CO2 System!!! i need help

[dixiegirl916]

i am new to the fresh water world. (ive done salt so far) I want to get live plants for my tank, but from what i understand i need a co2 system. (if im wrong please correct me) i was wondering if anyone knew of any co2 systems that would not kill my pocket but still do the job i need done. i heard some good and bad things about red reef co2 system. it comes with a canister and a power head.

please let me know if you have any advice. thanks

Kristina

[Wiskey]

You don't need one unless you want to do a high light, high tech tank,.. I would recommend starting off with a bit lower light, and getting your feet wet that way.

If you do want to go the CO2 route perpair to spend some money,.. I tried to go cheap at first, and just ended up shooting myself in the foot. In order to caculate CO2 concentration you use KH and PH - so you really need a PH monitor at least, but better yet you can automate this process for just a bit more and always keep the consentration correct by using a CO2 controller.

The regulator is about $100
The CO2 tank is around $75
The CO2 controller is something like $150
Then depending on how you want to mix the CO2 with the water it may cost a touch more too.

But before you do all that read up on the Tom Barr method of fertilizing,.. you will need to use ferts to get the most out of your system - the trick here is ballance - that's what keeps Algae at bey.

HTH,
Whiskey

[Wiskey]

Oh,.. and Welcome to TRT!!

Whiskey

[dixiegirl916]

[quote=Wiskey;1524757]You don't need one unless you want to do a high light, high tech tank,.. I would recommend starting off with a bit lower light, and getting your feet wet that way.
[quote]

what do you concider high light? i am getting t5s

[Wiskey]

Well,.. what size tank? What lights?

Whiskey

[Hop]

A really good resource is http://www.plantedtank.net

There are several ways to inject co2 from DIY yeast mixtures to high end CO2 set ups with reactors. It can be daunting unless you set up dosers and such because the easiest method of dosing is the estimative dosing regimin which requires attention daily and weekly water changes. After many years of planted tanks I finally just lost interest because to keep them looking their best meant a lot of time and effort and many, many rebounds.

Now I do still keep a low light tank with NO bulbs, anubias and a few java ferns and sword plants, but it doesn't look nearly as impressive as my old planted 125.

here is a pic of it... The tank now is my sump