Tips on starting a new high tech planted tank ?

[Kalemh]

Hey I'm going to start up a high tech planted tank soon it's a 40 gallon breeder and I have a fluval plant and fresh 2.0 led and am going to use pressurized co2 which I don't know much about any advice or tips

[charlie]

Welcome, planted tanks is a great niche in this hobby.
They are several good folks on this forum with experience in all aspects of the planted tank world, so feel free to ask away on any subject that you need help with.
I`ll start, with that 40 gallon breeder, you will need to pay particular attention to you light intensity , since it`s a shallow tank and too much light will lead down the road of frustration, thankfully the fixture you have although powerful it can be dimmed .
Regarding pressurized CO2 , you want to spend wisely in this area, since this is on aspect that truly reflects the adage of you get what you pay for . Many folks are scared away from the initial  set up cost of pressurized systems and more so of good quality ones. I guess the message here is don`t make decisions because of cheap cost , you will likely regret it down the road - spend once!
Personally i have found building your own gives you the best of both worlds - cost & quality.
Regards

[wolfiewill]

I agree with charlie. And also, do some research into the plants you want to grow. Many are frustratingly difficult for a beginner. Talk to Jason at Critter Jungle, they have lots of plants at the moment; he won't steer you wrong. Do online research into each plant and select carefully. Many people starting off in the planted tank side quit early on in frustration. If Critter Jungle doesn't have the plants you want, ask for them on this forum. There aren't a lot of us, but what we lack in quantity of devotees, we more than make up with enthusiasm!

[Kalemh]

Right now the plants I have are starogyne repent, some kind of crypt, Rotana bonsai, Ludwigia  sp. Red and ar mini I've had planted tanks in the past just no experience with co2 and what I need to do not to gas my fish or change the phone too much

[charlie]

Right now the plants I have are starogyne repent, some kind of crypt, Rotana bonsai, Ludwigia  sp. Red and ar mini I've had planted tanks in the past just no experience with co2 and what I need to do not to gas my fish or change the phone too much

From that list , i would say you have a nice selection of medium demand plants.
In the so called high tech / high light planted tanks, balance is key, the balance we speak of is the goal of supplementing the needs of the plants in  sufficient amounts to sustain healthy growth as dictated by plant response to available light. This goes to say that your lighting is the single determining factor that will dictate co2, macro & micro nutrients supplementing.
It is commonly believed that we should strive for 30 PPM of CO2 saturation as a start, consistent CO2 saturation is the key to proper supplementing, meaning you want a CO2 set up that can deliver a constant rate of saturation as opposed to one that is  inconsistent in it`s delivery, as fluctuations will lead to algae issues, hence why i mentioned get a quality set up from the get go.
There are numerous ways on the worldwide web on how to calculate the saturation of CO2 in your tank, we all have our own preferred method, but keep in mind none of them is to be taken as gospel , as they all have there cons and pros, some more than others.
FYI , among us on this forum we have a group of planted tank enthusiast coined " Plantacholics" that get together informally for sharing and learning from each other away from the key board, these gatherings can be very informative if you can attend.
Regards

[wolfiewill]

.... meaning you want a CO2 set up that can deliver a constant rate of saturation.....

To clarify, charlie means a constant concentration of CO2 while the lights are on - not when lights are off. And to start the CO2 (on a timer) about 1 to 2 hours before the lights go on, and timed to go off about an hour before the lights go off. The concentration needs to have been reached when the lights first go on each day.

[Kalemh]

Thank you for clarifying wolfie

[exv152]

Another important aspect of co2 is diffusion method. Some good suggestions would be inline reactor, or inline diffuser, or a intank diffuser. All would work well for a 40g, but good flow is key too to achieving optimal co2 levels.

[wolfiewill]

.... but good flow is key too to achieving optimal co2 levels.

And by that he means a flow rate of 5 to 10 times the tank volume per hour.