Considering co2

[ancient11]

I am considering buying a Co 2 system but I am stuck on the CO2 Diffuser. I can't make up my mind whether to try an inline diffuser that is in the return line or an in tank diffuser. I am wanting to put a heater in the return line and I feel that a diffuser also would be too much for the system plus it would be a pain to install.

I would like everyone's opinion on this because I am really stumped!

 

[Colin_T]

Don't waste your time adding CO2 to an aquarium unless it's a dedicated plant tank with very few fish, heaps of light and lots of nutrients.

 

[utahfish]

Ive had both and i found using a glass diffuser in the tank with a bubble counter worked best. Having said that unless you have a ton of plants with a ton of lights adding CO2 is just one more thing to try and balance in the balancing act that is fish keeping

 

[ancient11]

I want to thank ever one who replied to my post, I am really undecided on how to proceed. The tank that I am speaking of is a 68 gallon tall tank with 7 fish (one inch or less) plus one juvenile amono shrimp and 38 plants. Some of my plants are doing fine but several are really struggling such as my micro sword plants. I have 2 finnex planted plus lights.
Thank you so much
Ancient 11

 

[Colin_T]

Generally if swordplants aren't growing fast, it's lack of light or lack of nutrients.

How long are the lights on for?
What wattage are the globes?
What Kelvin (K) rating are the globes?
How old are the globes?
Do you get any algae on the glass?

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Most aquarium plants like a bit of light and if you only have the light on for a couple of hours a day, they struggle. If the light doesn't have a high enough wattage they also struggle. Try having the tank lights on for 10-12 hours a day.

If you get lots of green algae then reduce the light by an hour a day and monitor the algae over the next 2 weeks.
If you don't get any green algae on the glass then increase the lighting period by an hour and monitor it.
If you get a small amount of algae then the lighting time is about right.

Some plants will close their leaves up when they have had sufficient light. Ambulia, Hygrophilas and a few others close their top set of leaves first, then the next set and so on down the stem. When you see this happening, wait an hour after the leaves have closed up against the stem and then turn lights off.

 

[ancient11]

I am afraid you are asking some questions that I can't answer but I will answer what I can. The lights are on 10 HRS a day and the fixtures are LED lights which are four months old. The bottom of my tank is very well lit up, I do have algae on the back and one side of my tank, the front and one side I keep clean with a flip magnetic cleaner.

I thought I had done my homework before buying my plants but after doing further research, I can see that I failed miserably. I went back and every plant that isn't doing well requires Co2, I watched a video about a guy that ran out of co2 for a week and his micro swords was turning yellow which is exactly what mine are doing. I also learned that they are not really sword plants they are just called that. The others are just not growing. While the idea of getting into co2 is not a thing I am looking forward to, the plants swaying with the current and the different colors does relax me.

 

[Colin_T]

LED lights are fine from an age perspective. If you had fluorescent globes then they should be replaced every 12 months. But LEDs will last for 20 years and don't need replacing.

Your lighting is probably fine.

If you can post pictures of the plants you are having trouble with, we can try to identify them and see if they are true aquatic plants, marsh plants or terrestrial plants.

As a general rule, you can grow any true aquatic plant without adding CO2.

 

[Byron]

I concur with Colin.

If the plant in question is Lilaeopsis brasiliensis, common name often Micro Sword, this is not an easy plant. It requires moderate to bright lighting; growth will be slow under moderate light; with brighter lighting and additional nutrient supplementation including CO2 diffusion growth will be faster. This plant will only form truly thick “carpets” with high light and CO2. I have had one or two plants for several years now, but by no stretch of the imagination can they be said to be thriving, they are barely alive. I will never use CO2, and my lighting is low to moderate for the good of the fish so plants have to manage or I get others. The pygmy chain sword Helanthium tenellum will thrive in moderate light without CO2 so perhaps consider this species; it grows like a weed in any of my tanks.

 

[Colin_T]

If the plant in question is Lilaeopsis, then it's a terrestrial/ marsh plant that is not designed to live underwater.

 

[ancient11]

I wish to apologize for the delay in answering but I had to go to the hospital for a few hours .

I have decided that I will not get co2 because I do not need the additional trouble and extra work. I am tethered to oxygen and one drip tube. I have enough trouble doing water changes. I am taking out the plants that are not doing well and replacing them with chain sword and crypts (I have six different varieties of crypts in my other tank). I know these plants will do good without co2 -problems solved.

I want to thank every one for their time and their patience.

 

[Colin_T]

Glad to hear you have worked out a solution in the form of crypts

Here's hoping you get better too