Hey guys wondering if anyone can explain this to me. I was wondering what are the negative factors of injecting carbon into your tank? Also whether there is another way in doing so without using a carbon injection system? Or is there another way for your plants to flourish just as well if you are trying to create a moderately planted tank?
The second part to my question is, is there any negative side effects to putting non aquatic plants in your tank if they are healthy ie: ones that normally would grow alongside say a pond in their natural habitat?
Thanks in advance guys :)
from experience, i dont see any negative affects in putting in carbon, other then good plant growth. Fish doesnt seem to notice, and seem quite happen with the live plants.
I've tryied the bottle yeast route, and get decent plant growth with low/medium lighting, 5 bottle running, changing 1 every 2 weeks. but eventually, it was too much of a hassle. if you can get yourself a injection system, go for it. co2 bottle change twice a year. hassle-free, and a piece of nature in my livingroom. cant beat that.
aPuppet handle Q1... :)
House plants under water eventually die. But some will last with part in water. Look for South American plants. Check my gallery I used house plants in a plant filter on a tank it worked excellent for a long time.
The plants that grow up and out of the water can sometimes live in the water. There are quite a few aquarium plats that are commonly kept that will actually grow out of the water if they're allowed to! I've seen set-ups where people have left the top of tha tank open...no lid..with overhanging lights and "underwarter" aquarium plants are healthily growing out of the water.
One think to keep in mind when you're getting plants like that though is that most of them get really tall and their desire to reach and go beyond the surface of the water can't be suppressed. They might turn into an ugly plant underwater with beautiful foliage above the water. If you're pulling them out of the ground, watch out for insect larvae that will grow and eat your fish as well as leaches or leach eggs. You don't want to introduce those to your tank!!!
Quote from: highliner on June 07, 2010, 09:13:25 PM
I was wondering what are the negative factors of injecting carbon into your tank?
Plants use photosynthesis, so they produce oxygen from CO2 in the presence of light, but CO2 from oxygen in the dark. If you leave the CO2 injection system on with lights out, have a massively planted tank and unsufficient oxygenation at the surface (ie no surface agitation or unsufficient water/air interface, like in very tall and narrow tanks), some fish *may* suffocate.
Quote from: highliner on June 07, 2010, 09:13:25 PM
Also whether there is another way in doing so without using a carbon injection system?
You can add carbon to your tank with products, like for example Flourish Excel by SeaChem. (I have no relation to the company, it's just a product that I use and appreciate.)
Quote from: highliner on June 07, 2010, 09:13:25 PM
Or is there another way for your plants to flourish just as well if you are trying to create a moderately planted tank?
You can start by putting in plants that are adapted to your light settings (low light, medium light, high light) or adapt your lights (artifical and natural) to the plants you wish to keep.
I hope that was clear, and that it helps! Good luck!
thank you all for your input and pointing me in the right direction! :)
Quote from: highliner on June 07, 2010, 09:13:25 PM
Hey guys wondering if anyone can explain this to me. I was wondering what are the negative factors of injecting carbon into your tank? Also whether there is another way in doing so without using a carbon injection system? Or is there another way for your plants to flourish just as well if you are trying to create a moderately planted tank?
Thanks in advance guys :)
Here is a tid bit about carbon, the purpose of supplementing carbon in aquatic plants is due to the fact high lights will drive the plants to fast growth which will significantly increase the uptake of available carbon available, in most aquariums the livestock etc. will provide some amount of carbon but when the demand depletes this (due to the fast growth) it becomes necessary to supplement it.
Incidentally a very large % of plant tissue is carbon hence the growth & uptake demand.
The most common method is by injecting co2 & for smaller tanks 5-30 gallons the DIY sugar & yeast method or other methods such as Flourish excel is doable, on a 50 gln the DIY sugar & yeast is still doable but with a lot of demand on time & monitoring , the Excel method is also doable but at great cost, hence why most would find a pressurized system the best solution.
In summary , demand for carbon can be controlled by the type of plants ( High light/low light) & intensity of lighting
Example, low light plants with the right lighting intensity will greatly reduce the carbon demand of that tank & as such might be self supplemented by the fish, of course they are other factors that can be added.
Regards