C02 and fish

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octavusprime

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jul 20, 2010
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sacramento
I'm new to all this. My question is with regards to using a C02 system with large predatory fish. I'm concerned that raised C02 levels could be harmful to my fish. Is this concern valid? If I use a c02 system to dose the tank does this lower the amount of available O2?

Currently I have a 135 gallon tank 6' x 20" x 18". I use a quad T5 with (2) 10,000K and (2) 6500K bulbs. Plants that are doing good are the dwarf hairgrass, flame moss and christmas moss. The issue is with the dwarf baby tears (HC). I really would like the look of a thick ground cover. I use a liquid total fert (no phosporous) and total plug style ferts (no phosporuous) for the substrate both are from Aquariumplants.com. My substrate is just sand.

I'm trying to find out if C02 dosing is a safe option or whether I need to find a less C02 dependent ground cover. Any help or advice is welcome. Thanks.
 
Here is a pic of the HC. It just isn't growing and it is constantly getting uprooted. Its been planted for over a month now.

027.jpg
 
You can certainly dose co2 regardless of the type/size of the fish. CO2 will impact Kh and Ph, so you will want to monitor them to prevent a Ph crash. It would also be a good idea to have some form of water movement increase at night when the plants are respiring co2 rather than taking it up. A powerhead or air pump will do the trick.
 
With enough plants, co2 levels being raised through pressurized co2, will result in an increase in o2 in the aquarium.
 
Thanks guys. Just installed a simple C02 system. Needle valve, bubble counter and diffuser all from fluval. I'm unsure what my KH is currently so I'll get a test kit tomorrow. I set up a timer to turn on an air pump after the lights go out. As for the dosing, I'm moving at 10 bubbles per minute for a 135 gallon tank. I'll check my drop checker and increase slowly until it turns green oh and if I see my fish acting funny I'll cut back.

Excited to see how this increases the plant growth.

Cheers!
 
So I just got a KH test kit and it looks like I'm sitting very low at 40-50 ppm KH (2-3 DKH). The following are the plant/fish and their recommended KH.
KH
Dwarf baby tears 0-10
Dwarf hairgrass 4-8
Xmas moss/flame moss adaptable
Peacock bass 5-12
IT datnoid 12-18
Ornate bichir 1-12

So I'm unsure what KH I should shoot for, looks like I really need to get it up to the 8-12 mark. What is the best way to get the KH up to where I need it? I've heard of crushed coral, oyster shells and baking soda but some say that they are not as good at buffering and one should use a product like seachem alkaline buffer.

Any suggestions on a KH I should aim for and also which method I should use to get there? Sorry for all the questions but there seems to be alot of differing opinions out on thy ole World Wide Web.
 
inkslinger said:
http://www.aquaticplantenthusiasts.com/co2/3334-co2-how-relates-planted-aquarium.html
Click to expand...

Good info. I increased my GH and KH, with baking soda and some GH product used to "fix" R/O water. KH is now at the 150ppm and the PH is stabile around 7.0.

I recently moved my diffuser under my Canister filter intake. I only need 3-4 bubbles per second to see green on my drop checker in my 135 gallon tank. Baby tears are looking good but I think it is hard to keep HC in sand, especially with large fish that knock into it. Just got some dwarf clover. Waiting for it to convert from the emersed state to aquatic state. Then I'll plant it in hopes it will root better than the HC and make a thick carpet.
 
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