10gal Tank Diy Vs Pressurized Co2 ?

[raptor22]

I have a 10Gal planted tank with

1. 2x anubias
2. 3x Melon sword (amazon sword type)
3. 5x Twisted Vallisneria
4. 7x Vallisneria
5. Bunch of Water wasteria (Hygrophila difformis)
6. a few stems of bacopa
7. 1 stem of horwort
8. A patch of Java moss
9. one small java fern
10. 4x Cabomba

I use Seacheam seachem flourish, DIY potassium and DIY Iron after every water change usually once weekly. I also use Osmocote water garden root tabs.
Lights are DIY LEDs attached to Sonoff WIfi plug, schedule set for 12 hours.
Temperature is set at 24C/75F. pH is 7.5-8.0

Which method of CO2 should be used in this tank? DIY with Citric acid and bicarbonate or Pressurized CO2 cylinder. Pressurized cost 2x the DIY solution initially.

 

[raptor22]

No reply?

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[Phishless]

A small tank with easy plants I'd go the citric acid route.

If this hobby grows into more tanks and more demanding plants I'd move to pressurized.
Once the citric acid becomes a PITA you may change your mind.

 

[Deanna]

I'd also question those LED's. I wouldn't want to see you disappointed if your plants don't grow well or you have too much algae. Do you know what those lights can deliver in terms of PAR and PUR? A bright light doesn't mean that plants will do well. Lights need to be heavy in the blue and red spectrum to capitalize on the strong growth that CO2 can provide in augmenting strong plant lights. Usually, CO2 isn't necessary unless you have high PAR and PUR lighting. CO2 never hurts, and is always good, but won't make up for poor lighting.

 

[raptor22]

I'd also question those LED's. I wouldn't want to see you disappointed if your plants don't grow well or you have too much algae. Do you know what those lights can deliver in terms of PAR and PUR? A bright light doesn't mean that plants will do well. Lights need to be heavy in the blue and red spectrum to capitalize on the strong growth that CO2 can provide in augmenting strong plant lights. Usually, CO2 isn't necessary unless you have high PAR and PUR lighting. CO2 never hurts, and is always good, but won't make up for poor lighting.

I can only confirm, lux at the bottom of the tank is 500Lux or above. I will be adding some "grow lights" to the aquarium soon. What I have noticed Cabomba which has medium to high light requirements is growing fast enough.
Echinodorous osiris (Melon sword) another plant with Average to High light requirements is growing, fast or not I don't know but I have seen new healthy leaves since last one week when lights were set up with sonoff. Light schedule is almost 12 hours.
http://answers.seneye.com/index.php?title=en/Aquarium_help/What_is_PAR_&_PUR_?/fresh_water_plant_PAR_levels

 

[raptor22]

Should I add blue and red light along with white LEDs?

 

[Stacie McMullen]

Which method of CO2 should be used in this tank? DIY with Citric acid and bicarbonate or Pressurized CO2 cylinder. Pressurized cost 2x the DIY solution initially.

View attachment 15528

I can't help regarding the technical aspects, as I am a newbie to planted aquariums myself. However, I just hooked up a 20lb CO2 tank to my 150 g aquarium and the cost was far less than I expected (except for the $150 ADA diffuser beetle that I bought because my tank is so big and I didn't want to use a line splitter to have 2 diffusers). With your smaller tank, if you just used paintball CO2 canisters, you can come by those pretty cheap on the used resale sites and it's only $5 for a refill at our local paintball parks... I have read a lot of mixed results on the diy CO2.

 

[raptor22]

P
Pressurised is always best ?

 

[raptor22]

My current light setup and spectrum graph, which might not be accurate. Is it good enough assuming it is accurate?