Fluval CO2 kit

[FishNturt808]

Has anyone used this? I’m going to rehome my Betta into a 29 gallon, but I want to try my hand at an actual aquascape. Just looks like for optimal plant growth co2 is highly recommended. I just want to try a real beginner/1st time co2 set up.

Fluval Pressurized 1.6oz CO2 Kit, 17554 https/www.amazon.com/dp/B074RHS1BM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_06SXZRZ0AN0JYRXY3WJD

 

[StandbySetting]

The link is broken

 

[FishNturt808]

The link is broken

Fluval Pressurized 1.6oz CO2 Kit, 17554 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074RHS1BM/?tag=ff0d01-20

It seems somewhere along the line an emoji got thrown in there. Should work now. Online reviews are a bit mixed, just seeing if anyone has first hand experience.

 

[Colin_T]

You don't need CO2 for plants.

 

[StandbySetting]

Disagree with the above, it depends entirely on the lighting and plant species concerned.

Are you intending to use this on your 29g setup? If so this system won't last long at all, it would be interesting to know your lighting/tank information, that way it would be easier to offer advice. CO2 is only necessary in high light/ hi-tech setups, where the concentrations of dissolved CO2 simply aren't high enough to keep up with plant growth. In a low tech setup the addition of CO2 isn't necessary and could be potentially dangerous if not controlled correctly.

There is a belief amongst some members of this forum that using pressurised CO2 is detrimental to the health of our fish, whilst I respect their opinions it is not something I agree with, having kept planted set ups with CO2 injection over the past decade, I have had no issues with long term fish health when injecting CO2, a quick peruse amongst the various planted forums on the internet would support my point of view also, but at the end of the day it is up to you to make an informed decision based on the information available to you and the research you have undertaken.

 

[FF_Member146894]

if you're going to go with CO2:
get a high output light (make sure to look for PAR data online for your light unit and the tank's height and width)
be ready to dose a lot of nutrients and fertilizers
get at least a 5 pound CO2 canister (for your size tank), I doubt the one you linked will last long
and invest in a good quality CO2 regulator

 

[FishNturt808]

I have a finnex hlc that I was going to use on this tank. I also will then have a spare aquasky from my 10 gallon I could use as supplemental lighting. But from the sounds of it going hi-tech may be more than I wanna chew off.

If I could pull it off with a smaller all in one purchase I’d swing that way.

 

[Colin_T]

You don't need CO2 for plants.

Disagree with the above, it depends entirely on the lighting and plant species concerned.

Do wild plants get pressurised carbon dioxide (CO2) added to their lake or pond?

Man thinks he is smarter than everything and likes tinkering with nature. Adding CO2 to an aquarium is not natural, nor necessary. There is plenty of CO2 in the atmosphere, and in the water. In the aquarium it is produced continuously by filter bacteria, organic matter decomposing in the mud or water, and by the fish.

Recent studies on terrestrial plants has shown they actually suffer when exposed to more than normal CO2 levels. This was on Catalyst (ABC science show in Australia last year). They were looking at how well plants function in high levels of CO2 so they could make theories about how the forests will tolerate the rise in CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Aquatic plants will probably react the same way.

Plants only use CO2 when they get sufficient light and that means the CO2 produced by the bacteria and fish does nothing for the plants when it's dark.

The CO2 is normally encouraged out of the water by aeration. If you want a plant tank with CO2, you need to minimise surface turbulence.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

So as someone that runs CO2 a lot in their tanks. You don't need it unless you have a lot of good lighting and supplemental ferts.

I'm running a finnex 24/7 Planted+ light on my 70L and using pressurised CO2. However it is barely on the cusp of needing it. Currently running about 1 bubble/2 seconds and that is with a not very efficient diffusor. I have tried running without the CO2 but had some staghorn algae issues so running with it again now. I suspect with your lighting you could probably get away just fine without CO2 and would have to add the extra light to really start getting into the area where you need it.

This fluvel system looks like an expensive way of doing things. I personally use a regulator, solenoid and bottles of CO2 used for wielding. Works out a lot cheaper and you aren't tied to getting CO2 canisters from a single brand/source.

I think @Colin_T is great and offers some great advice on here but I'm going to respectfully disagree with his take on CO2. There are many, many tests that have been done online showing the difference in plant growth between a CO2 injected tank and one without. To say that CO2 injection is going to be detrimental to plant growth is incorrect. Possibly at a stupidly high level it may be but at the standard 25-30ppm that we use it is nothing but a benefit.

 

[StandbySetting]

Do wild plants get pressurised carbon dioxide (CO2) added to their lake or pond?

Man thinks he is smarter than everything and likes tinkering with nature. Adding CO2 to an aquarium is not natural, nor necessary. There is plenty of CO2 in the atmosphere, and in the water. In the aquarium it is produced continuously by filter bacteria, organic matter decomposing in the mud or water, and by the fish.

Recent studies on terrestrial plants has shown they actually suffer when exposed to more than normal CO2 levels. This was on Catalyst (ABC science show in Australia last year). They were looking at how well plants function in high levels of CO2 so they could make theories about how the forests will tolerate the rise in CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Aquatic plants will probably react the same way.

Plants only use CO2 when they get sufficient light and that means the CO2 produced by the bacteria and fish does nothing for the plants when it's dark.

The CO2 is normally encouraged out of the water by aeration. If you want a plant tank with CO2, you need to minimise surface turbulence.

Most of the plants in our aquariums grow emersed in the wild meaning they have access to pretty much unlimited CO2 in the air. This is different when dissolved in water as CO2 is much more unstable as such less readily available to plants when submersed.

If you can grow the likes of Hemianthus callitrichoides successfully without CO2 in home aquaria please do let me know how you're doing it.

Like I've said previously I respect anyone's opinion that is against CO2 injection, not something I agree with, In my opinion it is a necessity in hi-tech - high energy set ups.

 

[Linkandnavi]

Has anyone used this? I’m going to rehome my Betta into a 29 gallon, but I want to try my hand at an actual aquascape. Just looks like for optimal plant growth co2 is highly recommended. I just want to try a real beginner/1st time co2 set up.

Fluval Pressurized 1.6oz CO2 Kit, 17554 https/www.amazon.com/dp/B074RHS1BM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_06SXZRZ0AN0JYRXY3WJD

I'll avoid the question as to whether it's needed or not (I have co2 and non-co2 tanks depending on setup) and just comment on the Fluval one.

I've used the Fluval kit on a 20 gallon before and wouldn't again. I found it to be largely useless and on occasion dangerous.

The Co2 cannisters are so small yet expensive that they're wholly uneconomical. Will drain incredibly quickly and they use a weird connector size that it's almost impossible to find an alternative cannister that will fit the regulator. You're basically stuck with the Fluval replacements.

On one occasion the regulator showed zero pressure indicating the canister was empty. Opened the tap fully and zero co2 was making its way to the diffuser. Took it outside, unscrewed the regulator from the bottle. One deafening bang and a bottle firing out my hand and across the garden. Closest I've ever gotten to a heart attack. Something wrong with the regulator valve and never used it again.

I'd get a good quality regulator, preferably with a solenoid so that you can set it with a timer and not have to manually turn off and on/adjust every morning and evening. I run mine using welders' Co2 bottles (precisely the same gas, but very economical + just avoid the bottles that a mixture of Co2 and argon).

 

[FishHobby99]

So as someone that runs CO2 a lot in their tanks. You don't need it unless you have a lot of good lighting and supplemental ferts.

I'm running a finnex 24/7 Planted+ light on my 70L and using pressurised CO2. However it is barely on the cusp of needing it. Currently running about 1 bubble/2 seconds and that is with a not very efficient diffusor. I have tried running without the CO2 but had some staghorn algae issues so running with it again now. I suspect with your lighting you could probably get away just fine without CO2 and would have to add the extra light to really start getting into the area where you need it.

This fluvel system looks like an expensive way of doing things. I personally use a regulator, solenoid and bottles of CO2 used for wielding. Works out a lot cheaper and you aren't tied to getting CO2 canisters from a single brand/source.

I think @Colin_T is great and offers some great advice on here but I'm going to respectfully disagree with his take on CO2. There are many, many tests that have been done online showing the difference in plant growth between a CO2 injected tank and one without. To say that CO2 injection is going to be detrimental to plant growth is incorrect. Possibly at a stupidly high level it may be but at the standard 25-30ppm that we use it is nothing but a benefit.

Do people use CO2 primarily for red plants?

 

[StandbySetting]

Some plants turn red in response to lighting that is too intense, it is them reacting to stress whereby the stress causes a fault in the tissues of the plant which results in the creation of reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide. Typically anthocyanins combat the reactive oxygen species to reflect some of the more intense light. Under highlighting conditions photosynthesis occurs at a rate whereby naturally diffused CO2 simply will not be of a high enough concentration to satisfy the nutrient requirements of the plant. In summary CO2 doesn't make plants go red perse, but without the additional CO2 they would more than likely die due to nutrient deficiencies. (There are some species which will naturally have a more brown/reddish hue that will grow just fine in low light conditions however). Some species of rotala are a good example, it will grow well under low-medium light (though a little leggy) and remain green, grow it under highlight with CO2 injection and additional nutrition and it will develop red pigmentation.

 

[FishHobby99]

Maybe my misunderstanding. I thought most varieties of naturally red plants will lose color without CO2 and intense light.

 

[StandbySetting]

That's correct, under lower lighting conditions they don't produce the red pigments in response to stress. All the CO2 does is balance the nutrient requirements for the plant. PO4 and Iron to a lesser extent are important for the production of these pigments too, so a deficiency in these nutrients would impact the plants abilities to create the red pigments also. But the ultimate driving factor for the red pigmentation is light.