Is Co2 The Right Choice?

Shane Wilson

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Feb 6, 2018
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Hello all,

I’m new to posting on this forum but it’s be an awesome source of information. I just want to thank everyone for running this site before asking the question at hand.

Am I making the right choice by adding pressurized co2 to my tank?

I’ve been struggling with green spot algae for a few months now. The spread of it seems to have slowed down but I cannot get it to go away. I’ve increased phosphorus dosing and reduced the photoperiod on the tank. I’ve played around with different flow rates/methods (spray bars of varying lengths and sizes, front to back, side to side, standard output, etc).

After hours and hours of research, the only thing left for me to try, short of completely changing my lighting, is adding co2. The issue with that is it seems I’m able to grow S. repens decently so I don’t want to risk changing that. The GSA has even attacked faster growing plants like my ludwigia!

The tank is a 40 breeder and the light is the Beamswork DA FSPEC. Glass lid with the very back being open. Here are pictures for reference.

I dose the Flourish line of fertilizers including their iron supplement. I tried an Excel regimen for weeks but it made no noticeable difference in plant growth or algae. I’m at my wits end and the solution seems to be co2...

Thank you to anyone for being willing to help.

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Shane Wilson

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Feb 6, 2018
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Without a doubt yes.

Will adding co2 drastically increase maintenance? I keep hearing some detractors say it turns the tank into a part time job. I don’t mind dedicating an hour (give or take) to maintenance once or twice a week. Extra trimming won’t be a bother. But is there anything else to worry about other than increases levels of dosing nutrients?

My wife has okayed a 5 lb tank and Aquatek seems to be having a decent sale right now on their eBay store. What do you recommend for diffusion? I’m running a canister filter but it has to be outside of the stand because of how this stand was made.
 

Phishless

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CO2 will aid in plant growth for sure.
Some stems will need more trimming of course.
A reactor would be best on canister discharge.
DIY is a good option for a reactor.
 
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Shane Wilson

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Closely inspected the newest leaves on the anubias plants and they seem to be GSA-free (oldest new leaf is 2-3 weeks old). Is there no way to get the GSA off the other leaves on the plants even with co2?
 

Phishless

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Anubias can handle a paintbrush with Seachem Excel. maybe 10-30 seconds and dip in clean water.
Just an alternative if you wish to clean existing plants.
 
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Kyalgae

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I’ve had mine as high as 3 and GSA is still present. That’s why I’m thinking the light is just ever so slightly too much without co2. There’s something limiting.

My S. Repens always had dirty algae leaves until I got the right amount of CO2 going into the tank, even if I was dosing 9ppm PO4 per week. CO2 won't turn your tank into a part time job if you don't crank the light. Take a look @nicpapa, he has a 180L tank low light, plants look great. They grow slow, so that's really eliminating a lot of maintenance. https://barrreport.com/threads/180-lt-dutch.14176/page-5#post-145316
 
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Shane Wilson

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Allwissend

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Just to add to the excellent advice already given. Focus on plant growth not fighting with algae and soon you will not notice any algae or see algae as a sign of something lacking for the plants.

If anything, with CO2 the plants may grow faster and you will be able to remove old/algae colonized tissue faster.

While some people, including me, noticed a correlation between PO4 and GSA this is definitely not the only reason. Like any biological entity, algae require a number of nutrients and may respond to many environmental triggers.

Think of it this way. The statement : "plants only grow when CO2, light and PO4 are available." is true, but incomplete. So is the "GSA appears when PO4 is low".

For example, I have a 30g where GSA not only survives but grows nicely on the glass even though PO4 levels are 6 to 9mg/L throughout the week. And I have seen similar cases with others throughout the years.

The idea being that each tank is a little different, but your experience and focus should be on growing healthy plants.
 
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Shane Wilson

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Feb 6, 2018
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Apple Valley, CA
Just to add to the excellent advice already given. Focus on plant growth not fighting with algae and soon you will not notice any algae or see algae as a sign of something lacking for the plants.

If anything, with CO2 the plants may grow faster and you will be able to remove old/algae colonized tissue faster.

While some people, including me, noticed a correlation between PO4 and GSA this is definitely not the only reason. Like any biological entity, algae require a number of nutrients and may respond to many environmental triggers.

Think of it this way. The statement : "plants only grow when CO2, light and PO4 are available." is true, but incomplete. So is the "GSA appears when PO4 is low".

For example, I have a 30g where GSA not only survives but grows nicely on the glass even though PO4 levels are 6 to 9mg/L throughout the week. And I have seen similar cases with others throughout the years.

The idea being that each tank is a little different, but your experience and focus should be on growing healthy plants.


Right, thank you for putting a dose of reality on it. The biggest reason why I'm wanting to inject co2 now is because, given all other factors, I'm convinced that the light is just a little too much without co2. The plants cannot uptake enough or the proper amount of nutrients so it's causing an algae issue. I'm hoping that with co2 injection, it can bring things into a proper balance and get things mostly algae free.
 

Shane Wilson

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Feb 6, 2018
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Apple Valley, CA
I added co2 about a week ago and the difference is already large! The s repens, ludwigia repens, and Amazon sword are all growing much faster and the algae doesn’t seem to be attacking the new growth, and the new growth on the sword looks perfect! I’m even noticing new growth on a tiny ozelot sword that wasn’t really growing at all before (but not dying). The s repens is bushier than it was with no leggy growth! Even the crypt undulata red seems fuller and I get plant pearling in the second half of the day every day. Dosing NilocG Thrive three times a week then doing 50% wc early Saturday mornings before lights or co2 kick on. So glad I went this route and thank you to everyone for the sound advice!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

tiger15

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"No one regrets adding CO2, only regrets for not adding it earlier" Tom Barr said it often and I echo with him after adding CO2 8 months ago.

It's not an easy jump for the investment if you are new to plants and want to try out without CO2 first. I made the jump about 4 months into my first planted tank as I was struggling with algae, stunt and dying plants. There is actually less work after adding CO2 because I don't have to physically remove algae and replace stunt and dying plants frequently. Sure, you can grow plants without CO2, but the choice of plants is limited, and the color is not as vibrant. I used to have thread algae entangled in my plants, and green fluffy algae on my submersible LED tubes, but after adding CO2 they suddenly disappeared. I still have GSA and GDA on the glass and rock, but half a dozen Bristlenose pleco take care of them.

If you want to know more about the benefit of CO2, read this you tube tutorial from Dennis Wong. Don't let his accent deter you. This guy has world class planted tanks, and his tutorials are scientifically accurate and more convincing to me than Tom Barr.