# Opinion: using CO2



## Rogo (Mar 1, 2015)

I've never used CO2 in my aquariums because I've always been concerned about depleting the fish of oxygen.

If you use CO2, do you get significant enough benefit with plant growth to justify it (and the cost), or can you eventually get the same type of growth without it?

Also, what safe-guards are in place to protect your fish? For example, if the power goes out your filters and air-stones stop running and circulating water, but the CO2 continues to pump into the tank, correct? Is there a chance of suffocating your fish (if you're not home to turn off the CO2)

Thanks in advance for your opinions and guidance.


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## Nobody1 (Dec 9, 2014)

I use co2 and the benefits for the plants are good. They start to grow like weeds- BUT- you also need fertilizers to back it up. Whether it comes from fish or additives- A little of both I think. As far as cost goes- it depends on what you want your tank to look like and what you are willing to spend for that. Do a search for DIY set ups and go from there.

As far as safe guards go you need to turn it off at night somehow. I have a pressure system and it turns off automatically at night due to a electric solenoid. When the power goes out the co2 stops too. With a diy system it keeps going and going like the energizer bunny. Too much co2 will displace the o2 and you will have dead fish.

I see all sorts of beautiful planted tanks out there but it takes work. Worth it when you hear the oohs and ahhs from your friends.
JMO


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## Rogo (Mar 1, 2015)

Nobody1 said:


> I use co2 and the benefits for the plants are good. They start to grow like weeds- BUT- you also need fertilizers to back it up. Whether it comes from fish or additives- A little of both I think. As far as cost goes- it depends on what you want your tank to look like and what you are willing to spend for that. Do a search for DIY set ups and go from there.
> 
> As far as safe guards go you need to turn it off at night somehow. I have a pressure system and it turns off automatically at night due to a electric solenoid. When the power goes out the co2 stops too. With a diy system it keeps going and going like the energizer bunny. Too much co2 will displace the o2 and you will have dead fish.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the information. I've only seen DIY set-ups so I didn't know you could get safeguards (like an electric solenoid).


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## Chiumanfu (Oct 30, 2014)

In my opinion, CO2 is probably the biggest improvement you can make to a planted tank. As long as your lighting is strong enough to make use of it and you dose nutes appropriately.

I had an Aquatek mini paintball system and I feel it is by far the best bang for your buck (unless your tank is very large). 
http://www.amazon.com/AQUATEK-OF-CALIFORNIA-Regulator-Mini/dp/B008TJCPSY

I ended up selling it because a hightech tank is way too much work for me and didn't fit my lifestyle. You have to really be on top of daily dosing and maintenance or things can get out of control quickly. Now I only use excel in my planted tank.


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## maximusfish (Sep 2, 2014)

I think it depends on the approach you want to take with your tank and where you want the focus to be. I have seen some amazingly beautiful planted tanks on this forum, absolute works of art, and all use CO2.

I went for more of a "tank with plants in it" than a planted tank approach. Light is a limiting factor so I replaced my bulbs with 6700k and 10000k. Carbon is a limiting factor so I started dosing with Flourish Excel, until I found it melted my Vals so I quit using it. Nutrients are a limiting factor so I got a Flourish Comprehensive fertilizer but found I kept forgetting the twice weekly or more dosing, so I stuck in some Seachem root tabs. After three months I did a clean up and tossed the green (now brown) cabomba with no roots, and anything red I had bought (also no roots).

Then I got some water Lettace from a bcaquaria member, and it changed everything. My fish all coloured up and seemed much happier. My Cories came out more too. I did some research into the natural habitats of the fish I was keeping, and it turned out that almost all preferred low light. Then I noticed that the tropical Amazon tanks at the Vancouver Aquarium were also dimly lit. Eureka!

I changed my coralife fixture for an old led one, unfortunately not dim able, and i am currently trying to balance the need for water circulation while maintaining a decent cover of water Lettace on the surface. My tanks are full of low light plants: Vals, Java ferns, anubias, crypts, and a few others that I don't know the names. They seem to be thriving on root tabs and fish poop. No added fertilizers.

I found, in the seven months I have had an aquarium, that I had started heading in the wrong direction for the look I was after. So i gave up on the idea of co2, special plant lights, and keeping a large variety of interesting plants.

Just depends on what you want your tank to look like.


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## Dawna (Jul 29, 2013)

CO2 does improve plant growth, allows it to grow faster as well. What I always recommend to people when buying CO2 tank is to just buy the entire regulator set like the milwaukee one sold in JL aquatics. It comes with everything, the regulator, the valve, bubble counter, solenoid. Then you can just hook it up and put it on a timer and you won't have to worry about it if power dies, the CO2 will shut off. Also you can set a timer so it turns off during the night. The fishes shouldn't be affected unless you are pumping too much CO2 into your tank than what your plants can absorb and lack water flow.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

Lots of good points on here. IMO dont bother with DIY. Spend the $200 and set it up properly with pressurized. 

As for actually needing it. Thats up to you. As someone else mentioned it creates more work. You will have to dose fertz. You cant inject co2 and not add fertilizer. The plants will need it. If you cant commit to the extra work and money than dont bother. You can still grow plants without Co2 and have less maintenance. 

My $0.2's


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## Newt (Jan 28, 2015)

jbyoung00008 said:


> Lots of good points on here. IMO dont bother with DIY. Spend the $200 and set it up properly with pressurized.
> 
> As for actually needing it. Thats up to you. As someone else mentioned it creates more work. You will have to dose fertz. You cant inject co2 and not add fertilizer. The plants will need it. If you cant commit to the extra work and money than dont bother. You can still grow plants without Co2 and have less maintenance.
> 
> My $0.2's


Yep, either go big or go low maintenance! That pretty much sums it up imo. Of course, I'm still trying to cycle my [email protected]%# tank so my opinion is somewhat dubious...


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## Arcteryx (Nov 23, 2011)

Newt said:


> Yep, either go big or go low maintenance! That pretty much sums it up imo. Of course, I'm still trying to cycle my [email protected]%# tank so my opinion is somewhat dubious...


That's what it came down to for me as well. What I wanted vs what I was able to do with the time I had.


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## JTang (Apr 21, 2010)

There are many plants available locally that can live well without the additional CO2. E.g. Java fern, moss, Anubias, Amazon sword, crypt, dwarf hair grass, val (straight type, not corkscrew type) and many floating plants... just to name a few. 

However, most of the beautiful carpet plants require extra CO2 to thrive. I'm aiming for a nice carpet in my Biocube that's why I invested on a set of pressurized CO2 kit. I got the 5 lb set (full and hydro tested recently), complete with dual regulator, needle valve and bubble counter, used for $120 which I think is a pretty good deal. It also came with a solenoid which is needed if you want to hook it up to a timer (recommended). Beware that excess CO2 can kill your fish! I made a minor adjustment on the needle valve before I left for work one day, came home with 2 dead fish. Luckily the tank was new so they were the only ones in the tank. I have read that others made a similar mistake and lost a whole tank of 60+ fish within 3 hours! If you happen to get a pressurized set, make sure you are around for at least 3-4 hours after you make any adjustment.

On the plus side, it's really rewarding seeing everything growing well and fast. Indeed the stem plants grow like weed in this tank so weekly trimming is required or it will turn into a jungle! . If this is something that you want, go for it!


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## Hammer (Apr 22, 2010)

One thing I think is important to understand is that there is not just high light + Co2 + intensive fertilization and low light, low tech.. There are types of tanks in between. The high tech which maximizes the "ceiling" of limiting factors is capable of breathtaking plant colours and rapid growth rates as seen by some members tank journals and pics. I have what I would describe as a medium tech tank. I have an aquatek miniC02 regulator (with 20 oz paintball tank) with a solenoid (Amazon for 80 -90 bucks) with a Walmart dual outlet timer that shuts my lights off the same time the co2 cuts out. The theory being that the without light, that plants respire more versus photosynthesise. My lights are a beamswork planted tank unit, which seems to be medium level of plant favourable light. My rationale is that with medium light I provide a medium level of nutrient load and co2. Consequently, I add a little flourish after each water change and about a bubble per minute of CO2, underneath is a layer of flourite mixed with a little stratum (a fluval product, a friend gave a ziplock bag of it) all capped with layer of pool filter/play sand mix. My colours are good and I trim some pretty dense growth every two weeks. My ludwigia repens is turning red on top third. I also have a bunch of fish.
Best of all, I did it for relatively inexpensive.. lights, fish, and plants from Canadian Aquatics. Co2 from aquatek and now I have a planted tank that I look at everyday. My point is that it doesn't have to super high light, EI dosing, off the chart growth etc.to be a great planted tank. IMO That is a level I am not ready for (I respect anyone who can). You can get into CO2 at a number of levels and be successful with it. If I can do it...so can you (Is that a cooking show saying?)


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## Daryl (Jun 1, 2010)

I use pressurized CO2 but keep my tank low maintenance. I just grow relatively easy plants; plants that do fine/ok without CO2. The CO2 helps keep algae at bay, and it lowers the Ph of the water, or so I'm told. Lower Ph is great for some fish.

Overall, I'm happy with my CO2, and I don't find it creates any extra work.


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## mysticalnet (Apr 22, 2010)

Hammer, you mean one bubble per second not per minute, right?


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## Hammer (Apr 22, 2010)

Hahahaha....yes I mean a bubble per second, maybe it's slightly more, but not much.... At a bubble per minute my tank would last 29 years.


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