# Finding the right balance of CO2, lights, and nutrition



## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Hey all,

I have become really interested in keeping plants and tranforming my 55 gallon tank to a heavily planted one. I have a few questions though. 

I understand that the three major factors in plant growth is Co2, nutrition, and lighting. Right now I have no fertilizer, regular gravel, single strip regular flourescent lighting (30w total ), and no Co2 system. For each category I have a basic idea of how I will upgrade. I would like some input however to what you all think.

*Lighting*
In terms of lighting, I have been looking into HOT-5 lighting. I found a product called the Nova extreme 2xT-5 lighting system. recently, a Single lamp reflector version was released. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+13822+16770&pcatid=16770. Because of the single lamp reflectors and the added power of the T-5 lights. Do you think this would be enough for most plants? even some grass like plants such as micro-sword?

*Nutrition*
I decided to go with the PPS-Pro system. Basically this is two types of fertilizers that you form with water and dry ferts. You make a micro-nutrient solution and then a macro-nutrient solution. What is the besty way to handle root feeders? The liquid solution won't go into the gravel will it? I have seen things like root tabs, special substrate, and laterite that you mix with the gravel. Which one do you thik is best?

*Co2*
I figured that at this point, Co2 would be almost required. Is this true? If anyone could give me any information about Co2 systems or post links, it would be appreciated. I need to learn a lot more about it. Also, any feedback fro systems would be nice.

Thanks for answering these questions. Sorry for having so many...


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

CO2 is really easy. Drill a hole in a 2 liter bottle's cap. Make this hole about the same size as the inside diameter of some airline tubing. Cut the airline tubing at an angle so you get a point. Use a pliers to pull the tubing through the cap. In the pop bottle mix 2 cups of water, 2 cups of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of yeast (half a package), and 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Put the cap with the tube in it on the bottle and tighten well. Put an air stone on the end of the tube. Put the air stone in the water as far down in the aquarium as you can make it. After a few hours the air stone should start to bubble, and after a few days it should be bubbling really well. This will continue for 1 to 2 weeks. When its done, just remake the mix and start over. Remember to use a check valve or put the bottle above the aquarium. Even though it won't completely drain the tank, it can't be good for the sugar/yeast mix to mix with the aquarium water, and seep into your tank.

Hope that helps.


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Ok. That seems like a good alternative to an actual system. Thanks for the response.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

The actual systems are pretty much the same thing. You put a premade mix of sugar and yeast in a can and it bubbles out into the aquarium. The only difference is they sometimes use a CO2 ladder, which will keep the CO2 in the water longer, thus dissolving it better. I find that the bubble stone works great for my 20 gal aquarium. If you want a ladder I'm sure they would hook up to standard air line tubing.


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Oh. I was thinking of this as a possible alternative to a pressurized system.. Interesting to know that various yeast-sugar systems exist as well...


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Yeah they sell the yeast-sugar systems. Any one of them with a plastic can and some tubing is pretty much the same as the 2 liter method. Like this one for example http://www.valuepetsupplies.com/Shop/Control/Product/fp/vpid/7192266/vpcsid/0/SFV/32440


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

Oh ok. thanks.

Any suggestions with lighting ans subtrate fertilizing?


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## SouthernBelle23 (Mar 24, 2009)

IME the sugar/yeast method of co2 isn't effective on larger tanks. If you had say 4 2L bottles, you might get 30ppm of co2 out of them in a 55g tank, but you have to change the mixture every 2-3 weeks to keep the levels somewhat stable. And if you add it up, it costs more to buy the sugar and yeast for a while then to just buy a pressurized system. Also, DIY can cause some algae sometimes instead of help prevent it because the levels are unstable.

Just my take...and I've used both methods....currently don't use any diy/yeast sugar co2 and do have pressurized co2 on my 40g.

As for the lighting you linked to. T5HO is supposed to penetrate through water better, but I have doubts that the 2 bulb fixture will be enough to grow carpet plants. Maybe with having the nutrients and carbon dioxide part of the equation you can slack a bit on lighting and still have good results, but I suggest getting a 4 bulb fixture. You wouldn't have to run all 4 bulbs all the time...a burst type setup would be better...having all 4 bulbs on for about 4 hours a day and you'd be able to grow most carpet plants. There are some grass plants that might do ok with that lighting, though I wouldn't consider micro sword one of them. Echindorus tenellus should do ok and Dwarf Sagittaria (it gets a bit taller though). There is a micro version of E. tenellus that has really narrow leaves and should grow in that lighting. Any carpeting plants like Glosso or HC (hemianthus callitrichoides) would need more watts.

"Root feeding" plants still take in some nutrients through the water column, from what I understand, they just take in more through their roots than other plants (hence the larger root systems...). If you were worried, you could add some root tabs/spikes underneath these type plants and you can still dose PPS pro.


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## llamas (Jun 29, 2009)

SouthernBelle23 said:


> IME the sugar/yeast method of co2 isn't effective on larger tanks. If you had say 4 2L bottles, you might get 30ppm of co2 out of them in a 55g tank, but you have to change the mixture every 2-3 weeks to keep the levels somewhat stable. And if you add it up, it costs more to buy the sugar and yeast for a while then to just buy a pressurized system. Also, DIY can cause some algae sometimes instead of help prevent it because the levels are unstable.
> 
> Just my take...and I've used both methods....currently don't use any diy/yeast sugar co2 and do have pressurized co2 on my 40g.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much for the advice SouthernBelle! So, from my uerstanding, Co2 and PPS-pro are good and needed. I will look into a pressurized system. It seems that Lighting is the only thing that I need to consider. I wish there was a triple tube system out there ;-)...I was looking at other possibilities and all other 4 tube systems seem to come with actintic tubes, which are no good for plants. What do you recommend? Also, if I were to skip out on carpet plants would the 2 tube fixture be enough to support a wide variety of plants?


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