Tropical Fish Forums

brain502 · New Members Joined: 06 Jun 2005

I have searched all over the internet and this board and I just can't find what I need. I have a 2.5gallon rectangle aquarium from Petsmart. I keep an open top, fully planted, tank. Water change every other day, no filter, and I have lots(not sure how much) of light. I now want to add C02. What is the best way to inject it. I would be willing to put on a small filter, but I don't want something to powerful. Any ideas would be appreciated. I would post some pics but I don't have a web site.

Thanks
Brian

MattTVI · Exemplars Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Location: Woodstock, GA

brian,

free image hosting is available at www.villagephotos.com

as for co2 injection, are you keeping fish in the tank w/ the plants?
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brain502 · New Members Joined: 06 Jun 2005

Thanks for the info on image posting. I'll try to post it some time this week.

Back to the C02 issue... yes I do plan on having fish at some point. I am trying to get the plants growing strong first; this way I don't have to stress them out while tinkering with everthing. I will probably have shrimp, and a betta, or possibly a few schoaling fish instead of the betta. Why do you want to know about fish? Will this affect my options?

Either way I am concerned about to much turbulance in the water if I use a power head, and of course the obvious space issue. I figure it needs to be in the tank... or does it? What kind of water pumps are avaialabe? Maybe if there was a low powered one available I could use it with some sort of reactor. I don't know.

MattTVI · Exemplars Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Location: Woodstock, GA

I believe the best thing for you to do is dose co2 via Flourish Excell. It'll be fairly cost effective given your tank size... just remember that you'll need to have good lighting...
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brain502 · New Members Joined: 06 Jun 2005

Wow... I didn't even know that this C02 source existed. I think I have good lighting. It's hard to tell. I have it underneath my cubical flurescent light.

Here is the info on the light:

Sylvania GTE
Cool White
F40/CW 40W

I don't know what any of that means. The light of course is much longer than my tank, and my tank is positioned approx 1' below it. This is the light that came with my desk. It was covered with a translucent white filter. I removed it to add light. Do you think this will be enough light with my CO2 levels raised? I would be willing add some lighting if need be. I could change out this bulb or add an additional small bulb. I really need to add another small bulb anyway to get more light at the back of the tank. Let me know what you think!

Brian

MattTVI · Exemplars Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Location: Woodstock, GA

If it came w/ your desk, then it's probably not going to do you much good. I could be wrong. Most of what I've seen suggests a color temperature between 5000-10000k, you can certainly buy a replacement light for that 40 watt that will have the correct temperature. I suggest you look at Home depot as their lights seem to be cheaper than the ones available at local pet stores... Smile

hope that helps!
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brain502 · New Members Joined: 06 Jun 2005

So you think I should use Flourish Excel? I'll give it a whirl.

I am currently using Flourish Comprehensive Plant Supplement. I didn't see this product on the Seachem website so it may only be availabe at Petswart (where I got it). Do I need to discontinue using this and start using Flourish, or do I use both?

Also because I don't have fish in my tank do you think that I should start adding additional Nitrogen?

Brian

MattTVI · Exemplars Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Location: Woodstock, GA

a high light tank (and I'm still not sure if your tank qualifes as such because of your light situation... Smile

) will need N-P-K, trace, co2, good substrate to keep it RELATIVELY algae free...

your comprehensive plant supplement may be all a trace supplement ...
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brain502 · New Members Joined: 06 Jun 2005

OK just to make it easy, I've got in my Flourish Comprehensive:
N
Phosphate
Souluble Potash
Calcium Magnesium
Sulfur
Boron
Chlorine
Cobolt
Copper
Iron
Manganese
Molybdenum
Sodium
Zinc

So I guess this takes care of my NPK and Trace right?

So if I add Excel that will take care of my carbon?

I guess my question on the Excel was is it going to add NPK or Trace? I don't really know what is in it. I think it is just carbon though. Do you think that the excell will give my tank all it needs in carbon or will I still need to inject some?

MattTVI · Exemplars Joined: 23 Nov 2004 Location: Woodstock, GA

excel calls itself "bioavailable" carbon... link

as for the comprehensive supplement, yep, looks like it takes care of everything, the only problem is that you can't add any of the "big" three N-P-K w/out adding more trace... you may want to consider getting the following down the road...

Flourish potassium
Flourish nitrogen
Flourish phosphorus

the seachem line should be fairly cost-effective given your tank size, but if you want to support a fellow hobbyist and have a life-time supply (pretty much) of fertz... then Greg Watson is your man, give him a call too as he is very friendly and knowledgeable...
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