to. Both plants prefer low lighting otherwise they just accumulate algae

 

[Byron]

No, you do not need diffused CO2or a so-called liquid CO2 to have lush plant growth.

Can you post a photo of the tank so we can see the plants? And the fish, as the majority of CO2 comes from fish poop and other organics decomposing in the substrate plus the normal respiration of fish and plants (and some bacteria). Light and available nutrients (there are 17) need to be balanced. In very heavily planted tanks it can be the CO2 but in most normal natural or low-tech planted tanks this is not the issue.

Also data on the light will help, and what fertilizers if any are you adding.

Will add that Anubias and crypts are slow growing, and thus slow to produce leaves and requiring less light/nutrients.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Here's my tank full of crypts and there's a few anubias in there too, no c02 and they're going mad

 

[Rocky998]

View attachment 317791
Here's my tank full of crypts and there's a few anubias in there too, no c02 and they're going mad

What is your water parameters and what fertilizers do you use?

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

What is your water parameters and what fertilizers do you use?

where are your manners young man??

I have very hard water, Nitrates are usually between 10 and 20 and I dose TNC lite liquid ferts once a week with my water change and I use seachem flourish root tabs. I've just changed over to easy life root sticks, not sure how good those will be but wanted to try them as they're way less expensive than the flourish they might be pants but worth a punt

 

[Rocky998]

where are your manners young man??

Sorry
I really wasn't sure how to come across when asking it... I apologize.

I have very hard water, Nitrates are usually between 10 and 20 and I dose TNC lite liquid ferts once a week with my water change and I use seachem flourish root tabs. I've just changed over to easy life root sticks, not sure how good those will be but wanted to try them as they're way less expensive than the flourish they might be pants but worth a punt

Oh cool! Thanks! I wonder if TNC is just a UK brand or if it's also available here...
I may try to find other root tabs besides the flourish as well after I use these, cause DANG they are EXPENSIVE!
Thanks for the info!

 

[sharkweek178]

It also helps to keep a photo record of your tank. Sometimes, the growth is so gradual that you don't realize it.
I have a crypt that all the original leaves except for one melted. I've been waiting for the new leaves to catch up to the original one in growth. It's taking a long time but I realized that it sprouted a couple of new leaves in the meantime.
Another thing to remember is that sometimes plants like crypts and swords take time to develop their roots first. Then after that, you see the growth in the stems and leaves.

 

[CaptainBarnicles]

Sorry
I really wasn't sure how to come across when asking it... I apologize.

Oh cool! Thanks! I wonder if TNC is just a UK brand or if it's also available here...
I may try to find other root tabs besides the flourish as well after I use these, cause DANG they are EXPENSIVE!
Thanks for the info!

I buy my TNC on amazon so you might find it there? And heck yeah is the flourish expensive

 

[Byron]

@CaptainBarnicles it will be intersting to see the effect of the Easy Life root sticks. This will obviously take several weeks to assess after the change from Flourish Tabs. I know nothing about Easy Life sticks. Years ago there was a root stick manufactured by Nutrafin, named Life-Gro or something, and wow, did it make the swords explode in my 90g tank. It lasted one year, then a new stick has to be used. Unfortunately, they stopped making these, and in 10+ years I could not find them anywhere online. I am not suggesting "root sticks" are this good, it depends upon what they contain.

Aside from incredible growth, there is another advantage to Seachem's Flourish Tabs. And that is that somehow the nutrients do not get into the upper water column, but are only used by the roots. I've no idea how Seachem managed this, but it has been proven accurate. The benefit is that you cannot really over-fertilize with the tabs, which means problem algae will not occur from these. It can if liquid fertilizer is overdosed.

 

[Rocky998]

I buy my TNC on amazon so you might find it there? And heck yeah is the flourish expensive

Well the U.K kinda has "its own" Amazon lol. They have things that the U.S Amazon doesn't and vice versa.

 

[Rocky998]

I found these extremely cheap homemade root tabs that get amazing reviews!! I may try some one day!

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[Byron]

I found these extremely cheap homemade root tabs that get amazing reviews!! I may try some one day!

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There is a risk to using these. First, they do not say what is in them, nutrient wise, except for iron. Iron is a micro-nutrient, and in excess can cause plants to shut down assimilation of certain other nutrients. Iron can also kill some plants (again in excess), and it can promote problem algae (again, depending upon the level, which we don't know).

The fact that some unknown [people say they work is no guarantee at all that they do, or that they are safe for fish and plants. The whole iron-thing died out years ago because it is not the answer to good plant growth.

 

[Rocky998]

There is a risk to using these. First, they do not say what is in them, nutrient wise, except for iron. Iron is a micro-nutrient, and in excess can cause plants to shut down assimilation of certain other nutrients. Iron can also kill some plants (again in excess), and it can promote problem algae (again, depending upon the level, which we don't know).

The fact that some unknown [people say they work is no guarantee at all that they do, or that they are safe for fish and plants. The whole iron-thing died out years ago because it is not the answer to good plant growth.

Thats true... But just cause its an "iron rich" formula, doesnt mean it has an overdose of iron... It may very well have a ton of different nutrients in there, they just dont list them. Maybe if Im looking into buying them, I can message them asking for a full nutrient list with the percentages shown so I can see if it really is good or not...

I mean this with no offense towards you, but I could consider you as an unknown person as well... When multiple people leave reviews saying that its working really well, it does convince you that the product actually works really well.

 

[Byron]

Thats true... But just cause its an "iron rich" formula, doesnt mean it has an overdose of iron... It may very well have a ton of different nutrients in there, they just dont list them. Maybe if Im looking into buying them, I can message them asking for a full nutrient list with the percentages shown so I can see if it really is good or not...

I mean this with no offense towards you, but I could consider you as an unknown person as well... When multiple people leave reviews saying that its working really well, it does convince you that the product actually works really well.

But who are these people leaving good comments? We have no idea how they run their aquaria, so there could be other factors to their impressive plant growth. And what do they mean by this anyway? This is like that you tube channel where the half-wits show tanks with completely noncompatible fish or aquascapes, claiming how great this is. But behind the scenes, and I know this from a marine biologist who knew one of these nutters, their fish all die within a month or two because they are not well provided for. You simply cannot believe what you find on the internet, unless you know the individuals' background, knowledge level, experience.

Iron is a micro-nutrient, and in Flourish Comprehensive Supplement, in Brightwell Aquatics' FlorinMulti, and in TNC Lite and TNC Complete--in all of these the iron is in proportional balance to the other nutrients. This is one reason why these products are safe and actually work. There are undoubtedly others I do not know about. But this is important if one cares about the health of the fish, which I know you do.