A great read

[charlie]

This is especially helpful for those who don`t understand the supplementing of CO2.
Thanks to the Barrreport
http://www.barrreport.com/showthread.php/12851-Importance-of-CO2-A-Guide!

[charlie]

Read 23 times & no one has any input/comments !!!!!!!!!!!

[bettabreeder]

Great read! Very informative thank you Errol!


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[exv152]

From personal experience, CO2 is not the single most important element, I would say all the elements are equally important, neglect any one of them (micro and macro ferts, substrate, lighting and co2) and you have the perfect algae farm. The difference is CO2 is the hardest to regulate, measure accurately, and maintain at a constant and steady supply. This is why I spend so much time mulling over, reading, trying etc., different CO2 diffusion methods.  Needle wheel still seems to be head and shoulders above the other methods IMO.

[fischkopp]

Haha, keep bumping it until I find some time to read that other longish thread.

I would put it this way: CO2 is like dope for the plants, sure you can go without, but once you add some it becomes magical.

[charlie]

One of the main purposes of posting links like these is to have some dialogue among hobbyist (self included)
this helps a lot in learning & more so help hobbyist that are thinking or just starting in the hobby of planted tanks understanding the fundamentals of why we do certain things.
So let`s hear your views /comments /questions, the end result is we all lean .After all is it not why this forum exsist?
Regards

[bettabreeder]

Well I can attest to the fact that plant growth exploded after the addition of pressurized CO2 but only because I had other factors that plants need to grow first.


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[sanny]

Woah, amazing article. Im a beginner for aquatic plants and this article helped me a lot. Thank you so much Charlie!

[Dan]

At this point I am using a DIY reactor using this method (http://www.aquaticquotient.com/gallery/showimage.php?i=2593&c=19). It's but ugly in the tank but it works.

I used to inject the CO2 directly in my canister filter intake. I found that this took less C02 to reach the 30 to 40PPM but by the end of the day I had micro bubbles shooting out from my filter.

C02 is a definite must - I have the same plant in two separate tanks positioned at the same place with the same lighting system and same fert regiment. One tank has C02 the other does not. Huge difference in the growth rate, plant color and the size of the leaves.

[charlie]

From personal experience, CO2 is not the single most important element, I would say all the elements are equally important, neglect any one of them (micro and macro ferts, substrate, lighting and co2) and you have the perfect algae farm. The difference is CO2 is the hardest to regulate, measure accurately, and maintain at a constant and steady supply. This is why I spend so much time mulling over, reading, trying etc., different CO2 diffusion methods.  Needle wheel still seems to be head and shoulders above the other methods IMO.

I`m trying a needle wheel on my 25 gallon, I inject the co 2 into the needle pump & the out put of the pump goes to a DIY reactor for more dwell time before going to the tank, so far  good.
I agree that CO 2 is the most difficult to dial in.
Errol